20 bodies found in Mexico’s Sinaloa state amid cartel violence

The bodies of 20 men, some decapitated and hanging from a bridge, were discovered on a highway in Mexico’s violence-stricken Sinaloa state, according to local authorities.

The discovery was made Sunday night near a seminary outside the state capital of Culiacán. Officials said at least four decapitated bodies were found hanging from a bridge, with five severed heads placed nearby.

A Ford Transit van was located near the scene containing 16 additional bodies, including one that was decapitated, the Sinaloa State Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. All of the victims were men and appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds.

A message known as a “narco-banner” was found in the van, containing threats directed at the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the imprisoned former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel who is currently serving a life sentence in the United States.

Culiacán is considered the epicenter of cartel violence in Mexico, with recent conflict driven by a violent internal feud within the Sinaloa Cartel following the July 2024 capture of longtime cartel figure Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada near El Paso, Texas.

Zambada was allegedly lured into a trap by Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who was also taken into custody when their plane landed at an airport where U.S. authorities were waiting.

The incident is believed to have triggered a bloody internal war between factions loyal to Zambada’s family and those supporting the Guzmán brothers. The ongoing conflict has resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and hundreds of disappearances.