Mexican law Enforcement Heightens Readiness as Sinaloa Turf Wars Threaten to Spill Over

The situation in Sinaloa has traditionally been tense because of turf wars, but lately it appears to be reaching a boiling point, especially since the arrest of "El Mayo" Zambada earlier this year. Just this week, reports came out that Cartel members in the area are 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".

To add more fuel to the fire, this week also saw convicted Mexican security chief, Genaro García Luna, publish a letter from prison linking President AMLO to the Sinaloa Cartel, prompting the Lopez Obrador to not only deny the claims but issue an accusation of his own, saying the U.S. is partly to blame for the violence in the region for arresting Zambada without Mexico's knowledge.

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

A particular focus is Chihuahua, next to Sinaloa and also a state that borders with the U.S. State Attorney General César Jauregui said officers and several army units are monitoring roadways between the states but rejected a recent episode of violence was directly linked to the clashes, which 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).

Border Report detailed that a confrontation between a criminal group and a Chihuahua cell of the Sinaloa cartel left eight people dead. The passenger of a bus that was caught in the crossfire was injured but survived, while three vehicles were set on fire. All fatalities were members of the criminal groups.

"These are not repercussions of what is going on (in Sinaloa). As you know, this is not the first time we have a confrontation" between the groups, said Jauregui. "But we're all on alert," he added.

The death toll resulting from the increased confrontations currently stands at 31, with an additional 37 people missing. Local media and specialized journalists are reporting of bodies being left on the streets as apparent messages to the opposing faction.

Five bodies were recently found near a water park on the outskirts of Culiacán. All were positioned against a wall, adorned with large sombreros on their heads and smaller ones on their bodies.

Though the exact meaning is often unclear, specialized 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 taunt. This ambiguity is common in the escalating cartel war, he added. Days earlier, a severed head was discovered in a pizza box on a Culiacán street, possibly referencing the Chapitos, who are nicknamed "Chapiza" (a play on the word pizza).

The fighting has led to an increase in murders, kidnappings, and fear among residents. Businesses and schools in the city, which has a population of one million, remained closed for a week after the violence erupted, marking an unprecedented level of disruption in a region long accustomed to cartel-related unrest. The economic impact has been significant, with many residents unable to work, adding to the growing anxiety.

Local crime reporters, who have long covered cartel violence in the region, described the current situation as more intense and fear-inducing than previous cartel wars. Residents also expressed heightened fear, with some considering leaving the city. The spread 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.