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Infighting in the Sinaloa Cartel

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Infighting in the Sinaloa Cartel
Part of Mexican drug war
Date9 September 2024 – present
(2 months, 3 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Sinaloa, Sonora, Durango (fighting mainly occurring in the state of Sinaloa) [1]
Caused byArrest of El Mayo
GoalsControl of the Sinaloa Cartel
Parties
Los Chapitos
La Mayiza
Lead figures
Casualties
Death(s)500+ deaths[2]

On 9 September 2024, a conflict erupted between the primary factions of the Sinaloa Cartel—Los Chapitos and La Mayiza—and their respective armed groups in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and later spread to other municipalities in the state. The conflict stemmed from the capture of two key cartel leaders, Joaquín Guzmán López and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.[3][4][5]

Background

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Operation Black Swan

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See also: Operation Black Swan

Operation Black Swan was a military operation that led to the recapture of the Sinaloa Cartel leader, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, on 8 January 2016.[6] This event led to the division of the cartel into various factions vying for control.[7]

The two main factions that emerged were Los Chapitos, led by Ovidio Guzmán López ("El Ratón"), Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar ("El Chapito"), Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar ("Alfredito"), and Joaquín Guzmán López ("El Güero Moreno"), and La Mayiza, led by Ismael Zambada García ("El Mayo").[7]

Battle of Culiacán (2019)

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See also: Battle of Culiacán

On 17 October 2019, Ovidio Guzmán López ("El Ratón") was apprehended by elements of the Mexican Armed Forces. This operation triggered a severe wave of violence in Culiacán, known as the "Culiacanazo". To prevent further bloodshed, the government made the controversial decision to release Guzmán López.[8]

2023 Sinaloa unrest

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See also: 2023 Sinaloa unrest

On 5 January 2023, a major operation known as Operation Moongose Azteca was carried out in Culiacán to recapture Ovidio Guzmán López.[9] This operation had been planned since late 2021 in collaboration with the Secretariat of National Defense, the National Guard, the National Intelligence Center, and the Sinaloa Public Security Secretariat.[10]

Following a brief confrontation with Guzmán López's bodyguards, he was successfully recaptured and transported to Mexico City.[9] During this process, gunmen from the Los Chapitos faction of the cartel besieged Culiacán and several other municipalities in Sinaloa, once again pressuring the government to release their leader.[11][12] Amid the unrest, Los Chapitos sought assistance from La Mayiza, but the latter refused, causing a rift between the two factions.[13]

Arrest of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada

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On 25 July 2024, the United States Department of Justice officially announced the arrest of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López in El Paso, Texas.[14] The Mexican government stated that it had not participated in Zambada's capture.[15]

On 9 August, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar revealed that Zambada had been forcibly taken to the U.S. against his will, while Guzmán López had surrendered voluntarily, fueling speculation that some form of "betrayal" was involved.[16][17]

On 10 August, Zambada claimed in a letter made public by his attorney, Frank Pérez, that he had been ambushed and kidnapped by Guzmán López, who handed him over to U.S. authorities.[18] According to the letter, Zambada had been invited to a meeting to negotiate and resolve disputes between Sinaloa's political leaders, Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda, leader of the Sinaloense Party.[19] Upon arrival, he alleged he was attacked, bound, handcuffed, and taken in a vehicle to an airstrip, where he was forced onto a plane in order to be arrested by U.S. authorities.[19][20]

Events

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September

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At dawn on 9 September 2024, a Mexican Army convoy encountered armed civilians in La Campiña, a neighborhood on the east side of Culiacán and a stronghold of the Los Chapitos faction. A shootout broke out, resulting in the death of a sergeant.[21][22] Violence escalated rapidly throughout the day, with additional clashes reported in nearby neighborhoods, southern Culiacán—a stronghold of the La Mayiza faction—and the neighboring municipalities of Badiraguato, Navolato, and Elota.[22][23] By midday, a group of gunmen briefly boarded a public bus, issuing warnings to passengers and the driver about further violence.[24] During the day's confrontations, authorities seized several armored civilian vehicles, firearms, and tactical equipment.[22][25]

Shortly after hostilities erupted, the Secretariat of Public Education and Culture, along with the Autonomous University of Sinaloa and the National Technological Institute of Mexico, suspended classes in affected areas. Public transportation services were widely disrupted, with numerous bus routes canceled. Many citizens sheltered in place for safety. Festivities for the Cry of Dolores were canceled.[4]

General Jesús Leana Ojeda (center) and Governor of Sinaloa Rubén Rocha Moya (right) during a press conference addressing the violence on 16 September 2024.

