Mexican law enforcement steps up readiness as Sinaloa territory wars threaten to spill over

The situation in Sinaloa has traditionally been tense due to turf wars, but it seems to be reaching a boiling point lately, especially since the arrest of “El Mayo” Zambada earlier this year. This week, reports emerged that cartel members in the area were putting sombreros on corpses, a message that could symbolize a reference to the “Mayiza”, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel loyal to Ismael “El Mayo”.

Adding fuel to the fire, convicted Mexican security chief Genaro García Luna published a letter from prison this week linking President AMLO to the Sinaloa cartel, prompting Lopez Obrador to not only deny the claims but to make an accusation of his own, saying the U.S. bears some responsibility for the violence in the region because Zambada was arrested without Mexico’s knowledge.

In this context, law enforcement and military authorities in Mexico are increasing their level of vigilance as turf wars between two factions of the Sinaloa cartel escalate and threaten to spill over into other parts of the country.

A particular focus is on Chihuahua, next to Sinaloa and also a state that borders the U.S. Attorney General César Jauregui said officers and various military units are monitoring the roads between the states. but rejected a recent episode of violence directly related to the fighting that began on September 9 between the faction led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán (“Los Chapitos”) and the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada (Mayiza).

Eight people have been killed in a confrontation between a criminal group and a Chihuahua cell of the Sinaloa Cartel, according to Border Report. The passenger of a bus caught in the crossfire was injured but survived, while three vehicles were set on fire. All the fatalities were members of the criminal gangs.

“These are not repercussions of what is happening (in Sinaloa). As you know, this is not the first time we have had a confrontation” between the groups, Jauregui said. “But we are all alert,” he added.

The death toll from the increased clashes currently stands at 31, while another 37 people are missing. Local media and specialist journalists report that bodies are being left on the streets as a message to the opposing side.

Five bodies were recently found near 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.

Local crime reporters, who have long covered the cartel violence in the region, describe the current situation as more intense and frightening than previous cartel wars. Residents also expressed increased fear, with some considering leaving the cityThe proliferation of graphic videos on social media, some real and others exaggerated or outdated, has only fueled the sense of fear and “social psychosis” among the population.