'Fear is everywhere': BBC reports from Mexican city turned into war zone by drug cartel feud

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 9 min read 100% complete February 25, 2026 at 06:00 PM

AI Summary

long article 9 min

A BBC report from Culiacán, Mexico, reveals a city gripped by fear due to a deadly feud within the Sinaloa cartel. The internal conflict, sparked by betrayal and the removal of a cartel leader, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, has led to a surge in violence. Paramedics in Culiacán are witnessing a dramatic increase in callouts, with most incidents resulting in fatalities. The Sinaloa cartel, once a unified organization, is now fractured, with rival factions battling for control. The violence is pervasive, impacting schools, hospitals, and even funerals, leaving residents in constant fear.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Darren Conway ×240% United States 40% Julio César Vega ×260% Sinaloa ×270% Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes 70% Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada 70% Quentin Sommerville ×270% Héctor Torres ×580% Mexico ×280% Culiacán ×490% Sinaloa cartel ×5100%

Keywords

cartel violence 90% sinaloa cartel 90% war zone 80% drug trafficking 80% mexico conflict 70% cartel feud 70% drug lord 60%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.80

Source Transparency

Source

BBC News - World

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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cartel violence sinaloa cartel war zone drug trafficking mexico conflict cartel feud drug lord

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