In Culiacán, Sinaloa, Governor Graciela Domínguez Nava led the 2026 Youth Merit Award ceremony, where she highlighted the role of young people as true agents of change and transformation in the state and the country. The award, presented by the State Congress (LXV Legislature), recognized five outstanding young individuals for their achievements and contributions in various fields.

The honorees were Yessenia Guadalupe Guerrero Carrasco (Academic, Scientific, and Technological Merit), Aby Alexandra Loaiza Torres (Artistic Merit), Marco Alonso Verde Álvarez (Sports Merit), Teresita del Carmen Martínez Téllez (Entrepreneurial Merit), and Edén Regustiano Urías Angulo (Civic-Social Merit).

During the ceremony, Deputy Eligio López Portillo reported that the call for nominations received 121 proposals, of which 103 were evaluated, reflecting the talent and active participation of Sinaloa's youth. On behalf of the awardees, Yessenia Guerrero Carrasco emphasized that this generation “is not willing to give up” and called on young people to pursue their dreams.

The event also included the participation of Magistrate Jesús Iván Chávez Rangel and Deputy Juan Diego Aranzubia Iturrios, as well as a posthumous tribute to Jesús Enrique Hernández Chávez, who championed this award since the year 2000.

The governor reiterated that her administration will continue to invest in education, opportunities, and the comprehensive development of youth, aiming to foster citizens committed to justice, freedom, and the progress of Sinaloa.