Key facts
- Thousands marched in Culiacán, Sinaloa, on Sunday to protest cartel violence.
- The protest was organized by relatives of victims, businesses, civil society groups, and the Catholic church.
- The conflict between Los Chapitos and La Mayiza factions of the Sinaloa cartel has caused a surge in murders, disappearances, extortions, and robberies.
- Over 5,000 businesses have closed in Sinaloa since the start of the cartel feud.
- The march occurred on the second anniversary of the cartel conflict.
- Governor Rubén Rocha is under investigation for alleged drug smuggling conspiracy.
Thousands of residents in Culiacán, the capital of Mexico's Sinaloa state, took to the streets on Sunday to demand an end to the escalating violence and disappearances plaguing the region. The north Mexico city has been gripped by a bloody war between two factions of the Sinaloa cartel, Los Chapitos and La Mayiza, which began two years ago.
Residents, many dressed in white and holding posters of missing loved ones, marched with signs reading "We don't want fear, we want peace." The conflict, which erupted after the arrest of drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, has led to ambushes, drive-by shootings, and roadblocks. Official figures indicate a surge in murders, disappearances, extortions, and robberies.
The protest was organized by a coalition of victim's families, local businesses, civil society groups, and the Catholic church. Businessman Sergio Esquer told AFP that more than 5,000 businesses have closed since the feud started. The bishop of Culiacán led a Mass before the march, urging warring groups to cease their violence, stating, "No amount of power, of money, territory or ambition is worth more than a human life."
Among the attendees were relatives of a one-year-old boy who died from a bullet wound during a recent shootout. The state has also faced political upheaval, with Governor Rubén Rocha accused by US prosecutors in April of conspiring with Los Chapitos to smuggle drugs. Rocha, who denies wrongdoing, temporarily stepped down but has since returned to his post, only to request another leave of absence after President Claudia Sheinbaum commented on "power without principles."