**Xóchitl Criticizes AMLO After Bodies Found in Culiacán; “Hugs Failed,” She Says**
**September 29, 2024**
**TJGringo.com**
Bertha Xóchitl Gálvez Ruiz, former presidential candidate from the PRI, PAN, and PRD coalition “Force and Heart for Mexico,” criticized President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on September 28, 2024, following the discovery of several bodies inside an abandoned truck in Sinaloa just a few hours after the president visited a nearby municipality. The bodies were found in a vehicle with a sign reading “Welcome to Culiacán.”
Gálvez expressed her discontent on social media, highlighting the country’s ongoing violence. In her post on X, she stated, “This is how @lopezobrador_ ends his government: a country soaked in blood with 200,000 Mexicans murdered. Denying or downplaying the critical situation was never the solution. Hugs failed, and bullets are stronger than ever #Culiacán.”
This discovery coincided with President López Obrador’s final tour in Sinaloa alongside elected governor Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. The white truck containing the bodies was found on Calzada Heroico Colegio Militar at the entrance of the Alturas del Sur neighborhood in Culiacán’s southern sector. The bodies showed clear signs of violence, although further details were not provided by Sinaloa’s Attorney General’s Office or the state security department.
During his visit, López Obrador minimized the violence in the state, stating, “We all want to live in peace and should not stigmatize. That’s why we’re here, despite the U.S. Embassy’s travel advisory warning against visiting Sinaloa and Culiacán.”
Wrapping up his transition tour, the president acknowledged the loss of human lives and promised continued military support for security operations to prevent further violence in the state. “How could we not be here? Soon, things will return to calm since throughout the government, we had no problems until these last days due to an incorrect decision made abroad,” López Obrador said during the Santa María dam inauguration in El Rosario.
Elected governor Sheinbaum Pardo, who hails from Mazatlán, chose to focus on the hardworking nature of Sinaloa’s people without addressing the violent incidents. She committed to supporting Sinaloa’s current governor, Rubén Rocha Moya, and continuing projects beneficial to the state.
Governor Rocha Moya requested federal assistance to achieve peace, noting recent violence with 118 murders and 135 forced disappearances in the past 19 days. “Violence generators are present here now, but we are fortunate to have the support of the President and President-elect, who are very supportive,” he stated.
**Additional News on the Topic:**
**Violence Escalates in Sinaloa Amid Political Transitions**
As tensions escalate in Sinaloa, recent events have highlighted the urgency for effective security measures. The recent discovery of bodies in Culiacán came just days after the U.S. Government issued a travel advisory due to heightened violence in the region.
National security experts suggest that the surge in violence may be attributed to power vacuums and territorial disputes among criminal groups, exacerbated by the political transition. There are calls for a comprehensive approach to tackle the root causes of crime, including socio-economic initiatives alongside continued law enforcement operations.
The international community watches closely as Mexico navigates these challenging times, with many hoping for a swift and peaceful resolution to ongoing security issues. The situation in Sinaloa remains a key indicator of broader national stability as the country heads into a new administrative phase.