Key Takeaways:
– Eleven more deaths reported in the Sinaloa region due to ongoing violence, taking the toll to 30 in one week.
– Schools were closed and national ceremonies cancelled due to the unrest.
– The U.S. issued a security alert based on reports of various criminal activities in the vicinity of Culiacan, Sinaloa.
– Increase in violence owes to the arrest of Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ismael Zambada, key figures in the Sinaloa Cartel.
– Mexican prosecutors brought kidnapping charges against Guzman for allegedly abducting Zambada.
The Unabating Unrest
Mexico’s Sinaloa state, recognized as a stronghold of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, continues to reel under escalating violence with the fatalities soaring to 30 in the last week alone. This surge in violence comes in the aftermath of the arrests of Cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of former Cartel leader, El Chapo, on U.S. soil. The state officials announced on Sunday that the recent victims included five men found dead on a highway just south of Culiacan city.
Cartel Infighting Impacts Public Life
This ongoing unrest has led to severe disruption in public life with schools downing shutters and Independence Day celebrations being cancelled. The tumult has sparked fears of a power struggle within the cartel, with gangs loyal to El Chapo and his sons pitting against those siding with Zambada.
U.S Steps up Security Concerns
In response to this worsening crisis, the United States issued a security alert on Thursday. The alert came in the wake of reported instances of car thefts, public shootings, security forces operations, roadblocks, vehicle firings and blocked roadways in the proximity of Culiacan. The deteriorating law and order situation has urged the U.S. administration to step up its vigil and strengthen security measures for its citizens.
Unexpected Kidnapping Charges on Guzman
Further complicating the situation, Mexican prosecutors announced last month they were pressing charges against Guzman. He stands accused of kidnapping Zambada. However, the charges document also hints at an unprecedented treason charge against Guzman, intensifying the situation.
Notably, the statement fails to mention Guzman’s association with the Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel led by Chapo’s sons. Said to be responsible for smuggling copious amounts of fentanyl into the U.S., this faction has been linked to thousands of overdose deaths annually. A U.S. Justice Department indictment from 2023 sheds light on their brutally violent methods, including torture and reportedly feeding their victims to tigers, dead or alive.
El Chapo’s Appeal and Charges
El Chapo, the original founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a life sentence in a Colorado, U.S. maximum-security prison. Convicted for crimes like drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons-related offenses, he had sent an appeal to Mexico’s president last year, alleging psychological torment in prison.
As these events unfold, it remains to be seen how the Mexican authorities would curtail this escalating crisis, ensuring public safety and a return to normalcy.