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Public Outcry in Culiacan Over Tragic Children’s Deaths
On Thursday, thousands gathered in Culiacan, Sinaloa, to protest the tragic deaths of two brothers, ages 12 and 9, who were killed in an attempted carjacking—a grim incident that has intensified local outrage regarding the rampant violence associated with drug cartels in the region.
The protest saw a diverse group of participants, including mothers with their children dressed in school uniforms, all united in their call for an end to the reign of terror that has disrupted daily life. The cartels’ ongoing conflict has forced schools and businesses to close in the area, amplifying the community’s despair.
Children at the protest crafted banners with poignant messages such as “I want to live, not survive,” shining a light on the deep-seated fear and anxiety gripping the youth in Culiacan. This tragic event and the unbearable emotional weight it carries have led to heightened civic engagement.
A smaller faction of demonstrators took their frustrations directly to the offices of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha, where they vandalized property and demanded his resignation. Despite his alignment with former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Rocha has struggled to contain the violence that plagues his state, even with military reinforcements deployed.
“We understand people’s outrage,” remarked state spokesman Feliciano Castro, assuring the public that federal investigators were looking into the tragic killings.
The two young Sarmiento brothers were shot dead on Sunday during an attempted theft of their family’s vehicle, with their father also succumbing to his injuries in the attack. Two other children were wounded in the incident. Authorities have speculated that the vehicle’s tinted windows may have played a role in the deadly confrontation, although specifics remain unclear.
The march was organized by the elementary school of the younger brother, demonstrating how deeply the incident has resonated within the community. It represented a significant exhibition of frustration in a city that has been under the thumb of the Sinaloa cartel for years. Culiacan has experienced growing violence as rival factions within the cartel clash for dominance, especially following the arrests of key cartel figures in the U.S. last year.
The regional conflict escalated further earlier on Thursday when an explosion near a supermarket damaged a memorial for Edgar Guzman Lopez, a son of JoaquÃn “El Chapo” Guzman, who was murdered in 2008. The explosion left behind a bullet-ridden vehicle, a stark reminder of the violence that continues to plague Culiacan.
According to the state prosecutor’s office, the ongoing cartel warfare has led to numerous deaths and a significant number of disappearances. A report by the U.S. Justice Department detailed the horrific methods employed by factions, including torture techniques that defy comprehension. Some victims have reportedly been subjected to gruesome fates, serving as a chilling testament to the brutality of cartel operations.
The rising body count and grotesque displays of violence have put considerable pressure on the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has been criticized for her handling of security issues since she took office in October. Her administration, facing demands from U.S. President Donald Trump to curb the flow of fentanyl—a synthetic opioid largely produced by the Sinaloa cartel—must confront these violent dynamics head-on.
Online outrage in the wake of the children’s deaths amplified the impetus for Thursday’s demonstration, which was described as “more effusive and emotional” than previous protests, according to EstefanÃa López of the Culiacan Valiente collective. “It took on a life of its own; I think a lot of people woke up,” she explained, signifying a growing awareness and an unwillingness to remain idle in the face of such horror.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
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