Thousands of people in Culiacán, Mexico, demonstrated against violence from rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel, which has escalated since a feud began two years ago. Protesters held signs and wore white to symbolize peace while demanding an end to fear and bloodshed. The event included a mass led by the bishop who urged combatants to stop their violent conflict, noting it has caused numerous deaths and business closures in Sinaloa state.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Thousands of people in Culiacán, the capital city of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, marched on Sunday to demand an end to violence between rival drug factions. The protest came two years after a feud erupted following the arrest of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada in the US, leading to clashes between his faction, La Mayiza, and another group called Los Chapitos. Over 5,000 businesses have closed since the conflict began, according to Sergio Esquer, a leader in Mexico's opposition party Movimiento Ciudadano. The ongoing violence has affected more than three million residents of Sinaloa, with frequent ambushes, drive-by shootings, and roadblocks disrupting daily life.
Written for “Violence In Mexican Cartel Hotspot” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning score withheld for article 8728: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-14
- Published
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Culiacán to demand an end to the violence that has wracked the north Mexico city.
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that → publish → city
The state of Sinaloa has seen the number of murders and disappearances skyrocket since two factions of the Sinaloa cartel started a bloody war two years ago.
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factions → see → war
Residents dressed in white held up posters of missing loved and signs reading "We don't want fear, we want peace" at the protest on Sunday.
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we → dress → Sunday
More than three million people live in Sinaloa and many say that the war between the two rival factions - known as Los Chapitos and La Mayiza - has blighted their lives.
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war → live → lives
The march was scheduled to coincide with the second anniversary since the start of the conflict - which feud broke out after the arrest of wanted drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada in the US.
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feud → schedule → US
His followers, La Mayiza, allege he was betrayed by the son of the infamous founder of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, and have turned on members of his faction, Los Chapitos.
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he → allege → faction
The two factions regularly carry out ambushes, drive-by shootings and erect roadblocks by hijacking trucks, which they set alight.
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they → carry → which
Residents of Culiacán have been caught up in this internecine war.
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Residents → catch → war
Not only has the number of murders and disappearances shot up in the state but also those of extortions and robberies, official figures suggest.
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figures → shoot → extortions
Sunday's protest was organised by relatives of victims, local businesses, civil society groups and the Catholic church.
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protest → organise → victims
Businessman Sergio Esquer told AFP news agency that more than 5,000 businesses had closed since the start of the feud.
"That's the tragedy Sinaloa is experiencing," Esquer, who is a leader in the centre-left opposition party Movimiento Ciudadano, said.
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who → tell → party
The event started with a Mass in which the bishop of Culiacán called on members of the warring groups to put an end to their violence.
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bishop → start → violence
"Stop, look at what's happening, look at the affected families, look at the young people and at our city.
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what → stop → city
No amount of power, of money, territory or ambition is worth more than a human life," he said.
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he → say → life
Among those who attended the protest were relatives of a one-year-old boy who died after being hit by a bullet in the head during a shootout in the city last week.
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who → attend → city
As well as the wave of violence, Sinaloa state has also been hit by political upheaval in recent months.
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state → hit → months
In April, US prosecutors accused the state's governor, Rubén Rocha, and nine other current and former officials of conspiring with Los Chapitos to smuggle drugs into the US.
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prosecutors → accuse → US
Rocha, who has denied any wrongdoing, stepped down temporarily while Mexican prosecutors opened an investigation of their own into the allegations.
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prosecutors → deny → allegations
Three weeks ago, he returned to his post, but just days later requested another leave of absence after President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media, without directly naming him that "power without principles becomes arrogance".
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power → return → principles
