by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
MEXICO CITY (Worthy News) – Nine inmates and a two-year-old boy visiting his imprisoned father were killed in a riot at a prison in northwestern Mexico, authorities confirmed Friday.
Sinaloa’s public security secretary, Sinuhé Téllez López, said the toddler died after violence erupted Thursday during visiting hours at El Castillo prison in Mazatlán, a Pacific coast city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) northwest of Mexico City.
The boy was reportedly with his father inside the prison while his mother had gone to collect another child from school.
Sixteen other inmates were injured and taken for medical treatment, authorities said.
ARMED PRISON RIOT
The violence reportedly began around 10 a.m. in one section of the prison before spreading to another, leaving visiting families caught in the chaos.
Local media reported that inmates used firearms during the fighting. Authorities reportedly recovered two 9mm handguns and launched an investigation into how the weapons entered the facility.
Mexico’s army, National Guard, navy and state security forces intervened to restore order, while federal officials said the situation had been brought under control.
The prison, which houses approximately 1,800 inmates, suspended family visits following the violence.
CARTEL VIOLENCE
Authorities have not established what triggered the riot or whether it was linked to fighting between rival criminal groups.
Sinaloa has been shaken by fighting between rival factions of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel since September 2024, following the arrest of longtime drug trafficking leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada in the United States.
The conflict has pitted followers of Zambada against Los Chapitos, a faction associated with the sons of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
The fighting has left numerous people dead and heightened concerns about the influence of organized crime inside prisons and communities across the state.
PRISON SECURITY CONCERNS
In May, seven inmates were killed during another prison riot in Culiacán, the state capital, about 220 kilometers (137 miles) north of Mazatlán.
Mexico’s prison system has long faced problems including overcrowding, staff shortages and corruption, which analysts say have contributed to violence behind bars.
The latest killings have raised further questions about prison security, particularly how inmates obtained firearms while families were visiting.
Yet on Friday, the family of the two-year-old boy was left grieving after a prison visit turned into tragedy, underscoring the dangers facing civilians caught in Mexico’s continuing struggle with organized crime.
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