‘Fed up’: Thousands march against Sinaloa Cartel violence

In Culiacan, Mexico, a peace march took place on Sunday, as thousands of people gathered to protest the escalating violence between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. Wearing white and holding banners, the protesters released balloons into the sky and marched to the cathedral, demanding peace and expressing their frustration with living in fear. The city's bishop, Jesus Jose Herrera, urged cartel members to cease the violence, stating that no territory or ambition should be worth more than a human life.

The unrest has been ongoing since September 2024, when a bitter war erupted between two factions loyal to the families of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the co-founders of the cartel who are currently serving life sentences in the United States. The internal disputes have led to daily shootouts and roadblocks, causing businesses to close and schools to suspend classes.

The state of Sinaloa, home to about 3 million people, has become the most dangerous city in Mexico, with a death toll surpassing 3,000 in the past two years, many of them civilians caught in the crossfire.

Maricela Perez, 62, whose 36-year-old son Miguel was murdered in May, tearfully shared her grief, emphasizing that no more deaths like this should occur. Another marcher, Marlene Leon, 33, expressed feeling abandoned by authorities and the need to continue advocating for peace despite the passage of time.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has deployed thousands of soldiers to the state, but the violence persists, with at least seven people killed in a single day on Saturday. Protesters chanted against Sheinbaum and burned a cardboard effigy of her. The state's economy, a significant producer of corn and tomatoes, has suffered due to the violence, with over 5,000 businesses closing.

Sergio Raul Esquer, a businessman and leader of the center-left opposition party Movimiento Ciudadano, voiced concern over the economic decline, describing the situation in Sinaloa as a tragedy. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump declared the Sinaloa Cartel a foreign terrorist organization and threatened intervention if Mexican authorities fail to address the issue.