The head of the Mexican Army, Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, stated that the Sinaloa Cartel has become more violent after the arrests of Ovidio and Joaquín Guzmán López, the sons of 'El Chapo' Guzmán, and Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada. According to Trevilla Trejo, criminals have increased their security measures and have hitmen willing to use extreme violence in defense of their leaders.
The general mentioned that the Armed Forces carried out an operation in Sinaloa this week, in which Edwin Antonio, alias El Max, leader of a criminal cell linked to Zambada's faction, was captured. The operation resulted in 19 deaths and has generated controversy regarding the public security actions carried out by soldiers, especially after other recent incidents.
During a press conference, Trevilla Trejo argued that the increase in violence in Sinaloa originated from the detention of a criminal by U.S. authorities. He also referred to Zambada's delivery to the United States by Guzmán López on a plane last July, as a factor that has contributed to internal rivalry within the Sinaloa Cartel.
Furthermore, the Secretary of National Defense supported the claims of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the current president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who have attributed part of the unleashed violence in Sinaloa to the United States. According to the Mexican government, the criminal organization has intensified its level of violence since the detention and extradition of Ovidio to the U.S. in 2023.
