Full Breakdown
Protest in Culiacán Calls for End to Cartel Bloodshed
By Drooid · · How we work
Mass Demonstration Against Violence
Residents of Culiacán took to the streets in a coordinated march that began with a Mass. The protest was timed to mark the second anniversary of the internecine conflict that erupted after the arrest of drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada in the United States. Businessman Sergio Esquer, a leader in the centre-left Movimiento Ciudadano, said more than 5,000 businesses have closed since the feud began, underscoring the economic toll on the three-million-strong state of Sinaloa.
Cartel Faction War and Its Roots
Two rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel—Los Chapitos and La Mayiza—have been locked in a violent struggle for roughly two years. La Mayiza, aligned with Zambada’s followers, claims betrayal by the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, prompting attacks on Los Chapitos. The groups regularly stage ambushes, drive-by shootings and road-block hijackings, leading to a sharp rise in murders, disappearances, extortions and robberies, according to official figures. A one-year-old boy was recently killed by a stray bullet during a city shootout, highlighting the civilian cost.
Political Turmoil Linked to the Conflict
In recent months the violence has intersected with political controversy. In April, U.S. prosecutors accused Sinaloa’s governor, Rubén Rocha, and nine current or former officials of colluding with Los Chapitos to smuggle drugs into the United States. Rocha denied wrongdoing, temporarily stepped down while Mexican prosecutors opened a parallel investigation, returned to office three weeks later, and then requested another leave of absence after President Claudia Sheinbaum posted a comment on social media warning that “power without principles becomes arrogance,” without naming him directly.
Official Statements & Responses
The bishop of Culiacán used the opening Mass to urge both factions to cease hostilities, emphasizing that no amount of power, money, territory or ambition outweighs a human life. Governor Rocha publicly rejected the U.S. allegations and framed the investigation as politically motivated. President Sheinbaum’s social-media remark, though indirect, signaled federal concern over the governor’s conduct amid the ongoing cartel war.
Verbatim Quotes
- “That's the tragedy Sinaloa is experiencing,” — Church. Businessman Sergio Esquer