Unchecked violence in Mexico: Sinaloa cartel's internal warring factions leave hundreds dead

Sinaloa, in northwestern Mexico, has been an epicenter of drug trafficking and violence for years. However, since September 2024, the region faces an even more serious crisis: an internal struggle within the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most feared and powerful criminal organizations in the world.

The Sinaloa cartel's fracture

The capture of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada in July 2024 sparked a conflict between two rival factions: the Chapitos, led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's sons, and La Mayiza, a group loyal to Zambada. His arrest led to a power vacuum that intensified clashes in key cities such as Culiacán, Mazatlán and Los Mochis.

In just five months, this struggle has left more than 800 murders, according to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP). In January 2025, homicides in Sinaloa increased by 165% compared to the same period last year, reflecting the upsurge in violence.

According to reports, Joaquín Guzmán López, son of "El Chapo," reportedly facilitated Zambada's surrender to US authorities, which deepened the fracture within the cartel and fueled the feud. In addition to the security impact, this crisis has generated diplomatic tensions between Mexico and the United States.

Tensions between Mexico and the United States

Zambada has requested the intervention of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to manage his repatriation. Sheinbaum has accused Washington of aggravating the violence in Sinaloa by acting unilaterally and has urged the strengthening of a binational security cooperation.

For his part, President Donald Trump has accused the Mexican government of allowing cartels to operate with impunity, facilitating drug production and trafficking into US territory.

"The Government of Mexico has provided safe havens for cartels to engage in the manufacture and transport of dangerous narcotics, which together have led to the overdose deaths of hundreds of thousands of American victims," Trump stated, noting that this alliance poses a threat to U.S. national security.

Sheinbaum's government response

Since taking office in December 2024, Sheinbaum has promised to curb violence with intelligence strategies and the capture of criminal leaders. Her administration succeeded in arresting Kevin Alonso, head of security for Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, alias "El Chapito," a blow that the United States called "significant" in weakening the cartel's structure.

Nonetheless, the escalation of violence persists, evidencing the challenges the government faces in containing the Sinaloa Cartel's internal warring factions and restoring stability to the region.

Violence at the start of Sheinbaum's administration

The beginning of Claudia Sheinbaum's six-year term has been marked by an alarming level of homicides in the country. In the first 105 days of her administration, 8,054 murders have been registered, according to official reports. The figure reflects the magnitude of the security challenge facing her government, amid the crisis caused by the dispute between cartels and growing instability in states such as Sinaloa.