Mexican President Blames U.S. for Sinaloa Violence

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has partly blamed the United States for a surge in cartel violence in Sinaloa, which has left at least 30 people dead in the past week. He pointed to the U.S.-led arrest of two key cartel figures, Joaquín Guzmán López and Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, in late July as having triggered the violence. Rival factions within the Sinaloa Cartel have since engaged in violent clashes, leading to severe disruptions in Culiacán. López Obrador criticized the U.S. for not coordinating with the Mexican government, asserting that such unilateral actions exacerbate violence. The U.S. denies involvement in the alleged kidnapping of Zambada by Guzmán López. Mexican authorities have ramped up security efforts, with military patrols and arrests, but residents remain fearful and many avoid going out after dark.