The Mexican government, led by outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, dispatched additional army troops and National Guard units, asserting that their primary mission was to ensure the safety and well-being of the local population amidst the conflict.[26] López Obrador, however, downplayed reports of escalating violence, claiming that coverage was exaggerated by conservative media outlets.[26]

On 16 September, General Jesús Leana Ojeda, commander of the Third Military Region, asserted that state security did not depend solely on the army but on the rival groups' willingness to stop their confrontations.[27] Three days later, López Obrador called on criminal groups to act responsibly and cease hostilities.[28] He attributed the instability to the agreement between the United States and Joaquín Guzmán López that resulted in the arrest of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, suggesting it provoked the outbreak of violence.[29]

The violence had spread across Sinaloa by mid-September, with narco-blockades frequently appearing along Mexican Federal Highway 15 and numerous deaths reported in remote towns.[30] Some victims were found with sombreros or pizza slices—symbols linked to La Mayiza and Los Chapitos, respectively.[31] The town of El Palmito in Concordia Municipality was temporarily evacuated, leaving it a ghost town.[32][33]

On 30 September, local police in Culiacán were removed from active duty after the Mexican Army seized their firearms to inspect permits and verify serial numbers.[34] By that same day, the death toll had climbed to 118.[35]

October

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President Claudia Sheinbaum deployed a task force composed of Mexican Army soldiers, National Guard members, and agents from the National Intelligence Center to combat the escalating violence.[36] On 2 October, she replaced Jesús Leana Ojeda with Guillermo Briseño Lobera as commander of the Third Military Region.[37]

The Associated Press reported that gunmen used cellphone chats to identify potential targets. Armed men would stop individuals and search their contact lists, chat logs, or photos; if they found any connection to a rival faction, the person was either executed or kidnapped.[38]

On 17 October, in Culiacán, gunfire erupted outside the headquarters of the newspaper El Debate when an individual exited a vehicle and opened fire with a long gun. Two days later, a deliveryman on a motorcycle carrying printed editions of the newspaper was ambushed and kidnapped by armed assailants.[39]

On 21 October, Mexican forces engaged in one of the deadliest confrontations of the decade, resulting in the deaths of 19 cartel members and the capture of "El Max", a high-ranking member of La Mayiza.[40][41] The following day, a narco-banner from Los Chapitos appeared in Culiacán, aimed at Ismael Zambada Sicairos, leader of the La Mayiza faction. The banner threatened to turn Zambada over to U.S. authorities and mocked him over the military operation leading to "El Max's" capture, claiming government support was on their side.[42][43] In response, La Mayiza circulated pamphlets across Culiacán, setting up a hotline for citizens to report corruption involving Governor of Sinaloa Rubén Rocha Moya.[43][44] On 26 October, a cooler decorated with bows and pizza drawings was found containing a decapitated head, allegedly of a Los Chapitos member, along with a message directed at the group.[45][46]

