Mexico City /
In it world of drug trafficking, Symbols matter as much as weapons. Today, two icons have become representative of the factions fighting for control in Sinaloa: the ranch hats and pizzas.
Items which, in everyday life, might not mean much, but in the violent war that the state is experiencing, they have become a kind of message between the rival groups.
Hat symbol
On the one hand, the ranch hat, linked to Ismael’s group ‘The May’ Zambada, evokes the tradition and the old school of drug trafficking in Sinaloa. This symbol represents men connected to the rural roots of the region. In recent days, several bodies found on roads were wearing hats, a grim signature attributed to the opposing group.
​Pizza symbol
In contrast, Joachim’s sons ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, known as ‘The Chapiza’‘, have adopted a more modern symbol: the pizza.
This icon, derived from the name of its organization, It has become ubiquitous in souvenirs and products related to the subculture of drug trafficking.
However, this image has taken a macabre turn; in one of the most disturbing cases, a head was found inside a pizza box, a clear threat from the group.
What is the significance of both symbols?
Jesús Bustamante, investigative journalist and president of the June 7th Journalists Association, explained the importance of these symbols:
“All these symbols are important because they are telling the opposing groups, but also to society who is responsible for what is happening.
“When hats or pizza boxes are found on bodies at sites where attacks have been reported, it is clear that the war is between the children of El Chapo and Ishmael The May Zambada. We already saw it in other stages of violence“such as the war against the Beltrán Leyva or the Dámaso families, where the groups left distinctive marks such as hats to mark their victims.”
Since Monday, September 9, violence between factions of ‘The May’ Zambada and the sons of ‘El Chapo’ has intensified, transforming what was once an alliance into an all-out war.
This confrontation It is not only fought with bullets, but also with carefully crafted messages. Every symbol, whether a hat or a pizza, is a way of marking territory and spreading fear.
What was once an alliance between two of the most powerful families in the drug trafficking in Mexico, It has now become a ruthless conflict.
Every confrontation, every abandoned body, represents not only a show of force, but a piece of violent propaganda, where the symbols are as lethal as the acts themselves.
Bustamante added: “Since the capture of Ismael El Mayo Zambada, it was clear that this would end in violence. The Chapitos have always fought for territory, they did so against the Dámasos and now against a cell of the Mayo in Tepuche. Without a clear leader like El Mayo, they seek to take control of the territory, while those loyal to El Mayo seek revenge for what they perceive as a betrayal.”
Furthermore, these symbols not only serve as messages in war, They have also become fashionable. They are featured in songs and ballads, and are part of the identity of young people as young as 16 years old, who carry weapons and these insignia with pride.
Meanwhile, the authorities struggle to contain the ravages of this war, but the conflict between the Zambadas and the Chapitos seems to be far from over, marking a new stage in the history of drug trafficking in Sinaloa.
HCM
