Mexican President AMLO says US partly responsible for cartel violence in Sinaloa

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) said the US is partly responsible for the ongoing violence in Sinaloa, where dozens of people were killed after the arrest of drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

During his daily press conference, AMLO was asked whether the US government was “partly responsible” for the current situation. “Yes, of course… because we carried out this operation,” he replied, again claiming that the US played a role in the capture of Zambada without Mexico’s knowledge.

“It was completely illegal and agents of the Ministry of Justice were waiting for Mr. Mayo,” AMLO said, adding: “If we are now dealing with instability and conflict in Sinaloa, it is because they made that decision.”

The co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel claims he was ambushed by a former ally, Joaquín Guzmán López, son of “El Chapo” Guzmán, and taken to the United States, where he turned himself in to U.S. authorities.

Mexican prosecutors even filed charges in late August against Joaquín Guzmán López for the apparent kidnapping of El Mayo. According to the Penal Code, what he allegedly did is treason. It is a crime committed by “someone who illegally kidnaps a person in Mexico to deliver him or her to the authorities of another country.”

Authorities in the country also said that the recent developments surrounding the fate of top cartel leaders are the result of a deal with US authorities. Specifically, they suggest that Joaquín Guzmán López turned himself in and extradited Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to US authorities in exchange for the transfer of his brother Ovidio from prison.

Meanwhile, violence continues in Sinaloa, where more than 30 people have been killed since September 9, when a faction of the eponymous cartel, led by the sons of “El Chapo,” declared war on the cartel now led by the son of “El Mayo.”

Local media and specialized journalists report that bodies are being left on the streets as clear messages to the opposing side. Five bodies were recently found at a water park on the outskirts of Culiacán. They all stood against a wall, adorned with large sombreros on their heads and smaller ones on their bodies.

Although the exact meaning is often unclear, specialist journalist Ioan Grillo explained: The sombreros could be a reference to the “Mayiza,” a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

It remains uncertain whether the victims were Mayiza or if the killers left the hats as a joke. This ambiguity is common in the escalating cartel war, he added. A few days earlier, a severed head was found in a pizza box on a street in Culiacán. This may be a reference to the Chapitos, who are nicknamed “Chapiza” (a play on the word pizza).

The fighting has led to a surge in killings, kidnappings and fear among residents. Businesses and schools in the city of one million people remained closed for a week after the violence broke out, This is an unprecedented disruption in a region long known for cartel unrest. The economic consequences are significant: many residents are unable to work, which only increases fear.

A military operation was launched in the city on Thursday, intended to help restore calm. Most schools were open, but according to The Associated Press, parents were still not sending their children to school. Despite soldiers patrolling the streets, many are still in hiding, fearing for their lives.