A new violent escalation in Sinaloa state's cartel war has forced government authorities to suspend school activities as local residents stay indoors. The move came after days of fighting between two factions of the Sinaloa cartel with little intervention from federal police and the military.
Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya issued multiple alerts and videos urging people to remain calm and take precautions. In the video, he claimed government police and the military were working to minimize the impact of the cartel war on local residents.
The violence began this week after weeks of tension as a faction loyal to recently arrested Sinaloa Cartel boss Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada plotted revenge against the Chapitos faction for their leader's betrayal and arrest. The Chapitos faction is made up of the sons of jailed Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán. Los Chapitos are believed to blame El Mayo for their father's arrest.
Breitbart Texas reported that Joaquin Guzmán López allegedly convened a secret meeting with El Mayo and several leading politicians in late July. During the meeting, Guzmán and his gunmen kidnapped El Mayo and put him on a plane that landed near El Paso, Texas, where US authorities were waiting. Both Guzmán and El Mayo have been in US custody since then, awaiting trial.
The arrests capped weeks of tension as locals feared a war was brewing between Mexico's two most powerful drug families, with the El Mayo clan believed to have been quietly building up power before the raids.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist at Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas' Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. Twitter and FacebookContact details: email address.
Brandon Darby is Managing Director and Editor in Chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas' Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and other senior Breitbart executives. Twitter and FacebookContact details: email address.
