The protesters in Sinaloa set up an altar in the Government Palace in memory of the murdered children, as part of a wave of violence triggered by the arrest of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López in July 2024. This arrest caused an internal dispute between two criminal factions, resulting in a significant increase in murders in the region, closing the year 2024 with more than 994 murders and 29 femicides.
The protest, sparked by the deaths of Alexander and Gael, denounced the lack of security provided by state authorities in Sinaloa. Participants expressed their pain and anger with slogans such as "Narcogovernment!" and "Not with the children!" Upon arriving at the Government Palace, they found closed doors and refusal of dialogue from state employees and police, which led the protesters to force their way into the governmental building.
Once inside the courtyard of the Government Palace, they asked to speak with Governor Rocha, but were unsuccessful. In response to the lack of answers, they decided to head to the governor's office, finding access blocked again. In an act of protest, the demonstrators damaged the offices of the governor's aide as a way to express their indignation over the violent situation in Sinaloa and the dismissive attitude of the authorities.
Finally, a commission of the protesters led by the mother of the deceased children managed to meet with representatives of the state government after breaking walls and furniture in the government offices. Despite the growing discontent, Governor Rocha never appeared before the protesters, who demanded his resignation and justice for the murdered minors. The protest, called by the director of the school of the deceased children, gathered hundreds of people in a march to the Government Palace to demand an end to the violence in Sinaloa and the resignation of the governor.
