Los Gigios vs Los Salazars: Narcomantas and Nine Arrested in Magdalena, Sonora

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat 

On August 3, 2021, multiple unsigned narcomantas (narco message signs) were hung in Magdalena de Kino and Santa Ana, Sonora in which El Gigio and El 20 were taunted. A few hours after the narcomantas were removed, security forces in Magdalena detained nine alleged cartel members.

Narcomantas

On the morning of August 3, 2021, footage of a house burning in the northern Sonora area made its rounds through social media networks, with the prevailing belief being the fire was caused by the two warring CDS factions of Los Chapitos aligned Los Salazars and El Mayo aligned Los Gigios. 

Shortly after, and possibly in response, to that morning’s fire, multiple narcomantas (narco message signs) were hung in Magdalena de Kino and Santa Ana which alluded to the destruction of homes and the harm against innocent civilians who operate outside the criminal sphere. The narcomantas called for the rival side to put an end to armed attacks in the urban centers of the cities in which the banners were hung. 

The banners were removed by police within a few minutes of having been hung, however photographs of the narcomantas were spread on social media. 

"For the simpletons of Gio-20-Ahmed: 

Is the war going to respect the families or not? 

Because the war is between us, not with the family. 

So say if you are going to burn innocent people's houses. 

If so, we will grab them at once"

“Gio” is another alias used by Felipe de Jesús Sosa Canizales, “El Gigio”. “20” refers to his top lieutenant Leonardo López, alias “El 20”. “Ahmed” is an as-of-yet unidentified figure that presumably reports to El Gigio. He has not been named in previous narcomantas against Gigio. 

Nine Arrested 

Shortly after the narcomantas were removed, a citizen's report was called into the emergency line which alerted security forces to the presence of armed individuals on trails along the hills of Magdalena, Sonora. By that afternoon, a joint operation between the State Police, National Guard and Army (SEDENA) was launched. The groups mobilized in several areas and patrolled the northern areas of Magdalena municipality through the known wilderness trails.  

One of the patrols found nine people hidden in the undergrowth at the top of a hill. At the scene they seized five firearms, three 5.56 caliber firearms and two AK-4 style firearms, along with more than 800 rounds of ammunition, 28 magazines and 4 ballistic vests.

The detainees are: Gabriel “N”, 28 years old; Ángel "N", 21; José “N”, 27; Oswaldo “N”, 33 years old; Gustavo "N", 27; Héctor “N”, 28; Christian "N", 19; Jesús “N” and Mario “N”, both 35 years old.

Proceso's Latest on the Cartel Conflicts in Sonora

In the latest print edition of Proceso magazine, local police officers unofficially disclosed their prevailing theory as to why the violence between Los Gigios and Los Salazars broke out at the end of July. They write: 

"The local police forces agree: the armed attacks and detonations in Magdalena are the result of an ultimatum from Felipe de Jesús Sosa Canizales, ‘El Gigio’, ‘Mayo Zambada's compadre, to Ovidio Guzmán's ‘Los Chapitos’. They [El Gigio] asked them to free the criminal corridor of Benjamin Hill, Santa Ana, Magdalena and Imuris.  

Sosa Canizales, also known as 'El Señor del Sombrero,' 'Tío' or 'Mi Apá,' the boss of the Nogales plaza, intends to make good on his threat with the help of his armed wing, Leonardo López, 'El 20,' a violent operator who commands the attacks in Nogales and the assault on Magdalena.  

'Los Chapitos', under the tutelage of Ovidio Guzman, are represented by a cell of the Salazar crime family, who have the regional military support of the lieutenants left behind by Jesus Humberto Limon Lopez, 'El Chubeto', 'El Cazador' or 'El Noveno', after he was trapped in Altar on June 12. "

 

Proceso also details that in particular a spark that set off the fighting in July was: 

"According to military intelligence reports consulted, the trigger for this latest dispute is that both sides took high-ranking members of their adversaries hostage in order to tilt the battle in their favor. The strategy only inflamed tempers." 

Sources: Jornada, Excélsior,  Telemundo Arizona, Proceso Article 1, Article 2, Expreso, Debate, Uniradio Informa, Sur Acapulco, El Mañana