Infighting in the Sinaloa Cartel explained

Infighting in the Sinaloa Cartel
Partof:Mexican drug war
Date:9 September 2024 – present
Place:Sinaloa, Sonora, Durango (fighting mainly occurring in the state of Sinaloa) [1]
Causes:Arrest of El Mayo
Goals:Control of the Sinaloa Cartel
Side1: Mexico
Side2: Los Chapitos
Side3: La Mayiza
Leadfigures1:
Leadfigures2:
Leadfigures3:
  • Ismael Zambada Sicairos
  • Juan José Ponce Félix
  • Alfonso Limón Sánchez
  • Rafael Guadalupe Félix Nuñez
Fatalities: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

Operation Black Swan

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").

Battle of Culiacán (2019)

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

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. 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

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.[20]

Events

September

At dawn on 9 September 2024, a Mexican Army convoy encountered armed civilians in La Campiña, a town on the outskirts 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.[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.[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.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.

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

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.[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

Notes and References

  1. News: 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. Web site: Yañez . Brenda . 2024-12-03 . La 'guerra' en Sinaloa supera homicidios de todo 2023 . 2024-12-04 . ADNPolítico . es.
  3. Web site: 2024-08-20 . Sinaloa cartel infighting rises in northern Mexico following the detention of 2 drug lords in July . 2024-10-24 . AP News . en.
  4. Web site: 2024-09-12 . Mexican city of Culiacan is near a standstill over fears of cartel clashes . 2024-10-24 . AP News . en.
  5. News: More than 100 killed or missing as Sinaloa Cartel war rages in Mexico. 2024-09-21. Reuters.
  6. Web site: Murphy . Jack . 2016-01-11 . JSOC's Secretive Delta Force Operators on the Ground for El Chapo Capture . 2024-10-24 . SOFREP . en.
  7. Web site: 2023-01-05 . Qué es el Cartel de Sinaloa: cómo es, cuáles son sus miembros y líderes . 2024-10-24 . CNN . es.
  8. Web site: Enjoli . Francis . 2019-10-18 . Mexican authorities release 'El Chapo's' son as violence breaks out during attempted arrest . 2024-10-24 . ABC News . en.
  9. Web site: 2023-01-06 . Mexico nabs son of drug lord 'El Chapo' before Biden visit . 2024-10-24 . AP News . en.
  10. News: ¿Cuánto poder tenía Ovidio Guzmán en el cartel de Sinaloa? (y qué cambia realmente con su captura) . 2024-10-24 . BBC News Mundo . es.
  11. News: 2023-01-05 . Ovidio Guzmán-López: Twenty-nine killed during arrest of El Chapo's son . 2024-10-24 . en-GB.
  12. Web site: Ferri . Pablo . 2023-01-06 . Shootouts, burned-out cars and closed airports: Los Chapitos terrorize Culiacán after Ovidio Guzmán arrest . 2024-10-24 . El País English . en-us.
  13. Web site: 2023-01-16 . "La Mayiza" no participó en el Culiacanazo; ¿por qué se replegaron? . 2024-10-24 . El Sol de Sinaloa . es.
  14. News: Marcos . Coral Murphy . 2024-07-26 . Top leaders of powerful Sinaloa drug cartel arrested in Texas . 2024-10-24 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  15. Web site: swissinfo.ch . S. W. I. . 2024-07-26 . El Gobierno de México revela que "no participó" en la captura de 'El Mayo' Zambada en EEUU . 2024-10-24 . SWI swissinfo.ch . es.
  16. Web site: 2024-08-09 . US ambassador confirms Mexican drug lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada was brought to US against his will . 2024-10-24 . AP News . en.
  17. Web site: 2024-08-10 . ¿Entonces sí fue traición? ‘El Mayo’ Zambada llegó a EU ‘en contra de su voluntad’ . 2024-10-24 . El Financiero . es.
  18. Web site: ‘I was ambushed’: Sinaloa cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ details capture . 2024-10-24 . Al Jazeera . en.
  19. Web site: 2024-08-10 . Así cayó el ‘Mayo’ Zambada en la traición de Joaquín Guzmán, hijo del ‘Chapo’: ‘Lo conocía desde niño’ . 2024-10-24 . El Financiero . es.
  20. Web site: Sanchez . Ramon . Lybrand . Holmes . Sandoval . Polo . 2024-08-10 . Reputed cartel boss Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada reiterates claim he was ‘ambushed’ and ‘kidnapped’ by El Chapo’s son . 2024-10-24 . CNN . en.
  21. Web site: Gatilleros atacan a militares en Sinaloa; se registra una semana de enfrentamientos . 2024-10-25 . www.proceso.com.mx . spanish.
