In the Mexican state of Sinaloa, a bloody power struggle is being waged between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. DW has obtained privileged information about the inner workings of one of the country's most powerful cartels. An alleged hitman describes how the cartel murders, intimidates, and, in his own words, influences political processes.
Testimonies from a threatened congresswoman and family members seeking justice reveal how fear affects entire communities, forced to live in an environment marked by murder, disappearances, extortion, and impunity.
As society endures amidst violence, mistrust, and a yearning for redress, questions persist about who truly wields power in one of the regions hardest hit by drug trafficking in Mexico.

Editor's note: We have updated this video and made editorial adjustments to certain visual and audio elements. These changes do not alter the facts, context, or conclusions presented in the report.

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Episodes

00:00 The war pitting Sinaloa against each other
03:00 Chapitos vs. Mayos: the origin of the conflict
04:10 Paola Gárate and the accusations of electoral intimidation
06:37 Villa Juárez: communities trapped by violence
08:34 Impunity, corruption, and the power of the cartels
10:41 The testimony of a hitman for the Chapitos
15:45 The crisis of disappearances in Mexico
16:56 The accusations against Rocha and the political debate