Gunmen Fire Dozens of Shots at El Debate Newspaper Building in Sinaloa

Gunmen fired a dozen gunshots at the El Debate newspaper building in the troubled northern Mexican state of Sinaloa, the media outlet reported on Friday.

Violence in the State Capital

The newspaper is based in Culiacán, Sinaloa’s capital, where rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel have been locked in violent confrontations. According to El Debate, at least four bullet marks were found on the building’s walls, and additional gunfire struck vehicles parked outside the office late Thursday. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Press Freedom Under Threat

The Mexican Media Alliance, a press freedom organization, condemned the attack, calling it “a direct attack on press freedom and the public’s right to be informed.”

El Debate reported that the assailants arrived in two vehicles and briefly stopped in front of the building. One gunman exited a car and fired a rifle before fleeing the scene.

Escalating Threats Against Journalists

Threats against journalists and their sources have intensified as infighting between cartel factions escalates. The violence was triggered after two Sinaloa drug kingpins, each representing different factions, traveled to the United States and were arrested.

Drug lords Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López were captured in the United States after flying there on July 25 in a small plane. Zambada later claimed he had been kidnapped and forced onto the plane by Guzmán López, igniting a violent conflict between Zambada’s faction and the “Chapitos,” a group led by the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

Journalists Under Siege

Journalists have reported being stopped at roadblocks near Culiacán and warned not to cover the frequent gunfights occurring on the outskirts of the city.

In 2017, Javier Valdez, an award-winning journalist for Ríodoce who specialized in covering drug trafficking and organized crime, was murdered in Culiacán.

Ismael Bojórquez, director of Ríodoce, stated, “As in other wars, we journalists are the ones caught in the crossfire.”

Media Intimidation and Social Media Reliance

The warring cartel factions in Sinaloa appear to be trying to intimidate the media into silence, forcing residents to rely on social media for updates on safety. On Friday, social media was filled with videos of burning vehicles, bodies, and cartel convoys speeding through towns.

As has become common, state authorities did not confirm these reports and have consistently attempted to downplay the violence.

Government’s Response

Hours before the attack on the newspaper, Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha reassured the public, stating that “there is nothing to worry about” and that “everything is under control.”

However, the reality on the ground paints a different picture: Sinaloa State University canceled in-person classes on Friday due to “acts of violence in and around the Sinaloa state capital.”

Scenes of War

Online videos often resemble scenes from war zones. Two weeks ago, a driver filmed a military helicopter hovering over four gunmen in helmets and tactical vests just north of Culiacán. The gunmen had crashed their truck into a telephone pole but continued to shoot at the helicopter.

Yet, the online rumor mill is not always reliable. The Sinaloa Red Cross had to issue a statement on Thursday denying reports that two paramedics and their ambulance had been kidnapped in a particularly violent town.

Even the Red Cross was cautious, emphasizing that “the Mexican Red Cross is not taking any side in the conflict.”

Prosecutors and Police Under Scrutiny

State prosecutors are grappling with the situation after the chief state prosecutor resigned following allegations of submitting false information about the July 25 murder of a political opponent of Governor Rocha.

Additionally, the entire municipal police force in Culiacán has been temporarily disarmed by the military for firearm inspections, a procedure used in the past when police collusion with drug cartels was suspected.

Federal Response

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s response to the shooting at the newspaper was brief: “First, we condemn these acts, and investigations are ongoing,” she said.

Sheinbaum’s Morena party governs the state, and she has been a strong backer of Governor Rocha.