Wild: Watch How El Chapo's Son Got Freed!

The Mexican president defended security forces on Friday over their handling of a shocking outbreak of drug violence, saying they had saved lives by releasing a son of jailed kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman after his bungled arrest.

A gun battle on Thursday paralysed the capital of Mexico's Sinaloa state and left the streets littered with burning vehicles, while footage showed civilian armed men moving around Culiacan in pickups and firing into the street in broad daylight.

There was confusion over whether one or two of Guzman's sons had been detained or even killed by the military.

El Chapo was sentenced to life in prison in a US jail earlier this year for the multi-billion-dollar drug-trafficking empire he oversaw.

Ovidio Guzman is now involved in the running of the Sinaloa Cartel following the extradition and sentencing of his father, along with his brother Ivan. Posted By DMitchell