This aerial view shows demonstrators during the March for Peace in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico on September 13, 2026. Photo by JESUS VERDUGO / AFP
Culiacán, Mexico: Thousands of demonstrators dressed in white flooded Culiacán, Mexico on Sunday, chanting and waving banners to protest the demise of those caught up in the deadly Sinaloa Cartel conflict.
Dressed in white, the protesters released dozens of white balloons into the sky before marching to the cathedral in the capital of Sinaloa state, shouting, "We want peace," and carrying signs saying, "I'm fed up with living in fear."
Culiacan's bishop, Jesus Jose Herrera, called on the gang members to stop the violence: "No territory and no ambition is worth more than a human life."
The protest was organized by the Catholic Church along with business leaders and families of missing persons.
Since September 2024, the state has been gripped by a bitter war between rival factions loyal to the families of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman or Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, co-founders of the cartel who are both now serving life sentences in the United States.
Internal accusations of betrayal sparked the violence between factions.
Daily shootouts and road blocks have led to closed businesses and the suspension of classes as Sinaloa became known as the most dangerous city in Mexico.
In two years, the death toll has surpassed 3,000, including many civilians caught in the crossfire.
