Bodies Litter Streets as Mexican Army Battles Ruthless Cartels in Culiacán
Culiacán, Mexico, is engulfed in a wave of violence. Armed groups have taken control of the city, leading to a surge in homicides. Residents are living in fear as shootouts and kidnappings become commonplace.
The violence that has gripped Culiacán in recent weeks shows no sign of abating, with the city experiencing yet another bloody day as criminal gangs wage war in the streets. In the past 24 hours, 11 people were brutally murdered in a series of chilling incidents, pushing the death toll from the recent wave of violence to 221 since September 9. This escalation follows a fierce rivalry between the notorious drug factions Los Mayitos and Los Chapitos.
The city awoke to news of the latest carnage, with reports of bodies being found in various locations across Culiacán, further deepening the community's sense of fear and helplessness. Early Sunday morning, police found three lifeless bodies at kilometer 122 on the Culiacán-Mazatlán highway, the latest grisly discovery in a city overwhelmed by death. The men, their bodies showing signs of torture and gunshot wounds, were abandoned by the side of the road—a horrifying testament to the brutality of the drug cartels' ongoing war.
Later in the day, another macabre discovery was made in the town of Jacola, where authorities found the body of a handcuffed man, shot to death, at kilometer 130 on the same highway. In the Vinoramas neighborhood of Culiacán, another victim was located, with blood staining the ground near his head, the apparent result of a close-range gunshot wound.
Culiacán’s streets have become a warzone, and the violence only intensified as the day wore on. In the Infonavit Barrancos neighborhood, a young man riding a motorcycle was gunned down in broad daylight, his body left crumpled on Sindicalismo Street near Benjamín Hill Boulevard. The residents, trapped in their homes, cowered in fear, listening as the staccato of gunfire echoed through the air. In the Alturas del Sur neighborhood, a similar fate befell another man, shot dead just before 8 a.m. on Monte Cazadero and Cima de San Paulo streets.
The day's bloodshed didn’t end there. An innocent passerby found himself caught in the deadly crossfire while traveling on the Mexico-15 highway. Struck by a stray bullet, the man miraculously survived and made it to the hospital for treatment. His fate now rests in the hands of doctors, while the Prosecutor’s Office works to untangle the details of yet another tragic incident in this war-torn city.
The chaos reached its peak late Saturday night, when armed groups brazenly attempted to steal vehicles and motorcycles from terrified citizens in the Riberas del Humaya neighborhood. When police responded to the emergency calls, a fierce gun battle erupted between the criminal elements and law enforcement, leaving three civilians dead and a police officer injured. The sound of gunshots sent shockwaves through the community, rattling residents of the nearby Jardines del Pedregal, 10 de Abril, and Santa Fe neighborhoods.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement, who arrived swiftly at the scene, the violence raged on. The shootout, which occurred around 10:30 p.m., saw police officers exchanging fire with the assailants between Guamúchil Street and Los Sauces in the heart of the Riberas del Humaya neighborhood. Three of the criminals were shot dead, while one officer sustained a gunshot wound to the arm. The injured officer was rushed to the Red Cross for treatment, as authorities scrambled to restore order.
Even as police and military reinforcements attempt to take control, the violence continues to spiral. In response to the ongoing bloodshed, 200 additional Mexican Army troops arrived in Culiacán this weekend, joining the 700 soldiers already stationed in the city in a desperate bid to re-establish security. The recent surge in violence began on September 9, when clashes between Los Mayitos and Los Chapitos erupted, turning Culiacán into a battlefield.
The carnage is wreaking havoc not just on the city’s streets but on the psyche of its citizens, who are caught in the crossfire of this violent drug war. Yesterday, the Culiacán Valiente collective—a group of local activists—organized a peaceful caravan to express their frustration and fear. The caravan, consisting of a dozen cars, drove through the streets of the city, their windows bearing messages of hope and a desperate plea for peace. "We Want Peace in Culiacán," "We Are Peace," and "Culichis for Peace" were just a few of the slogans written across the cars as they made their way from the State Services Unit to La Lomita, the city's symbolic church.
The demonstration, however, was overshadowed by the violence that continues to rage across the city. Humberto López, a prominent member of the collective, expressed his frustration with the lack of response from the state government, which has yet to engage in dialogue despite the group’s repeated calls for a discussion about the fear and insecurity plaguing the citizens of Culiacán. "All we want is to be heard," López said, his voice heavy with emotion. "We are living in fear, and we deserve to have our voices heard."
The violence is taking a heavy toll on Culiacán’s residents, who are increasingly losing faith in the authorities' ability to protect them. Despite the presence of hundreds of military personnel, the bloodshed continues unabated, and the once-thriving city has become a symbol of Mexico’s wider struggle with drug cartels and organized crime. The brazen killings, carried out in broad daylight, and the seemingly endless discoveries of tortured and lifeless bodies, are reminders of the ruthless grip these criminal organizations hold over Culiacán.
For the people of Culiacán, the future remains uncertain, as the wave of violence shows no signs of slowing down. With every murder, the city's sense of safety erodes further, leaving its citizens to wonder if peace will ever return to their shattered community.
