Explosion Targets Cenotaph of ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán’s Son in Sinaloa

CULIACÁN, Mexico – The cenotaph of Édgar Guzmán, a memorial honoring one of Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán‘s sons, was vandalized in an apparent explosion on Thursday, January 23, 2025. The attack, which occurred in the parking lot of a shopping center on Boulevard Enrique Sánchez Alonso in northern Culiacán, is believed to be part of an ongoing internal dispute within the Sinaloa Cartel.

Local authorities reported that no injuries or fatalities resulted from the explosion, which damaged the steel and marble cross at the site. Police and National Guard units responded to the scene, but no suspects have been identified. The Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office is investigating the type of explosive used in the attack.

Journalists in the region attribute the vandalism to ‘La Mayiza,’ a faction within the Sinaloa Cartel that opposes the leadership of ‘El Chapo’s’ sons. This group reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack, which they framed as retaliation for the January 3 burning of the grave of Vicente Zambada’s son, a child who died at age 7.

Édgar Guzmán López, born May 30, 1986, was killed on May 8, 2008, at the age of 22. His death, along with that of his cousin César Ariel Loera and Arturo Meza Cázares, was initially blamed on the Beltrán Leyva cartel, though some reports suggest it may have been a case of mistaken identity by ‘El Chapo’s’ own hitmen.

The cenotaph, a site of frequent floral tributes on anniversaries and birthdays, has become a symbol of the ongoing power struggles within the cartel. The attack underscores the escalating tensions between rival factions, even extending to desecration of memorials.