Day 784: Culiacán Holds First Public Grito de Independencia in Two Years, Governor Domínguez Calls for Peace

On the night of September 15, 2026, Culiacán and other Sinaloa municipalities held public Independence Day 'Grito' ceremonies for the first time since 2024, when the massive events were suspended because of the Chapitos–Mayiza war. Before more than 20,000 people at the Palacio de Gobierno esplanade, interim Governor Graciela Domínguez Nava — Sinaloa's first woman to lead the ceremony — received the national flag from an escort of the 94th Infantry Battalion at 10:20 PM, rang the balcony bell and gave the traditional 'vivas' to Independence heroes, closing with 'Viva el amor al prójimo! Viva la paz!' Mazatlán held its own celebration under reinforced security (roughly 300 state elements and 50 patrols), while Escuinapa reversed an initial cancellation to hold a scaled-back, strictly ceremonial version after recent killings and violence against women in the municipality. Federal officials said the cartel remains diminished but retains meaningful firepower and economic capacity.