7 bodies found in Culiacán as Sinaloa Cartel infighting continues

October 4, 2024

The discovery of the seven bodies in and around Culiacán is just the latest killings in a wave of violence that has plagued the Sinaloa capital. (José Betanzos Zárate/Cuartoscuro)

Seven bodies were found in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Thursday, where a war between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel has claimed scores of lives in recent weeks.

The bodies of five men were found in the Miguel de la Madrid neighborhood of the state capital while one was located near the town of Costa Rica in the municipality of Culiacán and another was found in the Ejido Echeverría area, according to the Sinaloa Attorney General’s Office (FGE).

El Mayo Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López — The killings are believed to have been sparked by the U.S. arrests of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, left, and Joaquín Guzmán López, right. who were both high-level members of the Sinaloa Cartel but in rival factions. Both are facing trials in US court. (Archive)

The bodies found in Miguel de la Madrid, located in the south of the city of Culiacán, were dumped in the street near a motel and cemetery, and not far from military barracks.

The victims — all of whom had been shot and whose bodies showed signs of torture — were semi-naked, but sombreros had been placed on their heads. They were reportedly aged between 20 and 30.

The news magazine Proceso reported that at least 15 bodies with sombreros on their heads have been dumped in southern Culiacán in recent weeks. TV Azteca reported that the hats are a “clear reference to an organized crime group” but didn’t elaborate.

About two weeks ago, Mexico-based crime journalist Ioan Grillo published an article on his website talking about the bodies that have been dumped in Culiacán in recent weeks with sombreros placed on their heads. He also said a severed head was left in the street inside a pizza box.

“Sombreros” is a nickname for Los Mayos — Sinaloa Cartel members loyal to arrested leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada — whereas pizza is a reference to Los Chapitos, whose nickname is “Chapiza,” Grillo said. Los Chapitos are the Sinaloa Cartel faction run by the sons of former Sinaloa Cartel leader, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who is serving a life sentence in the U.S.

However, Grillo added, it wasn’t clear whether the symbols were being placed with the bodies to represent the killers or to mock the victims.

Woman sitting on stone stairs has her arm around the head of another woman who appears to be struck with grief. Both are participants in a march in Culiacan, Sinaloa, to demand that authorities put an end to the wave of cartel violence currently killing and kidnapping hundreds of residents. — On Thursday, families of victims marched in Culiacán to the state Attorney General’s Office, demanding an end to the wave of violence blamed on the Sinaloa Cartel. (José Betaznos Zárate/Cuartoscuro)

The FGE said that homicide investigations in connection with the discovery of all seven bodies in Culiacán on Thursday had commenced.

There have been more than 130 homicides and around 160 abductions in Sinaloa in the past four weeks, according to official data. Six kidnappings were reported in Culiacán on Thursday. Many of the murders and kidnappings are linked to the battle between the Los Chapitos and Los Mayos factions.

Their long-running feud intensified after the arrest in the United States in late July of alleged Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García after his alleged kidnapping by Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who turned himself into U.S. authorities after arriving in the U.S. Both are facing charges in US federal court.

The situation has been particularly bad since Sept. 9, when clashes between armed civilians, and between alleged criminals and the army, occurred in the La Campiña neighborhood of Culiacán.

With reports from Reforma, Debate, Proceso, Infobae and El Financiero