Thousands of people marched through the streets of a Mexican city this week to demand an end to a recent surge in organised crime violence. The demonstrations came after an internal dispute between two rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel sent levels of violence sharply higher, residents and local reports said.
Protesters called on authorities at the municipal, state and federal levels to restore public safety and to take stronger action against the criminal groups responsible for the unrest. The crowd included families and civic groups, reflecting mounting public frustration with the insecurity that has affected daily life in the area.
Background
The Sinaloa cartel is one of Mexico's most long-established drug trafficking organisations, and disputes between rival cells can rapidly destabilise regions where the group operates. In this city, officials and local sources say violence has escalated since the latest feud began, though details about the origins and key actors in the split remain murky.
Local and national authorities have in the past deployed security forces to areas hit by cartel clashes, but protesters at the rally signalled they want sustained and effective measures rather than short-term interventions. An official response to the latest demonstrations and the recent spike in violence was not immediately clear.