Jalisco Cartel–Chapitos Alliance Battles to Maintain Control in Central and Coastal Sinaloa Amid Advance From La Mayiza

For several months, various outlets, including The Latin Times, have reported on an alliance between the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel faction known as Los Chapitos, led by Iván Archivaldo Guzmán, the son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.

Despite video evidence from several months ago showing CJNG members standing in formation and wielding high-powered rifles in the small town of Cacalotán, in southern Sinaloa, the Mexican government continues to officially deny the existence of an alliance between the two cartels.

But according to a recent report, there is evidence that members of the Jalisco cartel are helping Los Chapitos combat La Mayiza, a faction led by Ismael Zambada Sicairos, known as "Mayito Flaco," the son of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.

As Infobae México reported, the agreement between the two organizations includes the exchange of drug trafficking routes, logistical and military support, and shared safe houses.

An analysis conducted by InSight Crime earlier this month indicated that the Chapitos-CJNG alliance appears limited to specific strategic areas and driven by short-term, practical arrangements, suggesting that both organizations continue to operate independently and have not fully merged their national operations.

The partnership between Los Chapitos and the CJNG reportedly gained momentum in late 2024 and solidified in 2025, following the fall of several security chiefs loyal to Los Chapitos during their conflict with La Mayiza.

In May, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed the alliance, warning that the group led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," was using ongoing turf wars in Sinaloa to expand its influence across parts of the state.

The recent presence of CJNG members in Sinaloa was mapped by the X account @HEARST_BB, which publishes information on drug trafficking activity. On Oct. 22, the account posted a map showing regions of Sinaloa allegedly under the control of the Chapitos-CJNG coalition, as well as areas influenced by La Mayiza and its reported alliance with the Beltrán Leyva Organization.

According to the map, Los Chapitos and the CJNG maintain a presence in central and northwestern coastal areas of Sinaloa. In the south, municipalities such as Mazatlán, Elota and Concordia form part of the corridor where members of both factions continue to share territory and fight for control.

Despite evidence suggesting that the Chapitos-CJNG alliance has been put in motion, the Mexican government has repeatedly dismissed its existence. As Infobae México reported, Mexico's Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said during a news conference in August that "there has been no indication of this alliance between these criminal groups" and that, so far, there is no evidence or arrests confirming an operational agreement between the organizations.

According to Harfuch, messages and banners referring to a supposed collaboration were likely strategies by local groups to intimidate rivals or create confusion amid the ongoing conflict in Sinaloa.

Although most attention has focused on the Chapitos-CJNG alliance, the opposing faction in the war has also sought support from other criminal groups.

As The Latin Times reported earlier this month, Mayito Flaco reportedly reached an agreement with an offshoot of the Los Zetas cartel known as Los Chukys.

Los Chukys, which has ties to the Northeast Cartel, is believed to have about 200 operatives, along with collaborators and other associates.

According to journalist Oscar Balderas, negotiations began in June and aimed to strengthen the Sinaloa Cartel faction's territorial control. He added that La Mayiza also has the support of the Guasave Cartel and the Cabrera Sarabia family.