Rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel are issuing threats as they continue a turf war in the Mexican border state of Baja California. There has also been at least one clash that left eight dead.
In recent days, gunmen from the Chapiza faction have left threatening banners in Mexicali, Baja California, claiming to be targeting the Rusos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, Infobae reported. The threats come days after the groups clashed on December 4 near the state line of Baja California and Sonora. Eight died and 12 others were injured. One of the victims was a 7-year-old girl who was caught in the crossfire. At the time of the attack, gunmen from La Chapiza arrived in 20 SUVs due to a tip that the leader of Los Rusos were in the area.
La Chapiza is a faction loyal to the sons of jailed Sinaloa Cartel Kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Los Rusos are a cell led by Jesus Alejandro “El Ruso” Sanchez Felix. Los Rusos are led by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
While Zambada has kept a low profile for decades, the sons of El Chapo are quite controversial. Ovidio “El Raton” Guzman made international headlines in 2019 after authorities arrested him until his gunmen invaded and held a city hostage. The tension broke when President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) ordered his release. Since then, AMLO has said that he gave the order to avoid bloodshed.
According to leaked emails from Mexico’s Army, in 2016, DEA agents had the location of two Guzman brothers. When U.S. authorities asked their Mexican counterparts for help, they were told that since the two narco-heirs did not have pending warrants that moving against them was not recommended.
Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to Mexico City and the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “C.P. Mireles” from Tamaulipas and “E.F. Robles” from Jalisco.