Federal forces detained Jesús Emir Bazoco Peraza, alias 'El Compa Güero', the alleged perpetrator of the armed attack on Movimiento Ciudadano deputies Sergio Torres Félix and Elizabeth Montoya in Culiacán. The incident took place on January 28 and is linked to the 'Los Chapitos' faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. The PRI clarified that the detainee is not an active party member.
Attack and Context
On January 28, Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) deputies Sergio Torres Félix and Elizabeth Montoya Ojeda were targeted in an armed attack on Paseo Niños Héroes, Malecón Viejo, near Calle Domingo Rubí, in Culiacán, Sinaloa. The incident happened shortly after they left the state Congress headquarters on Boulevard Pedro Infante. Both were injured and taken to a private clinic; Torres remained in delicate condition, while Montoya lost an eye but was later discharged.
Governor Rubén Rocha Moya immediately ordered the head of the Public Security Secretariat, Oscar Rentería Schazarino, to launch a search and capture operation for those responsible.
Detention of the Alleged Attacker
On February 3, federal forces led by the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), the Attorney General's Office (FGR), the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), and the National Guard (GN) arrested Jesús Emir Bazoco Peraza, alias 'El Compa Güero' or 'Radio 13', in Culiacán's Universidad Oriente neighborhood. During the arrest, authorities seized 55 doses of crystal meth, a long firearm, two magazines, two cell phones, and a vehicle.
Federal authorities identified him as a member of 'Los Chapitos', a Sinaloa Cartel faction, responsible for managing communication radios, installing surveillance cameras in Culiacán to monitor authorities, and acquiring drones for criminal operations. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch stated that investigations, based on video surveillance analysis, are ongoing to apprehend all involved. The attackers fled in a white truck, later found in a self-service store parking lot.
PRI Clarification and Violence Context
The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) condemned the events and clarified that Bazoco Peraza did not renew his affiliation, making his status 'non-affiliated' after the militants' registry purge.
This attack occurs amid Sinaloa's violence crisis since late 2024, due to internal disputes within the Sinaloa Cartel, designated a terrorist group by the United States. The federal government has deployed nearly 2,800 agents in the state.