Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel that, in the real world, is led by Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. It is the primary rival of the Juárez Cartel, and the two organizations have been locked in a vicious battle for control of Ciudad Juárez since 2007. The Sinaloa Cartel was once a partner in an alliance known as 'The Golden Triangle Alliance' with the Juárez Cartel, but that alliance was broken after Guzmán refused to pay the Juárez Cartel for the right to use some smuggling routes into the U.S. The fighting between the two cartels has left thousands dead in Chihuahua.
- Primary Affiliation
- Mexican Transnational Criminal Organization
- Key Representatives
- Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán
- Operational Territory
- Mexico and the American Southwest (New Mexico/Arizona)
- Relationship to Gus Fring
- Former Business Partners turned Adversaries
- Status at Series End
- Active and Dominant
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The Sinaloa Cartel's conflict with the Juárez Cartel escalated after 2004, when Vicente Carrillo Fuentes' brother was killed, allegedly by order of Guzmán. Vicente retaliated by assassinating Guzmán's brother in prison, which ignited a turf war between the two cartels. This war was more or less put on hold from 2005 to 2006 because of the Sinaloa Cartel's war against the Gulf Cartel. After the Juárez Cartel's organization collapsed, some elements of it were incorporated into the Sinaloa Cartel, which absorbed much of the Juárez Cartel's former territory. By 2020, Los Salazar, a powerful cell of the Sinaloa Cartel, had managed to build a significant presence in Ciudad Juárez.
In Their Own Story
The Sinaloa Cartel has been locked in a vicious battle with the Juárez Cartel for control of Juárez since 2007. On July 15, 2010, the Juárez Cartel escalated violence to a new level by using a car bomb to target federal police officers during this conflict. In 2019, it was revealed that Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman put a bounty on Juarez Cartel leader Juan Pablo Ledezma for ending the Juarez Cartel's alliance with his Sinaloa Cartel.
Reader's Guide
The real-world Sinaloa Cartel was part of an alliance known as 'The Golden Triangle Alliance' or 'La Alianza Triángulo de Oro' with the Juárez Cartel, covering the states of Chihuahua, Durango, and Sinaloa. This alliance was broken after Guzmán refused to pay the Juarez Cartel for the right to use some smuggling routes into the U.S. In 2001, after Guzmán escaped from prison, many Juárez Cartel members defected to Guzmán's Sinaloa Cartel. Since 2012, control of the primary transportation routes for illegal drug shipments entering the United States from Mexico has shifted from the Juárez Cartel to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Did You Know?
- The Sinaloa Cartel was once part of an alliance called 'The Golden Triangle Alliance' with the Juárez Cartel, covering Chihuahua, Durango, and Sinaloa.
- The alliance was broken after Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán refused to pay the Juárez Cartel for the right to use some smuggling routes into the U.S.
- In 2001, after Guzmán escaped from prison, many Juárez Cartel members defected to his Sinaloa Cartel.
- By 2020, Los Salazar, a powerful cell of the Sinaloa Cartel, had built a significant presence in Ciudad Juárez.
- Since 2012, control of primary drug transportation routes into the U.S. has shifted from the Juárez Cartel to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the key leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel in Breaking Bad?
The group is primarily led by Don Eladio Vuente, with Hector Salamanca serving as a high-ranking representative within their hierarchy. They operate as a formidable Mexican transnational criminal organization throughout the series.
How does this cartel interact with Gus Fring?
Gus Fring was once a business partner who distributed drugs for them before their relationship turned adversarial. This falling out becomes central to the conflict involving Walter White and the drug trade.
Where do they operate geographically?
Their territory covers Mexico as well as key areas in the American Southwest, specifically New Mexico and Arizona. They maintain control over smuggling routes connecting these regions for methamphetamine distribution.
Is this depiction based on real-world events?
The show presents a fictionalized version of the cartel, distinct from the real-world Sinaloa Cartel led by Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán. While inspired by reality, specific characters and plotlines are created for the narrative.
What is their status at the end of the series?
Despite losing key figures like Gus Fring, the cartel remains active and dominant in the criminal underworld by the finale. They continue to wield significant power over drug trafficking operations after the main events conclude.
More in Cartels & Criminal Syndicates
Elsewhere in the Breaking Bad universe
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