Ramon Velazquez Ontiveros, leader of the Livestock Union in the town of San Ignacio, Culiacan, was kidnapped and murdered on Tuesday, November 12, according to authorities in Sinaloa. The unfortunate incident took place in the Higueras de Abuya community, where an armed group intercepted Velazquez, stripping him of his vehicle before taking him captive.
Following the kidnapping, the Sinaloa Attorney General's Office and the Secretary of Public Security confirmed that the body of Ramon Velazquez was found in a community in Elota, near the road linking Culiacan and Mazatlan. This tragic event marks the second murder of livestock leaders in the region in the past two months, recalling the case of Faustino Hernandez, leader of the Regional Livestock Union of Sinaloa, who was gunned down at his home on September 30.
So far, no official information has been provided about the reasons that triggered the kidnapping and murder of Ramon Velazquez, nor has it been clarified if any cartel is responsible for these events. The governor of Sinaloa, Ruben Rocha Moya, announced the cancellation of the Livestock Fair and Palenque of Sinaloa as a preventive measure to avoid further violent acts in the region.
Sinaloa is facing an escalation of violence, partly attributed to the detention of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, who was handed over to U.S. authorities after being betrayed by 'Los Chapitos.' This situation has generated threats against Governor Rocha Moya, to the point that factions related to 'El Mayo' Zambada have launched narcomantas demanding the removal of 'Los Chapitos,' led by Ismael Zambada Sicairos, son of 'El Mayo.'
Amid this crisis, 'La Mayiza,' as Zambada's faction is known, has declared its intention to overthrow 'Los Chapitos' and the government of Sinaloa, inciting the reporting of abuses by local authorities in the region. Tension is rising in Sinaloa amid these events that shake the community and generate uncertainty about security in the area.
