US Ambassador Ken Salazar Denies Responsibility for Sinaloa Violence Amid Cartel Clashes

The US Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, has dismissed claims by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador that the United States is partly to blame for recent cartel violence in Sinaloa. The region has been engulfed in conflict as rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel battle for dominance following the arrest of two of its leaders in the US in late July.

Salazar stated during a news conference in Chihuahua, "It is incomprehensible how the United States can be responsible for the massacres we see in different places." He emphasised that the current situation in Sinaloa is not due to US actions. The arrests have sparked unrest, with reports suggesting that Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's son abducted Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and took him to the US.

Cartel Warfare Intensifies

Violence has escalated in Culiacan, Sinaloa's capital, as cartel factions clash with authorities. Helicopters frequently patrol overhead while military personnel are visible on the streets. Residents express fear about sending their children to school amid this turmoil. Bodies have been found across the city, often marked with sombreros or pizza slices, symbols of the warring factions.

Local officials reported that by Friday, at least 53 people had died and 51 were missing since the violence began. On Thursday, President López Obrador accused American authorities of contributing to the bloodshed. He claimed that the US operation to capture Zambada was illegal and led to instability in Sinaloa.

Political Tensions Rise

López Obrador's comments have strained relations between Mexico and its northern neighbour. Last month, he announced a pause in relations with US and Canadian embassies after criticism of his judicial reform plans. The capture of Zambada has intensified criticism of López Obrador's approach to cartels, which he claims largely fight among themselves without harming citizens.

Under his leadership, cartels have expanded their arsenal and tactics, using roadside bombs, trenches, homemade armoured vehicles, and drones. They have also ventured into new areas like migrant smuggling and the avocado trade. Despite sending 600 additional soldiers to Sinaloa as reinforcements, Salazar attributes the violence to Mexico's broader security challenges.

"The reality is that there is a problem of insecurity and violence" in Mexico, Salazar remarked. As López Obrador's term ends this month, these issues remain pressing concerns for both nations.