Written by by ILDEFONSO ORTIZ and BRANDON DARBY at breitbart.com
Politicians in the Mexican state of Sinaloa are trying to downplay the violent weekend kidnapping of more than 60 victims by cartel armies. The mass kidnapping points to an apparent rift within the Sinaloa Cartel.
The violence began late last week in Sinaloa when a faction led by Aureliano “Guano ” Guzman started to fighting with a faction loyal to Los Chapitos. The hostilities come days after the passing of Consuelo Guzman, the matriarch of the family and mother to jailed kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the father of Los Chapitos, Mexico’s Proceso reported.
In the aftermath of the fighting, gunmen dumped the bodies of three gunmen from Los Chapitos in the town of Badiraguato, which El Guano controls. By Thursday afternoon, groups of gunmen began kidnapping entire families in various parts of the state.
Initially, the Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya tried to deny the issue, claiming that information about mass kidnappings was only unconfirmed rumors, but authorities were going to be investigating.
The politician then drew national criticism when he said during an interview that the public should not be afraid. He said cartel kidnappings were just things that happened.