On October 21, 2024, 19 alleged Sinaloa cartel members were killed by Mexican military forces in a fierce gun battle that took place about seven miles outside of Culiacán, Sinaloa State. The clash ensued when over 30 armed men opened fire on the military personnel.
The Mexican Defense Department stated that the soldiers were acting in self-defense and in full compliance with the law, while respecting human rights. They reported confiscating seven vehicles and almost 30 firearms, including machine guns, ammunition, and military-grade vests and helmets.
The encounter led to the arrest of Edwin Antonio Rubio López, a top-ranking member of the “Mayitos” faction, a group loyal to incarcerated drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García.
In response to the escalating violence, the federal government has deployed around 3,300 military and National Guard personnel to Sinaloa. Nevertheless, assaults on local media outlets and continuous gunfire incidents persist in the area.
The recent surge in violence started after Zambada was allegedly kidnapped and forced onto a plane by Joaquín Guzmán López, a leader of the rival “Chapitos” faction. Known for their brutal tactics, including torture, the “Chapitos” faction is made up of the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman, who co-founded the cartel with Zambada.
U.S. officials recognize the Sinaloa Cartel as one of the largest and most active fentanyl trafficking groups, responsible for a significant portion of the illegal fentanyl entering the United States.
Since the beginning of September, the mounting cartel violence has resulted in the deaths of around 200 people, with over 300 others presumed missing in Sinaloa. The wider issue of drug-related violence in Mexico has led to more than 450,000 deaths since 2006.
This violent encounter serves as a significant challenge for Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office promising to avoid armed clashes with criminal organizations. Her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, alleges that the current bloodshed was sparked by covert deals between U.S. authorities and one of the criminal groups, charges that U.S. officials vehemently deny.
Based on evaluations by U.S. intelligence experts, the conflict is expected to continue for years due to the extensive operations of both the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels in all 50 U.S. states, controlling worldwide drug trafficking networks.
