By Local police in Culiacan, the capital of Mexico’s cartel-dominated Sinaloa state, have been pulled off the streets after the army seized their weapons, state officials announced Monday.
The unprecedented move comes just one day after approximately 1,500 residents marched through downtown Culiacan demanding peace. The city has been wracked by weeks of cartel gunfights that have claimed dozens of lives.
Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha said the entire 1,000-member municipal police force would not return to duty until their weapons are returned. In the interim, soldiers, state police, and the National Guard will take over patrolling duties.
“This is an exceptional measure, not a routine check,” Rocha stated, emphasizing the unusual nature of the army’s action. “We hope it will end soon.”
The disarmament of local police is not unprecedented in Mexico. In 2018, the army seized weapons from municipal police in Cuernavaca, another state capital, citing the need for “trustworthy security forces.”
The current crisis in Culiacan stems from a violent power struggle within the Sinaloa cartel. Factions led by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán have been battling for control since late July.
“There are two groups confronting each other here,” Rocha acknowledged. “The authorities are here to face them down equally, both of them without exceptions.”
The violence has severely disrupted daily life in Culiacan. Schools have largely switched to online classes, and on Monday, gunmen shot and killed Faustino Hernández, the leader of the local cattle ranchers’ union, in broad daylight on a downtown street.
Sunday’s protest, organized by the civic group “Culiacan Valiente” (Brave Culiacan), saw residents dressed in white carrying banners reading “Take back our streets!”
“We want a return to in-class learning, but only if the safety of the schoolchildren is guaranteed,” the organizers stated.
The situation has escalated to the point where cartel members are hijacking and burning vehicles to block highways around Culiacan. Governor Rocha announced plans to establish five “anti-blockade” squads composed of state police and soldiers, though he admitted these units would focus on clearing wreckage rather than preventing the hijackings.
Even the local army commander, Gen. Francisco Leana Ojeda, expressed limited optimism about a quick resolution. “We want this to be over as soon as possible, but it doesn’t depend on us,” he said. “It’s up to the warring groups to stop confronting each other.”
AP
