MEXICO CITY — In the western Mexican state of Sinaloa, a dramatic surge in cartel violence claimed the lives of 20 individuals in less than 24 hours. On Monday, local authorities reported discovering four decapitated bodies suspended from a bridge in Culiacán, the state’s capital. This gruesome incident highlights the ongoing conflict between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel: Los Chapitos and La Mayiza.
The rivalry between these groups has transformed Culiacán into a hotbed of violence since the hostilities erupted last year. Daily life in the city has been upended, with citizens encountering disturbing scenes of bodies strewn about, buildings marked by bullet holes, and businesses forced to shutter due to security concerns. Educational institutions have been compelled to close periodically amid the chaos. Armed and masked individuals patrol the main streets on motorcycles, maintaining a palpable atmosphere of fear.
Authorities found the four bodies hanging from a freeway bridge leading out of Culiacán, with their severed heads placed inside a plastic bag nearby. That same day, police discovered 16 additional victims, all male and suffering from gunshot wounds, inside a white van parked on the same highway. Among these victims, one had also been decapitated. The bodies were left with a written message, allegedly from one of the cartel factions, but officials did not release the contents of the note.
Feliciano Castro, a spokesperson for the Sinaloa government, criticized the violent incidents, emphasizing the need for a reassessment of the strategy to combat organized crime amid the escalating violence. Castro assured the public that military and police forces are collaborating to restore complete peace within Sinaloa. However, local residents are increasingly skeptical, expressing concerns that officials have lost control over the escalating violence.
The intensified conflict began in September of last year, thrusting the city into paralysis. The violence was initially triggered by the abduction of one group’s leader by a son of notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. This act resulted in the leader being handed over to U.S. authorities, dramatically raising tensions between the rival factions. Consequently, fierce clashes have since become a part of daily life in Culiacán, a community that once avoided the extreme violence prevalent in other parts of Mexico due to the Sinaloa Cartel’s strong grip on power.
On a related note, violence continues in other regions of Mexico. In Villahermosa, located in southeast Mexico, a priest was shot while leaving his home on Monday. The Tabasco Diocese released a statement explaining that Rev. Héctor Alejandro Pérez had been preparing to visit an ailing parishioner when the attack occurred. The priest suffered significant blood loss and internal injuries, leaving his condition classified as “very serious.”