  22. Web site: Camhaji . Elías . 2024-09-11 . Violence spreads in Mexico amid fears Los Chapitos and El Mayo faction have ended truce . 2024-10-25 . EL PAÍS English . en-us.
  23. Web site: Lunes de enfrentamientos en Sinaloa dejó cinco muertos . 2024-10-25 . Aristegui Noticias . es.
  24. Web site: Mayen . Por Baruc . 2024-09-10 . Sicarios advierten a transportistas sobre violencia en Culiacán; "Hay mucho desmadre, ustedes saben" . 2024-10-25 . infobae . es.
  25. Web site: 2024-09-13 . Ejército y Guardia Nacional aseguran 21 vehículos y armas en Costa Rica . 2024-10-25 . Noroeste . es.
  26. Web site: Forbes Staff. 2024-09-12 . AMLO asegura que hay 'suficiente presencia' del Ejército ante la violencia en Sinaloa . 2024-10-25 . Forbes México . es.
  27. Web site: Contreras . Por Luis . 2024-09-16 . "Seguridad en Sinaloa no depende de nosotros, depende de grupos antagónicos", afirma comandante militar . 2024-10-25 . infobae . es.
  28. Web site: Calderón . Verónica . 2024-09-19 . Andrés Manuel López Obrador insiste que su Gobierno actúa de forma "responsable" en Sinaloa . 2024-10-25 . CNN . es.
  29. Web site: Camhaji . Elías . 2024-09-19 . López Obrador culpa a Estados Unidos de la ola de violencia en Sinaloa . 2024-10-25 . El País México . es.
  30. Web site: Camhaji . Elías . 2024-09-23 . The trail of El Mayo and Los Chapitos in Sinaloa: Narco-blockades, executions and more than 50 dead . 2024-10-26 . EL PAÍS English . en-us.
  31. Web site: 2024-09-23 . Corpses found wearing sombreros in Mexico as cartel violence rages after Sinaloa leaders arrested in U.S. - CBS News . 2024-10-26 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.
  32. Web site: El Palmito sigue sin agua, sin transporte y sin la llegada de productos, señalan desplazados . 2024-10-26 . Revista Espejo . es.
  33. Web site: Jornada . La . corresponsal . Irene Sánchez . 2024-09-17 . Violencia criminal desplaza a 200 habitantes de la sierra de Sinaloa . 2024-10-26 . La Jornada . es.
  34. Web site: 2024-09-30 . Police in a cartel-dominated Mexican city are pulled off the streets after army takes their guns . 2024-10-26 . AP News . en.
  35. Web site: Morales . Héctor Ríos . 2024-09-30 . Violence in Sinaloa Continues to Escalate: Death Toll Climbs to 118 With Five Bodies Found Inside a Van . 2024-10-26 . Latin Times . en.
  36. Web site: Morales . Héctor Ríos . 2024-10-01 . Mexico's Sheinbaum to Launch Special Task Force to Address Sinaloa Turf Wars on First Days of Her Presidency . 2024-10-26 . Latin Times . en.
  37. Web site: Mayen . Por Baruc . 2024-10-06 . Sedena releva a Jesús Leana Ojeda, general que afirmó que la seguridad en Sinaloa depende de los grupos criminales . 2024-10-26 . infobae . es.
  38. Web site: Masquelier-Page . Alice . 2024-10-16 . In the heartland of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, the old ways have changed and violence rages . 2024-10-26 . The Associated Press . en-US.
  39. Web site: Zerega . Georgina . 2024-10-23 . The press under siege in the Sinaloa war: ‘Shooting at one media outlet is a warning to the others’ . 2024-10-26 . EL PAÍS English . en-us.
  40. Web site: 2024-10-23 . Mexican soldiers kill 19 drug cartel suspects and suffer no casualties in Sinaloa state . 2024-10-26 . AP News . en.
  41. Web site: 2024-10-23 . ¿Quién es ‘El Max’ y por qué era un objetivo prioritario en Sinaloa por ola de violencia? . 2024-10-26 . El Financiero . es.
  42. Web site: 2024-10-24 . Chapiza amenaza al ‘Mayito' en narcomantas: ‘te vamos a entregar como a tu papá’ . 2024-10-26 . Radio Fórmula . es.
  43. Web site: 2024-10-25 . La amenaza de los hijos de "El Chapo" Guzmán contra los de "El Mayo" Zambada: "Te vamos a entregar como a tu papá" . 2024-10-26 . LA NACION . es.
  44. Web site: 2024-10-23 . ¿'El Mayo Flaco’ le declaró la guerra a Rubén Rocha? Esto sabemos de las amenazas vs. el gobierno de Sinaloa . 2024-10-26 . El Financiero . es.
  45. Web site: 2024-10-26 . Encuentran cabeza y restos humanos en hielera frente al parque 87 de Culiacán . 2024-11-01 . El Sol de Sinaloa . es.
  46. Web site: 2024-10-27 . La guerra de ‘Los Chapitos’ y el ‘Mayito Flaco’: Así se atacaron con narcomantas y hieleras en Sinaloa . 2024-11-01 . El Financiero . es.
  47. Web site: 2024-11-01 . Durango: Avioneta lanzó explosivos en Vascogil, poblado que fue escondite del Mayo Zambada . 2024-11-01 . sdpnoticias . es.

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