Mexico captures suspected son of most wanted drug lord

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico said on Thursday it has captured a man it believes is a son of the country's most wanted man, drug lord Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman.

The Mexican Navy captured Jesus Alfredo Guzman in the western state of Jalisco on Thursday morning, the navy said in a statement.

Joaquin Guzman, nicknamed "El Chapo" in Spanish, escaped a Mexican jail in a laundry cart in 2001 and runs the Sinaloa cartel, arguably the country's most powerful gang.

Drug violence in Mexico has exploded over the last decade, and there have been more than 55,000 drug-related killings since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006.

Thursday's arrest comes just over week before Mexico votes for a new president. The ruling National Action Party (PAN) has lost support due to the drug violence ravaging the country. The constitution bars Calderon from running for re-election.

The U.S. Treasury said last month Americans were banned from doing any business with two of Guzman's sons, who were identified as Ivan Guzman and Ovidio Guzman, under the terms of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.

(Reporting by Mexico Newsroom; Editing by David Brunnstrom)