"With the mysterious murder of a Sinaloan in Mexico City, Los Chapitos have lost their head of security, Oscar Medina, aka El Panu. He is the latest key figure to fall within the group since an internal war erupted in the Sinaloa Cartel between Los Chapitos led by the sons of Mexico's notorious drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman Loera and Los Mayos, the faction loyal to Ismael El Mayo Zambada."
"The hit on El Panu, who was considered third-in-command of the faction, appears to be the final blow to the circle that coordinated operations and security for the remnants of Los Chapitos. This latest loss, along with the deaths of six other lieutenants who fell one by one following the betrayal and kidnapping of El Mayo leaves the Guzman Salazar brothers, the last two survivors, in a vulnerable and uncertain position."
"Following Zambada's arrest in the United States in 2024, then-Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador opted to reinforce Sinaloa with the deployment of thousands of soldiers and National Guard personnel to prevent further conflict. On September 9, 2024, violence broke out in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa, and it has not abated. The federal government has taken control of the security strategy in the state, detaining nearly 1,500 civilians and killing 105 others in various confrontations."
A mysterious murder in Mexico City removed Oscar Medina (El Panu), the head of security and an alleged third-in-command of Los Chapitos. An internal war between Los Chapitos and Los Mayos has eroded the faction, with several lieutenants killed after the betrayal and kidnapping of El Mayo. U.S. accusations in 2023 against Guzman family members and sustained Mexican government actions have weakened the criminal cell. The arrest of Zambada in 2024 prompted massive troop deployments to Sinaloa, yet violence in Culiacan surged since September 9, 2024, with large numbers detained and dozens killed despite heavy security presences.
Read at english.elpais.com
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