Mexico struggles to contain escalating violence in Sinaloa

"The shooting attack in the state capital against two Movimiento Ciudadano (Citizens' Movement, MC) lawmakers and the kidnapping of 10 miners in the south of the Mexican city are the latest proof that the violence shows no signs of letting up. For more than a year, Sinaloa has caught in the crossfire of an internal war between factions of organized crime."

"The results of the federal security deployment, heavily reliant on the military, are far from encouraging. Beyond increased drug seizures and the arrest of several traffickers wanted by the United States yet another source of pressure in an already volatile mix the hard data show that violence has not gone down. If anything, it continues to rise, as highimpact crimes with strong symbolic weight keep piling up, including those of recent days."

"The president also announced the deployment of 1,600 additional troops, including a roughly 90member Special Forces unit. The military operations responsible for the arrests of highprofile cartel figures are also producing a more troubling backlash. Over the weekend, hundreds of people took to the streets of Culiacan, the state capital, to protest the killing of a young man shot by a military unit. The victim, a 24yearold lawyer, was driving to the gym with his partner when soldiers allegedly mistook him for a criminal target."

Sinaloa experienced a shooting attack on two Movimiento Ciudadano lawmakers and the kidnapping of 10 miners, signaling persistent violence. For more than a year the state has been caught in an internal war between organized crime factions triggered by the alleged betrayal of Ismael El Mayo Zambada. The alleged betrayal coincided with the start of Claudia Sheinbaum's administration, making Sinaloa a security priority. Federal security deployment relies heavily on the military and has increased drug seizures and arrests of traffickers. Hard data show violence has not decreased; high-impact symbolic crimes continue to rise. The president announced a visit and 1,600 additional troops. Military operations have provoked protests after civilian deaths, including a 24-year-old lawyer and two girls struck by military gunfire.

Read at english.elpais.com