[REVISION HISTORY]

Violence at El Castillo Penitentiary in Mazatlán

Updated 9 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-11 00:12 UTC → 2026-10-11 01:17 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On September 24, 2026, a verbal dispute escalated into a physical confrontation in the workshop area of the El Castillo Penitentiary Center in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, resulting in the deaths of two inmates. On October 8, 2026, the facility experienced a violent riot involving gunfire that caused significantly higher casualties. Ten people died, including nine inmates and a visiting minor, reported to be a two-year-old boy visiting with family. The riot also left 16 inmates injured. An inter-institutional group, including the Mexican Army, Navy, and National Guard, intervened to secure the facility. Authorities have since regained control but suspended all visits to the penitentiary as a preventive measure while investigations continue. In a separate incident at the same facility on the following Friday, two additional inmates were reported dead following another clash. This brings the total death toll at the prison to 12 within a 48-hour period. Security forces reported that inmates utilized both firearms and knives during the unrest. The Sinaloa State Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into intentional homicide to determine the causes of the clashes. Additionally, the Sinaloa State Human Rights Commission is conducting an inquiry into potential rights violations. These events occur amid sustained violence in Sinaloa driven by internal conflicts between Sinaloa Cartel factions, specifically ‘Los Chapitos’ and ‘La Mayiza.’ In response to the escalating violence, the Mexican federal government, supported by President Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced plans to construct a new, modern penitentiary in Sinaloa using federal investment to address the ongoing security crisis and prevent further cartel-related influence within the correctional system. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch stated the new facility is being built to provide the infrastructure necessary to ‘increase control and reduce violence.’ ~~Local families have also staged protests, blocking highways~~ Interim governor Graciela Domínguez Nava has agreed to ~~demand information regarding~~ provide the ~~status of their relatives.~~ land for the new construction.

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