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Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence that may disturb readers.
President praises capture as cartel violence escalates
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum commended security forces for the death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," who died in custody on Sunday following a fierce gun battle in Jalisco. However, experts warn that eliminating top cartel figures often triggers violent power struggles among rival factions.
Culiacán gripped by relentless cartel warfare
In Sinaloa state's capital, Culiacán, paramedics Héctor Torres and Julio César Vega navigate a city paralyzed by fear. Over the past 18 months, internal conflicts within the Sinaloa Cartel-one of the world's most powerful drug trafficking organizations-have plunged the region into chaos. Torres, a 53-year-old veteran medic, reported a 70% surge in emergency calls last year, with nearly every incident ending in fatalities.
"The violence has never been this severe or prolonged," Torres said from the front seat of an ambulance. "Schools, hospitals, even funerals-nowhere is safe."
Brutality becomes routine
During a week embedded with the paramedics, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville witnessed the aftermath of a garage shooting where a business owner lay dead, blood pooling on white tiles. His wife's wails echoed as Torres covered the body with a paper sheet. Such scenes are now commonplace, with victims often left in public spaces as warnings to rivals.
One corpse, discovered near a shopping mall, bore signs of torture: the skull flayed, eyes removed. A cartel message left beside the body read, "We are coming for the rest of you." The next day, another victim was found mutilated in the same manner along a highway north of the city.
Fentanyl trade fuels the carnage
The Sinaloa Cartel's billion-dollar fentanyl operation remains the root cause of the bloodshed. A cartel chemist, identified only as "Román," showed reporters packages of the drug bound for the U.S., each kilo worth up to $29,000 in cities like New York. Despite government claims of reducing fentanyl shipments by 50%, Román dismissed enforcement efforts as futile.
"As long as there are consumers, we'll keep producing. No one forces them to use it," he said, shrugging off U.S. terrorism designations.
Families search for the missing
Reynalda Pulido, whose son vanished in 2020, leads a group of mothers scouring fields for remains. On a recent search, they probed dirt for signs of graves, guided by tips and the scent of decay. "No one else will look for them," Pulido said, her voice breaking. "A mother will search to the ends of the earth."
Though they found only animal bones that day, Pulido draws strength from recovering 250 bodies and reuniting 30 survivors with families. "My son lives in each of them," she said.
Cartel proposes grim solution
In a clandestine interview, masked Sinaloa Cartel members offered a chilling remedy for the violence: let factions annihilate each other. "Miguel," one operative, argued that only total victory would end the war. His associate, "Marco," acknowledged the toll on civilians but showed little remorse.
"Innocent people die. Children die. But the fighting won't stop until one side wins," Marco said.
Government response falls short
President Sheinbaum attributed the surge in killings to the Sinaloa Cartel's internal power struggle, emphasizing efforts to protect civilians. Yet, with thousands of troops deployed, checkpoints dotting roads, and hospitals guarded against reprisals, the crisis shows no signs of abating.
For paramedics like Torres and Vega, who wear 14kg of body armor on every call, the work grows more perilous. "We don't know if attackers are still nearby," Vega said. "We're always at risk of being caught in crossfire."
As night falls, Culiacán's streets empty. The few remaining residents live under the constant shadow of violence-where even survival is no longer guaranteed.
