Cartel Factions Fight it Out in Sinaloa State and AMLO’s Comments in a Press Conference

This past July 25th, two leaders of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel were taken into U.S. custody in El Paso. They were Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo Guzman. Apparently, Guzman Lopez turned himself in but El Mayo was abducted with the collusion of Guzman Lopez.

Finally, the long-awaited war between the two factions has erupted in Sinaloa state, as two factions go after each other, hammer and tongs. (See the map below, Sinaloa state is in red):

From the Border Report article Narco war breaks out in Sinaloa between sons of ‘El Chapo’ and ‘El Mayo’ Zambada: The narco war that security experts predicted in the wake of the abduction and arrest of a major Sinaloa cartel drug lord has broken out in northwest Mexico. The Sinaloa Attorney General’s Office says 12 people have been killed, 11 injured by gunfire and 20 abducted since Monday [September 9th] in the cities of Culiacan, Mazatlan and Guasave. Classes were canceled in school on Thursday due to roving violence. And Gov. Ruben Rocha Moya called off Independence Day celebrations scheduled for Sept. 15-16.

Mexican Independence Day is an important civic holiday, so calling it off means something is really wrong.

Mexican news reports on Friday [September 13th] said the death toll was at least twice as large as the government was reporting. Local and international news outlets captured images of burning vehicles and roads being blocked.

“I want to tell you we have received reinforcements the president promised,” Rocha said in an online broadcast. “Four gunships and 100 special forces soldiers have arrived. That and our resources allow us to efficiently confront any violent flareups at any time […] (But) we have to admit these types of events could continue.”

The cause of the conflict is generally agreed upon.

Rocha attributed the violence to two rival groups. Mexican and international security experts identified them as gangs associated to the sons of convicted drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera and forces loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

Zambada was abducted in Mexico and flown to the United States in a charter airplane by one of El Chapo’s sons last July 25. Zambada on Thursday [September 12th] was flown out of confinement in El Paso, Texas, to New York City, where he was scheduled to appear in court Friday.

“There is a little bit of surprise that it took this long for when the precipitating event took place and the actual fighting broke out,” said Mike Ballard, director of intelligence for Virginia-based Global Guardian. “We’re at that six-week mark; it makes sense now they sort of planned, plotted, figured things out.”

What does Ballard foresee?

Ballard said the violence likely will escalate beyond the Sinaloa cartel stronghold into nearby states and border cities in northern Mexico where the transnational criminal organization American authorities have labeled as the main exporter of fentanyl into the U.S. has a strong presence. “It wouldn’t surprise me if you had violent flareups in other places that are ostensibly controlled by the Sinaloa cartel – whether by the Chapitos or El Mayo’s son,” Ballard said. “Anywhere in Baja California, Tijuana, Culiacan, Sonora; anywhere in Chihuahua, Juarez any of those border towns.”

The ongoing violence may or may not be in retaliation for Zambada’s abduction reportedly at the hands of Joaquin Guzman Lopez — who turned himself in to American authorities after stepping off the same aircraft that brought Zambada to the U.S. But it certainly has to do with who gets to keep the drug empire he allegedly built.

If El Mayo is a prinsoner in the U.S., who is running his faction in Mexico?

Ismael Zambada-Sicairos, aka “El Mayito Flaco” (Skinny Mayo) is a wanted fugitive in the United States and the son of El Mayo. Security experts believe he’s leading the fight against the remaining sons of El Chapo who are not in custody.

It makes sense, drug cartels like to keep it in the family.

So what does AMLO, the president of Mexico have to say about it?

Well, he was asked about it in his September 13th press conference.

Here’s how the Associated Press reported on something he said: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Friday [September 13th] asked the warring factions of the Sinaloa cartel to act “responsibly” so no one else gets killed, after a week of escalating violence nearly paralyzed the Sinaloa state capital, Culiacan.

“Act responsibly”?

I looked at the Spanish original on the presidential website . Here’s part of the exchange between AMLO and a reporter (my translation):

REPORTER: (Inaudible) that one group [of the Sinaloa cartel] betrayed the other, so the risk of settling accounts also persists, doesn’t it?

AMLO: Yes, but they have to seek other ways that do not harm the innocent people.

REPORTER: Like what?

AMLO: Well, they shouldn’t confront each other, there should be no loss of lives, that it doesn’t affect others and doesn’t affect each other.

REPORTER: Should they sit down and negotiate?

AMLO: No, well, this is their business. Just don’t affect the population and that they also should take care of themselves and take care of their family. [That’s apparently the part AP translated as “act responsibly”.] We don’t want loss of lives.

REPORTER: Are you confident that they will heed your call?

AMLO: What?

REPORTER: Are you confident they will heed your call?

AMLO: Always, always. The president of Mexico is listened to.

REPORTER: Even by criminals?

AMLO: By everybody, if he has moral authority, I assure you.

There you go – strange comments by the President of Mexico.

Of course, this is the guy who promoted the “hugs not bullets” strategy of dealing with the cartels.