On 28 October, a small plane, reportedly linked to the Los Chapitos faction, dropped four bombs on Vascogil, Durango, a stronghold of the Cabrera Sarabia Organization, allies of La Mayiza.[47]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cartel war in Sinaloa spreads fear to other states in Mexico: 'You see fewer people on the streets and businesses close early'". el pais.
  2. ^ Yañez, Brenda (3 December 2024). "La 'guerra' en Sinaloa supera homicidios de todo 2023". ADNPolítico (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Sinaloa cartel infighting rises in northern Mexico following the detention of 2 drug lords in July". AP News. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Mexican city of Culiacan is near a standstill over fears of cartel clashes". AP News. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  5. ^ "More than 100 killed or missing as Sinaloa Cartel war rages in Mexico". Reuters. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  6. ^ Murphy, Jack (11 January 2016). "JSOC's Secretive Delta Force Operators on the Ground for El Chapo Capture". SOFREP. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Qué es el Cartel de Sinaloa: cómo es, cuáles son sus miembros y líderes". CNN (in Spanish). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  8. ^ Enjoli, Francis (18 October 2019). "Mexican authorities release 'El Chapo's' son as violence breaks out during attempted arrest". ABC News. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Mexico nabs son of drug lord 'El Chapo' before Biden visit". AP News. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  10. ^ "¿Cuánto poder tenía Ovidio Guzmán en el cartel de Sinaloa? (y qué cambia realmente con su captura)". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Ovidio Guzmán-López: Twenty-nine killed during arrest of El Chapo's son". 5 January 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  12. ^ Ferri, Pablo (6 January 2023). "Shootouts, burned-out cars and closed airports: Los Chapitos terrorize Culiacán after Ovidio Guzmán arrest". El País English. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  13. ^ ""La Mayiza" no participó en el Culiacanazo; ¿por qué se replegaron?". El Sol de Sinaloa (in Spanish). 16 January 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  14. ^ Marcos, Coral Murphy (26 July 2024). "Top leaders of powerful Sinaloa drug cartel arrested in Texas". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  15. ^ swissinfo.ch, S. W. I. (26 July 2024). "El Gobierno de México revela que "no participó" en la captura de 'El Mayo' Zambada en EEUU". SWI swissinfo.ch (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  16. ^ "US ambassador confirms Mexican drug lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada was brought to US against his will". AP News. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  17. ^ "¿Entonces sí fue traición? 'El Mayo' Zambada llegó a EU 'en contra de su voluntad'". El Financiero (in Spanish). 10 August 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  18. ^ "'I was ambushed': Sinaloa cartel leader 'El Mayo' details capture". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Así cayó el 'Mayo' Zambada en la traición de Joaquín Guzmán, hijo del 'Chapo': 'Lo conocía desde niño'". El Financiero (in Spanish). 10 August 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  20. ^ Sanchez, Ramon; Lybrand, Holmes; Sandoval, Polo (10 August 2024). "Reputed cartel boss Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada reiterates claim he was 'ambushed' and 'kidnapped' by El Chapo's son". CNN. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Gatilleros atacan a militares en Sinaloa; se registra una semana de enfrentamientos". www.proceso.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  22. ^ a b c Camhaji, Elías (11 September 2024). "Violence spreads in Mexico amid fears Los Chapitos and El Mayo faction have ended truce". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Lunes de enfrentamientos en Sinaloa dejó cinco muertos". Aristegui Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  24. ^ Mayen, Por Baruc (10 September 2024). "Sicarios advierten a transportistas sobre violencia en Culiacán; "Hay mucho desmadre, ustedes saben"". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Ejército y Guardia Nacional aseguran 21 vehículos y armas en Costa Rica". Noroeste (in Spanish). 13 September 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  26. ^ a b Forbes Staff (12 September 2024). "AMLO asegura que hay 'suficiente presencia' del Ejército ante la violencia en Sinaloa". Forbes México (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  27. ^ Contreras, Por Luis (16 September 2024). ""Seguridad en Sinaloa no depende de nosotros, depende de grupos antagónicos", afirma comandante militar". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  28. ^ Calderón, Verónica (19 September 2024). "Andrés Manuel López Obrador insiste que su Gobierno actúa de forma "responsable" en Sinaloa". CNN (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  29. ^ Camhaji, Elías (19 September 2024). "López Obrador culpa a Estados Unidos de la ola de violencia en Sinaloa". El País México (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  30. ^ Camhaji, Elías (23 September 2024). "The trail of El Mayo and Los Chapitos in Sinaloa: Narco-blockades, executions and more than 50 dead". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  31. ^ "Corpses found wearing sombreros in Mexico as cartel violence rages after Sinaloa leaders arrested in U.S. - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  32. ^ "El Palmito sigue sin agua, sin transporte y sin la llegada de productos, señalan desplazados". Revista Espejo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  33. ^ Jornada, La; corresponsal, Irene Sánchez (17 September 2024). "Violencia criminal desplaza a 200 habitantes de la sierra de Sinaloa". La Jornada (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Police in a cartel-dominated Mexican city are pulled off the streets after army takes their guns". AP News. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  35. ^ Morales, Héctor Ríos (30 September 2024). "Violence in Sinaloa Continues to Escalate: Death Toll Climbs to 118 With Five Bodies Found Inside a Van". Latin Times. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  36. ^ Morales, Héctor Ríos (1 October 2024). "Mexico's Sheinbaum to Launch Special Task Force to Address Sinaloa Turf Wars on First Days of Her Presidency". Latin Times. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  37. ^ Mayen, Por Baruc (6 October 2024). "Sedena releva a Jesús Leana Ojeda, general que afirmó que la seguridad en Sinaloa depende de los grupos criminales". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  38. ^ Masquelier-Page, Alice (16 October 2024). "In the heartland of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, the old ways have changed and violence rages". The Associated Press. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  39. ^ Zerega, Georgina (23 October 2024). "The press under siege in the Sinaloa war: 'Shooting at one media outlet is a warning to the others'". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  40. ^ "Mexican soldiers kill 19 drug cartel suspects and suffer no casualties in Sinaloa state". AP News. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  41. ^ "¿Quién es 'El Max' y por qué era un objetivo prioritario en Sinaloa por ola de violencia?". El Financiero (in Spanish). 23 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  42. ^ "Chapiza amenaza al 'Mayito' en narcomantas: 'te vamos a entregar como a tu papá'". Radio Fórmula (in Spanish). 24 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  43. ^ a b "La amenaza de los hijos de "El Chapo" Guzmán contra los de "El Mayo" Zambada: "Te vamos a entregar como a tu papá"". LA NACION (in Spanish). 25 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  44. ^ "¿'El Mayo Flaco' le declaró la guerra a Rubén Rocha? Esto sabemos de las amenazas vs. el gobierno de Sinaloa". El Financiero (in Spanish). 23 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  45. ^ "Encuentran cabeza y restos humanos en hielera frente al parque 87 de Culiacán". El Sol de Sinaloa (in Spanish). 26 October 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  46. ^ "La guerra de 'Los Chapitos' y el 'Mayito Flaco': Así se atacaron con narcomantas y hieleras en Sinaloa". El Financiero (in Spanish). 27 October 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  47. ^ "Durango: Avioneta lanzó explosivos en Vascogil, poblado que fue escondite del Mayo Zambada". sdpnoticias (in Spanish). 1 November 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
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