In just a few weeks, the brutal turf war between two rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel — Los Chapitos, led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, and La Mayiza, aligned with the son of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada — will mark its first full year on Sept. 9.
What began as internal disputes in Culiacán has escalated into one of the deadliest cartel conflicts in recent Mexican history, leaving more than 1,800 people dead and a similar number missing or kidnapped, according to data from Noroeste. Yet despite the staggering toll of fatalities, neither side had secured a decisive advantage — until now.
