Local police in the cartel-dominated city of Culiacan, Mexico have been pulled off the streets after the army seized their guns, officials announced on Monday. The move followed a protest by about 1,500 residents of Culiacan, the capital of the northern state of Sinaloa, demanding peace after weeks of deadly cartel gunfights in and around the city.
Rather than increasing police presence, the state’s governor, Ruben Rocha, declared that the entire 1,000-member municipal police force would remain off duty until they retrieve their weapons. In the interim, soldiers, state police, and National Guard will take over patrolling the streets.
Rocha emphasised that the seizure of police weapons for inspection was not a routine check but considered “exceptional”. He expressed hope for a swift resolution to the situation. This action by the Mexican army is not unprecedented; in 2018, a similar inspection was carried out in Cuernavaca, targeting local police forces to ensure trustworthy security personnel.
The recent conflict in Culiacan escalated after the arrest of Sinaloa cartel leaders Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López in the United States, leading to infighting between rival factions. The violence has reached such a level that schools have turned to online learning to protect students amidst the daily shootings in the city.
Residents organised a peaceful march, clad in white and holding banners calling for the restoration of safety in their streets. The escalation of violence has seen cartel groups leaving symbolic markers on the bodies of their victims, highlighting the intense rivalry between factions.
With highways blocked by burnt vehicles and hijacked transports, the local government struggles to regain control of the situation. Rocha has pledged to establish anti-blockade squads equipped to deal with such incidents. However, the underlying issue remains the ongoing confrontation between the warring cartel groups.
In a bid to restore peace, Governor Rocha has vowed to combat both factions equally and work towards reclaiming the safety of Culiacan’s residents. The unrest in the city serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive influence of cartels in certain regions of Mexico and the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in ensuring public safety.