Texas, Sept 23 (Alliance News): Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has partially blamed the United States for a surge of violence in Sinaloa, where dozens have died over the past two weeks.
Bodies have repeatedly been found on public streets and highways, raising concerns about rising tensions in the region.
During a press conference on Thursday, López Obrador suggested that U.S. actions contributed to infighting within the Sinaloa cartel.
The arrest of cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the infamous drug lord “El Chapo” Guzmán, near El Paso, Texas on July 25, allegedly led to increased violence.
Zambada claimed in an August statement that he was “ambushed” and “kidnapped” by Guzmán López before being delivered to U.S. authorities.
López Obrador referred to the arrest as a “kidnapping” and accused the U.S. Department of Justice of having “agreements” with an organized criminal group that orchestrated the handover.
While the Mexican president’s allegations remain unverified, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar denied any U.S. involvement in the operation.
Salazar stated that the arrest was the result of an internal cartel conflict, with no U.S. agents or officials playing a role.
