Crime
Sinaloa Cartel Faction Issues Threats Against American Citizens in Mexico Amid Escalating Tensions
LOS CABOS, BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, MEXICO — A violent faction of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel has issued direct threats against American citizens, warning of targeted killings in popular tourist destinations across Mexico.
The threats were publicly delivered through narcomantas—large banners commonly used by cartels to issue warnings or declarations—displayed in the Los Cabos resort corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
The messages were signed by “La Chapiza,” an armed faction loyal to the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
According to the statements, the group vowed retaliation against U.S. law enforcement operations targeting the cartel’s drug and human trafficking networks.
The banners accused American and Mexican authorities of “meddling” in cartel affairs and directly threatened to “eliminate every American citizen residing in areas where we have a presence.”
The warning follows a series of joint U.S.–Mexico counter-narcotics operations, including raids on cartel strongholds in the Sierra de Badiraguato mountains of Sinaloa—long considered the heart of cartel activity.
The operations reportedly dismantled key fentanyl laboratories and weapons stockpiles belonging to the organization.
In their messages, cartel members named several officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel, DEA Administrator Terry Cole, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Security Chief Omar García Harfuch, accusing them of overreach and warning that the cartel “runs things here.”
Sources indicate that the threats appear to be an escalation in the ongoing power struggle between La Chapiza and rival Sinaloa faction La Mayiza, though U.S. citizens have now been invoked as leverage amid the conflict.
Authorities in both the United States and Mexico are assessing the credibility of the threats. U.S. intelligence officials have described the situation as “highly concerning,” noting the large number of American residents and tourists—estimated at more than 1.6 million annually—who travel or live in Mexico.
The situation underscores broader security risks across Mexico’s most visited regions:
Cancún and the Riviera Maya (Quintana Roo): Increasing incidents of cartel-linked shootings and kidnappings tied to drug route control and extortion rackets.
Tijuana (Baja California): A key front in the fentanyl trafficking war, where cross-border violence and abductions remain common.
Los Cabos (Baja California Sur): Once marketed as a safe haven for tourists and retirees, the area has seen rising homicide rates and is now at the center of direct cartel threats against Americans.
Officials urge travelers to exercise extreme caution, remain informed of local security developments, and follow guidance from the U.S. State Department, which continues to monitor the situation closely.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.