Hordes of Sinaloa citizens took to the streets in different municipalities, clad in white, arriving at a temple known as La Lomita in Culiacan to demand that billionaire Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman be released from prison. Univision.com reported that more than 500 individuals arrived at the temple on Wednesday evening, carrying banners with messages of support of El Chapo, who was arrested last Saturday evening, 13 years after a $2 million dollar laundry basket prison escape from a western Mexico prison in 2001. Guzman was discovered at a beach resort in Sinaloa with his 24-year-old beauty queen wife, Emma Coronel.

"We are with you Chapo" and "With Chapo's people felt safer" was written across clothing, blankets, cars and any slight surface as masses moved through Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state. Two bands playing regional music led the procession to the church.

"The government should stop hijackers and those damaging other people, not those who employ families," said a woman who was involved the march.

The residents of Sinaloa claimed that the crime boss provided needed jobs in poor mountain areas, and stimulated local economy. There, he also inspired folk songs and books, and became an idol to young men in the area. In December 2010, nearly 100 people marched through the state capital of Michoacan to show support for the chief of "La Familia" cartel, "who were killed during a two day brawl with federal police."

"We support Chapo Guzman because he is the one who gives us jobs and helps out in the mountains," said Pedro Ramirez, who said he traveled in a group of 300 from Badiraguato, a town in the Sierra Madre where Guzman was born poor 56 years ago.

Wednesday's demonstration took place at the base of El Chapo's cartel operation. Gov. Mario Lopez Valdez told Televisa that he suspected that Guzman's friends and family organized the demonstration, paying protesters and offering food and drink, which is common practice in Mexico.

"We don't know at this time, but the investigation should reveal that," Lopez said.

Police attempted to scatter the protest, and responded with tear gas and took protesters into custody after protesters opted to throw water bottles at the officers.

Mexican government has said that Guzman won't be extradited to the U.S. any time soon. Guzman has been indicted in California, New York, Illinois and numerous other states, and Guzman and other Sinaloa bosses were already under sanctions through the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.

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