In Mexico, masked individuals intercepted the convoy of a front-running presidential candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, during a campaign stop. The men, believed to have ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, demanded a commitment to tackle rising violence in the southern state of Chiapas if she wins the upcoming elections in June.

Mexico City

Mexico's Chiapas state witnessed a remarkable and concerning incident involving Claudia Sheinbaum, a leading presidential candidate in the upcoming June elections. During a campaign stop, her convoy was intercepted by masked individuals. These men, suspected to have connections with the Sinaloa Cartel, explicitly demanded government action to address the escalating violence in the southern state of Chiapas should she win the election.

The confrontation highlighted a broader issue of cartel-induced violence in regions like Chiapas, which share borders with Guatemala and Belize. The area has become a battleground for territorial disputes between the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels. Their conflict has resulted in an increase in violence, leading to the displacement of thousands of people. The cartels are fighting for dominance over drug trafficking routes, weapon smuggling, and human trafficking operations.

Observers note that the masked men claimed to be part of a self-defense group. However, experts interpret the event as a clear sign of criminal organizations' attempts to manipulate Mexican politics by directly confronting and making demands of politicians. This event is viewed as a stark indication of the criminal groups' increasing boldness and their acknowledgment of the significant influence they wield, even against the federal government.

In response to the incident, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador suggested that the confrontation might have been staged, questioning the motives behind the masked men's actions and their choice to hide their identities. Similarly, Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the incident, describing it as "very strange." Meanwhile, policy experts caution that the involvement of criminal organizations in Mexican politics is becoming more audacious. They warn that as these groups find themselves with fewer avenues for dialogue with the state, violence becomes their primary means of communication.



Mexico's leading presidential candidate stopped by masked men

A tense interaction in Mexico's Chiapas state. While on the campaign trail, Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's leading presidential candidate, was stopped by masked men believed to be linked to the Sinaloa cartel. They requested government intervention to put an end to the violence plaguing southern Mexico. The truth is we feel helpless in our hearts as a community because the government has never done anything for these lands. Mexico's Chiapas state, which borders Guatemala and Belize, has seen violence spiral as the rival Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels wage a war for territory. In Mexican states like Chiapas, the spillover from violence has led to the internal displacement of thousands of people as cartels seek greater control over drug routes, weapon smuggling and human trafficking. Though the men in the video say they form part of a self-defense force, experts say the events of Sunday could be seen as an example of how criminal groups in the region seek to influence and manipulate Mexican politicians ahead of the upcoming election. A criminal group stopping the convoy of the very likely next president of Mexico and making demands on camera with media present is something that talks about the increasing brazenness of criminal groups that are very, very aware of the kind of power they have to shoot even vis-a-vis the federal government. During a press conference on Monday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador downplayed the events of Sunday in Chiapas, saying it appeared to be staged. Yes, it is very probable that it's staged, highly probable, because if someone has a complaint, why would they cover their face? And besides, they claim to be peaceful. Mexican presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the incident on Sunday, but also downplayed the significance, describing the interaction with the masked men as, quote, very strange. Policy experts warn that criminal organizations are adopting increasingly assertive strategies in their involvement with Mexican elections. However, when avenues for dialogue with the state run out, it's violence that emerges as the prevailing means of communication. Manuel Rampallo, Al Jazeera, Mexico City.

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