Mexico's Military Under Attack: Violence Erupts in Sinaloa Drug Cartel Stronghold

In a dramatic escalation of violence, Mexican military personnel came under attack, and roads were blocked in the northern state of Sinaloa, a stronghold of one of the country's most powerful drug cartels. The outbreak of violence follows the recent arrests of high-profile drug lords Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in the United States.

The Sinaloa state security secretariat confirmed the attacks around the state capital, Culiacan, on Thursday. Culiacan is notably the stronghold of the jailed drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons.

Gunmen targeted a military patrol in the Penasco area on the outskirts of the city, while roadblocks were set up in the nearby locality of Limon de Los Ramos, as reported by the secretariat on the social media platform X.

State Governor Ruben Rocha revealed that assailants set two vehicles on fire "with the aim of blocking authorities." He did not specify a motive for the attacks. Local media circulated videos and photos of the vehicles in flames, a common tactic used to prevent police or military units from reaching a particular area.

There had been growing concerns that wider violence might erupt in Sinaloa following the recent detentions of top Sinaloa drug lords. In July, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of El Chapo, reportedly kidnapped Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada – an older kingpin from a rival faction of the cartel – forcing him onto a plane and flying him north.

Guzman Lopez had allegedly told Zambada they were going to scope out real estate in the country’s north, but instead flew him to the United States. Guzman Lopez had apparently planned to turn himself in and took the elder Zambada along for reasons that remain unclear. Both were detained in El Paso, Texas.

Mexican authorities suspect that the abduction of Zambada may have been linked to the arrest of Ovidio Guzman, another of El Chapo’s sons, who was detained in January 2023 before being extradited to the US.

Mexico’s state prosecutor’s office on Thursday urged US authorities to “urgently” clarify the legal status and whereabouts of Ovidio Guzman. The office stated that he was taken out of US prison on July 23, two days before the arrest of his brother and Zambada.

The US ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, confirmed on July 26 that Ovidio Guzman remained in US custody without elaborating on his whereabouts.

Experts, including former US Drug Enforcement Administration agent Mike Vigil, suspect that Guzman Lopez gave up Zambada in exchange for benefits for himself and his brother Ovidio.

Zambada appeared in a Texas court this month in a wheelchair and pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit murder. Guzman Lopez was transferred to Chicago where he denied drug trafficking charges. He is currently serving a life sentence in prison.

Only one of El Chapo’s sons accused of cartel links remains free – Ivan Archivaldo. The US has offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his arrest.

The recent events underscore the complex and volatile nature of the drug war in Mexico, where the actions of cartel leaders and law enforcement agencies can have far-reaching and often violent consequences.