Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Sinaloa shootouts sparks fear of intra-cartel war in Mexico

Frank Perez, lead counsel for Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, in El Paso, Texas on Aug. 1, 2024. (Omar Ornelas/The El Paso Times via AP, File) Frank Perez, lead counsel for Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, in El Paso, Texas on Aug. 1, 2024. (Omar Ornelas/The El Paso Times via AP, File)
Share
MEXICO CITY -

Shootouts in the western Mexican state of Sinaloa have kindled fears that an intra-cartel war is about to break out in the wake of the arrest of legendary trafficker, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, in July.

One soldier and two civilians were killed on Monday, authorities say. Videos widely shared online showed heavily armed gunmen moving on foot or riding trucks in areas around Culiacan, the state capital, while gunfire echoes in the background. Many cars and business have been shot at.

Calm had returned by Tuesday morning, though some shops had closed at midday.

Analysts have predicted a war within the Sinaloa Cartel ever since Zambada's arrest on July 25. The veteran cartel leader, believed to be in his mid-70s, alleges that a senior member of the Los Chapitos, another faction of the cartel, kidnapped him and then flew him to the United States against his will.

El Mayo and Los Chapitos, a grouping led by the sons of ex-Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, are widely believed to lead the two most powerful factions in the powerful crime syndicate.

One Sinaloa-based security official told Reuters fighters from the Los Chapitos faction entered areas controlled by Zambada to intimidate them. Some media reports, however, suggested that it was fighters loyal to Zambada who attacked Los Chapitos’ faction.

"It is believed that there may be more fighting and that these clashes are between the same two groups (within the cartel)," said America Armenta, an independent Sinaloan journalist in Culiacan.

Mexican authorities sent another 90 special forces soldiers to Sinaloa on Tuesday, taking the number of elite troops dispatched to the state since Zambada's arrest to nearly 600.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the government is "watching and taking action" to ensure calm.

"It's a confrontation, and I hope it's temporary," Lopez Obrador said in his daily press conference on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Jesus Bustamante and Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Stephen Coates)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

opinion

opinion How to make the most out of your TFSA

The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.

Local Spotlight

A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.

Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.

A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.

An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.

An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.