On Sunday, September 7, 2025, the streets of Culiacán, Sinaloa, filled with a sea of determined faces as between 30,000 and 50,000 citizens marched for peace. The demonstration, one of the largest in the city’s recent memory, was a direct response to a surge of violence that has gripped the region since mid-2024. Organized by citizen groups including Coparmex Culiacán, Ciudadanos Unidos A.C., and México Digno A.C., the march brought together families, medical personnel, search collectives, and victims of cartel violence, all united in their demand for an end to the bloodshed that has marked their daily lives.
The march began at the Santuario de La Lomita and wound its way to the Catedral de Culiacán, a symbolic journey underscoring both the depth of the community’s pain and their hope for change. According to official figures reported by Infobae, Sinaloa has seen 1,632 homicides between July 2024 and June 2025, a grim tally fueled by internal warfare within the Sinaloa Cartel. The fall of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, a longtime cartel leader, fractured the organization, sparking a violent struggle for control between rival factions known as Los Chapitos and La Mayiza.
Participants in the march carried banners and chanted slogans like “Pedimos paz” and “En Culiacán los buenos somos más,” their voices echoing off the city’s buildings. Security was tight, with agents from the Secretaría de Seguridad Pública y Tránsito Municipal deployed along the route to ensure order. The presence of children, doctors, and families made it clear: this was not just a protest by those directly affected, but a collective outcry from the entire community.
The day before the march, violence continued to haunt the region. Armed attacks, the discovery of human remains, and murders in Culiacán and nearby municipalities served as a chilling reminder of the stakes. As one young participant declared to the crowd, “Un Culiacán lleno de violencia no va a ganar, porque los buenos somos más.” The words, reported by Infobae, captured the spirit of resilience and hope that characterized the event.
Adding a layer of national attention to the march was the public support expressed by Frida Muñoz Román, ex-wife of Édgar Guzmán López, son of notorious drug lord Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán. Frida Muñoz, who met Édgar at the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa and was left widowed with a daughter after his murder in 2008, shared an aerial image of the march on her Instagram account, accompanied by the message: “Señor, rompe cadenas de violencia y derrama tu amor sobre Culiacán,” along with hashtags #EsperanzaEnCristo and #CuliacánLibre. Her post, broadcast to more than 91,000 followers, quickly sparked a lively debate online, splitting opinions on social media over her symbolic role in the ongoing struggle against cartel violence.
Frida’s life has been shaped by the shadow of organized crime. After Édgar’s death, she largely withdrew from public life, only to re-emerge when she married Julio César Chávez Jr., son of the legendary boxer. The Chávez family has faced its own share of controversy, with Julio César Chávez Jr. currently under investigation for alleged ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. In a 2019 interview, Muñoz Román reflected on her experiences, saying, “Fue víctima por pertenecer a su familia.” Her words resonate with many in Sinaloa who have found themselves caught in the crossfire, victims not by choice but by circumstance.
The demonstration’s timing was especially poignant. Just a day before, on Saturday, September 6, federal forces carried out a high-profile operation in the Altana Residencial neighborhood of northern Culiacán, arresting Leonel Valdez Palomera, known as ‘El LV.’ According to reports from local media, ‘El LV’ is an alleged leader of the Los Chapitos cell, one of the most powerful factions within the fragmented Sinaloa Cartel. The operation, which took place around 2:00 PM, also resulted in the detention of seven other individuals connected to his criminal network.
Authorities confiscated a cache of evidence during the raid, including military-exclusive long guns, stolen vehicles, tactical vests, and three properties believed to be linked to illicit activities. All of these items, as reported by local sources, are expected to play a critical role in the ongoing investigation into the cartel’s operations. The arrest of ‘El LV’ was described by officials as a strategic blow to Los Chapitos, with hopes that it would reduce the group’s operational capacity in Culiacán and curb the violence that has plagued the city in recent months.
“This capture is part of a coordinated effort between federal and state agencies to restore security in the region,” authorities stated, emphasizing the need for a unified approach to tackle the deeply entrenched criminal networks in Sinaloa. The recent uptick in violence, they noted, has been closely tied to the internal disputes within the Sinaloa Cartel, as rival factions vie for control of lucrative territories.
The march and the high-profile arrest are just the latest chapters in a long and difficult struggle for peace in Sinaloa. For many, the demonstration was a rare moment of unity in a region often defined by fear and silence. The participation of search collectives—groups formed by families of the disappeared—highlighted the human cost of the conflict, as did the testimonies shared by those who have lost loved ones to the violence. Their presence underscored a simple but powerful demand: justice and safety for all.
Social media played a crucial role in mobilizing support for the march. The hashtags and messages shared by figures like Frida Muñoz Román helped amplify the voices of ordinary citizens, drawing national and international attention to their cause. Yet, the debate around her involvement also revealed the complexities of seeking change in a place where almost everyone’s life has been touched by the cartels in some way.
As Sinaloa continues to grapple with the fallout of cartel infighting and the efforts of law enforcement to restore order, the events of September 6 and 7 serve as a stark reminder of both the challenges and the resilience of its people. The march for peace was not just a protest—it was a declaration that, despite the violence, hope endures. And with every step taken and every voice raised, the citizens of Culiacán made it clear: they are not willing to surrender their city to fear.