Aureliano Guzmán Loera, aka El Guano

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

“The brother of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, Aureliano, nicknamed El Guano, has this version been confirmed?”

“Operational actions are being developed since this morning in Sinaloa, specifically in Badiraguato and its surroundings. There are actions of the security cabinet, mainly headed by the Secretariat of National Defense. There are detainees; the detention of this subject, hasn’t yet been confirmed. Nonetheless, operations are ongoing at this time. Thank you.”

Omar Garcia Hurtuch confirmed a federal operation carried out in the mountainous area of Sinaloa, where several detainees have already been reported. Although he didn’t confirm the capture of Aureliano Guzmán, brother of El Chapo Guzmán. 

According to reports from local and national media, the deployment was concentrated in Badiraguato and bordering areas with Durango, in the region known as the Golden Triangle, a historic bastion of the Guzmán family. 

Medias in Sinaloa reported since this morning of helicopter overflights and the presence of federal forces by air and land in the mountains, which generated unofficial versions about a possible capture of El Guano. 

Radio frequencies of criminal groups even circulated about the capture of El Guano Guzman and Churras Calabazas. The federal government hasn’t specified the number of people detained nor the identity of those captured. 

For its part, the media InfoBae reported that the Secretariat of National Defense denied that Aureliano Guzmán is among those detained. Originally from the mountainous area of Badiraguato, his name has appeared in various security reports related to criminal activities in the northwest of the country.  

According to official investigations, he is linked to operations in the region known as the Golden Triangle. A strategic area for drug trafficking due to its geographically difficult access conditions. 

Over the years, Guano has been considered by authorities as a relevant target within federal operations, from which he has previously escaped. The US State Department is offering a reward of $5 million for information leading to his capture. 

He is facing charges in that country for international conspiracies to distribute marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

On August 31st, 2025, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, ICE, its acronym in English, belonging to the Department of Homeland Security, announced a reward of $10 million for information leading to the arrest of Aureliano Guzmán Araujo, also known as El Juanito, son of El Guano. 

That publication, the department made inaccuracies by wrongly identifying the young man as the brother of the Chapitos, sons of El Chapo, when in reality he is their cousin.

Source: Grillonautas 2