Businessmen seek Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Sinaloa one year after the war between Chapitos and La Mayiza

September 9th will mark one year since the start of the Sinaloa Cartel’s internal war, a conflict that has primarily pitted two groups against each other: La Mayiza and Los Chapitos, and has left a trail of fear among the Sinaloan population.

This confrontation has completely transformed the perception of security in the state. According to the National Survey of Urban Public Security (ENSU) of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), Culiacán is now the city in Mexico where the most residents express feeling unsafe, with a 90.8% perception of insecurity.

Since the internal dispute between the groups linked to the Guzmán and Zambada families began, Sinaloa has recorded more than 1,941 murders and 1,907 people deprived of their liberty, according to the count conducted daily by Noroeste.

In this context, the president of the Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic (Coparmex) in Sinaloa, Martha Reyes Zazueta, announced on Tuesday that the local business sector is considering arranging a visit by Pope Leo XIV to the state.

In the words of the leader, the goal is to promote a message of unity and peace, as well as to promote the public economic recovery of Sinaloa, an entity facing social and financial scars following the outbreak of violence.

The proposal was confirmed by Reyes Zazueta, who told local media: “I’m bringing the idea and sharing it with you: to seek to bring the Pope. We’re working on it. Because by seeking to bring him, what are they going to do? Well, they’re going to seek to bring security, an economy, better infrastructure, an improvement for the city. I’m telling you this as a scoop.”

According to the president of Coparmex, the process with the Catholic hierarchy is just beginning, and an immediate response is not expected. However, she anticipated that the sector will maintain an open dialogue and support “disruptive” initiatives to change Sinaloa’s national and international image.