Overview
- On Monday, September 21, 2026, President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly said foreign intervention surrounding the July 25, 2024 arrest of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada precipitated the current violence in Sinaloa.
- The July 25, 2024 detention occurred in New Mexico after Zambada landed with Joaquín Guzmán López, and Mexico says it was not notified while U.S. officials have denied conducting an operation on Mexican soil.
- Sheinbaum argues the arrest fractured the Cártel de Sinaloa into rival factions—chiefly Los Chapitos and La Mayiza—and that their fights, beginning in September 2024, drove a sustained spike in homicides and disappearances.
- She called for 'coordination without subordination,' saying any intelligence from foreign governments must be processed by Mexican institutions before enforcement and defending her strategy to address root causes and strengthen investigations.
- Her comments raise the prospect of tougher rules for bilateral security work and could strain Mexico–U.S. cooperation while residents of Sinaloa continue to face high levels of violence and displacement.