Culiacán residents march for peace amid Sinaloa cartel violence

Thousands of residents, business owners, and families of the missing marched through Culiacán, Sinaloa, to demand an end to the violence caused by a two-year conflict within the Sinaloa cartel. Protesters, many dressed in white, called for peace and justice as the internal struggle between the ‘Los Chapitos’ and ‘La Mayiza’ factions continues to devastate the region.

The violence has resulted in significant human loss, with reports indicating over 3,000 deaths and approximately 6,000 disappearances. The conflict has disrupted daily life through ambushes, drive-by shootings, and the use of hijacked vehicles to block roads. Public anger was recently intensified by the death of a one-year-old child during a shootout.

During the demonstration, protesters expressed their frustration with government inaction by burning piñatas featuring the faces of President Claudia Sheinbaum and interim Sinaloa Governor Graciela Domínguez Nava. The march comes just ahead of President Sheinbaum’s scheduled visit to Culiacán on September 20.