Fracture Between ‘Los Chapitos’ and ‘Los Mayos’ Keeps Sinaloa Plunged Into Violence And Division

Following the arrest of El Mayo Zambada, 10 murders linked to the Sinaloa cartel have been reported.

Recently, violence in Sinaloa has increased significantly, especially after the arrest of Ismael El Mayo Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo Guzman; which over the past weekend left 10 people executed, seven from the Los Mayos faction and three from Los Chapitos.

Among the most outstanding cases are two relevant incidents; mainly that of Martin Garcia Corrales, to whom the US offered a reward of 5 million dollars and who is associated as a man close to El Mayo, along with his brothers, however, these fatal victims would be part of Los Chapitos. 

The governor of Sinaloa, Ruben Rocha Moya, has reported that at least 10 people have lost their lives in incidents linked to the dispute for control of the Sinaloa cartel, but information on these events remains limited; a fracture that has come to exacerbate the division of the cartel between the factions of Los Chapos and Los Mayos.

Both factions of the cartel, La Mayiza and Los Chapitos, have dedicated themselves to recruiting and acquiring weapons after the capture, as confirmed by the Wall Street Journal. 

And in social networks a reorganization is already being perceived, as well as betrayals, although an implosion within the cartel has not yet been confirmed; although this, according to specialists consulted, would only leave the way clear for competition to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

“Normally, when a cartel leader is killed or captured, the cartels fragment and want to take control and enter an internal conflict, but so far there are no indications of violence. I believe that the Sinaloa cartel is entering an internal war, because the only ones who are going to benefit will be its main rivals, which is the Jalisco New Generation Cartel,” Mike Vigil, a former DEA agent, explained to MILENIO.

In the same vein, David Saucedo, a security consultant, explained that El Mayo did manage to operate internally. And as far as we know, his sons have taken over, not just now, but for months now, it seems that he has been making provisions in that regard.

In addition, as far as we can see, Los Chapitos did not declare war on El Mayo Zambada, perhaps with previous experience, since the beneficiary would be Nemesio Oseguera El Mencho, leader of the CJNG.

Confusion of fatalities in Elota

Among the most prominent cases are two relevant incidents; mainly that of Martin Garcia Corrales, to whom the US offered a reward of 5 million dollars and who is associated as a man close to Ismael Zambada, along with his brothers.

However, this faction of the Sinaloa cartel would be the armed wing in the Elota region that helped Dámaso López to wage the war against Los Beltrán Leyva and currently would be a mob for Los Chapitos, sons of El Chapo Guzmán, and his murder is related to the sale of fentanyl, which the cartel is strictly prohibiting.

In this incident, it has been mentioned that Martin Corrales, one of the victims, may have connections to El Mayo Zambada. Martin was the brother of Jose Ricardo and uncle of Francisco Javier, the three found dead in Elota and added to the list of executions linked to the arrest of the Sinaloa drug lords.

Martin is also the brother of Leobardo, who is said to be the lieutenant in the Elota region, and of Sonia Estela, president of the Sinaloa Party in the same municipality; hence the probable confusion linking the Garcia Corrales brothers to Cuen Ojeda, founder of the party, and the latter in turn to El Mayo Zambada.

Security sources consulted by MILENIO indicate that Martin and his brothers have been involved in marijuana trafficking to the United States and were part of the armed wing of Damaso Lopez, known as El Licenciado. This group fought against the Beltrán Leyva cartel after the break with the Sinaloa cartel and is currently “still going strong” with Los Chapitos.

Other executions

On Saturday, August 17, according to the governor of Sinaloa, six people were found dead, in addition to the fatalities in Elota. Two bodies were found on the El Piojo stream, approximately 300 meters north of the last houses of the Montesierra subdivision, located near the El Mirador neighborhood, north of Culiacan.

At first glance, it was evident that they were lying face down and semi-buried in a clandestine manner with stones and rocks between 15 and 30 centimeters in diameter; they have not yet been identified.

The sixth murdered man could be the man executed on the beach behind the Marriot hotel in Mazatlan, identified as Alejandro, 20 years old, originally from Paramo, California, since the Sinaloa government hasn’t specified the list of the victims.

It is worth noting that, since the capture of the Sinaloa drug lords, there have been kidnappings and deaths in other municipalities, no confirmation has been made on whether or not they are related to the capture.

On Friday, August 16, 40-year-old Emmanuel ‘N’, a resident of Colonia 5 de El Mayo in Culiacán, was found shot to death near the Culiacán Congress. The victim had been kidnapped two days earlier, on Wednesday, August 14, when he was abducted by the occupants of a white Dodge Durango while he was talking with a friend outside the Forum plaza.

Two men were found shot to death after being ambushed while driving in an SUV on the Mexico 15 international highway on the border between the municipalities of Culiacán and Mocorito. The incident occurred on the morning of Thursday, August 15.

The victims were Iván Onofre, 40 years old, and Juan Carlos, El Vampi, 45 years old. Both were originally from the municipality of Badiraguato, although they lived in the city of Culiacán and were related to the Zambada faction of the Sinaloa cartel.

In the El Espinal syndicate, three bodies were found lying next to each other on a road that connects the Mexico 15 international highway to ejido lands, at kilometer 113 and approximately 2 kilometers north of the community of El Aguaje.

The victims were traveling in a recent model white Jeep Rubicon, with a black hood, in which they were shot from car to car.

An unidentified man was shot at the same Friday afternoon while driving a white 2014 Toyota Tacoma, in the Infonavit Cañadas neighborhood, south of Culiacán.

The attack, which occurred on the corner of Cerro del Toro street and Andador Sierra Picachos, was carried out car-to-car. The man, approximately 30 to 40 years old, was found with at least 10 bullet wounds to the body and skull, died in the hospital while receiving medical attention.

The vehicle had around 30 bullets in the bodywork and the windows on the driver’s side.

Cartel territorial divisions

The division of the Sinaloa cartel, now between the groups led by El Chapo Guzman’s sons and the Zambada faction, has created a dividing line along the Mexico 15 federal highway. Los Chapitos control the region towards the coast, while Zambada’s faction dominates the highlands.

Security sources warn that the wave of violence in Sinaloa could continue in the coming days and weeks. The arrest of Ismael Zambada has exacerbated the power struggle between these factions, and the lack of clear leadership in El Mayo’s faction could intensify the conflicts.

To this, we should add that the Beltrán Leyva cartel, led by El Músico and Isidro Meza Flores, has control in the municipalities of Guasave and Sinaloa, and a divided presence with Los Chapitos and Los Mayos in the city of Los Mochis. 

The Sinaloa coast is important for the cartels due to drug trafficking, while the highlands are relevant for drug processing in clandestine laboratories. In the Sinaloa capital, Culiacan, control is said to be in the hands of Los Menores (The Minors) , who not only dominate the sale of drugs, but also the illegal sale of bootleg cigars, beer, vapes and gambling machines.

The situation remains uncertain as to who will assume leadership and what will be the magnitude of the violent response of the affected faction.

Source: Milenio