Mexico's president visits Sinaloa following spike in factional cartel fighting

"The conflict began more than 18 months ago, following the split between Los Chapitos and La Mayiza, the two major factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. In this period, hundreds of people have been killed or disappeared, the local economy has collapsed, and entire families have moved to other states in an attempt to continue their lives."

"The fighting between Los Chapitos (the heirs of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman) and La Mayiza (the supporters of Ismael El Mayo Zambada) has become part of the everyday landscape in Sinaloa. Violence only grabs broader attention during particularly shocking events, such as the recent discovery of a mass grave, the disappearance of 10 workers from a multinational mining company, or the shooting of two deputies."

"The fall of one or even several cartel leaders does little to slow down this cycle of death. This is the scenario that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will visit this weekend. On Friday, the president will lead a meeting of her Security Cabinet at a military zone in the port of Mazatlan."

Multiple drug cartels wage localized wars across Mexico, with attention shifting between conflicts. The Sinaloa Cartel split between Los Chapitos and La Mayiza has created an 18-month conflict resulting in hundreds of deaths, disappearances, and economic devastation. Violence has become normalized in daily life, gaining broader attention only during shocking events like mass grave discoveries or attacks on officials. The fall of cartel leaders like El Mencho does little to interrupt the cycle of violence. President Claudia Sheinbaum is visiting Sinaloa to demonstrate government engagement with the crisis, holding security meetings, press conferences, and attending public events in Mazatlan and Culiacan.

Read at english.elpais.com