SUMMARY

The Sinaloa Cartel – Forces of Damaso faction (Fuerzas Especiales Dámaso) is a splinter group that broke away from the Sinaloa Cartel in July 2014 in Mexico. The imprisonment of the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, in February 2014, left his close associate Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada as the acting leader over the large cartel. Something that was not appreciated by everyone in the Sinaloa Cartel. Dámaso López Núñez "El Licenciado", another high ranking leader within the cartel, together with Dámaso López Serrano "El Mini Lic", challenged Zambada for the control over the cartel’s operations in La Paz, Baja California Sur, beginning in July 2014.

The Sinaloa Cartel – Forces of Damaso used hitmen to target and kill members of its main adversary in order to expand its power and influence in the area. Tactics including the questioning and torturing of its enemies have also been used by the group. A targeted killing gone wrong, where a father was killed rather than his sons, who were the intended targets, led to internal divisions within the group. Two splintering factions broke away from the Sinaloa Cartel – Forces of Damaso in January 2015, forming groups called Los 28 and Los Pepillos.

The Sinaloa Cartel – Forces of Damaso faction has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.