The gang often kidnaps and holds poor migrants who try to operate outside the system for ransom. President Felipe Caldern deployed the military against Mexicos cartels in 2007, and despite $1.6 billion in U.S. support, 35,000 civilians were now dead by 2011, with thousands missing. He said that officers escorted him to remote locations to deliver guns to Millan-Vasquez on more than one occasion. First it was people with money, then it was anyone. The Zetas have set a price for allowing smugglers to transport migrants into the United States, and the cartel expects its cut, Islas says. The kidnapping and murder of the SEIDO agents resembles the type of actions of another infamous Mexican crime group, the Zetas. The U.S. State Department issued warnings not to travel to or within Tamaulipas, as a result. [CDATA[ His evil career was so incredibly successful that he made Forbes' billionaire list from 1987 to 1993. If you support this mission, we need your help. The handful of passengers lucky enough to be rescued confirmed their captors intended to recruit them. However, despite the logistical sophistication and the massive financial success, the history of cartels is fraught with betrayal, splinter groups, and brutally shortened lives. There have been several criminal organizations in the world that have perpetrated destructive acts against humanity without any form of military training, either formal or informal. In 2010, Los Zetas established itself on its own terms, terrorizing the country with torture, beheadings and massacres (via Irish Times/Britannica). Among these provincial traders and smugglers wasJoaqun Guzmn Loera, better known as "El Chapo.". In the past year, gunmen from Los Zetas Cartel performed unique retaliatory killings in response to their allys videotaped sexual assault behind bars. Her work has been featured in various national and international media outlets, including the Guardian, PBS, NPR and Marie Claire. With their archenemy established, La Familia Michoacana set out to publicize themselves. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. In early April, Mexican military officials made another grisly discovery in the once sleepy farming community of San Fernando: a series of mass graves among the mesquite brush. Then, in May, SinEmbargo reported that the cartel had destroyed a military helicopter with an RPG, killing 5 soldiers. Photos, illustrations and other art may be available for syndication but must be confirmed. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. In 2015, U.S. law enforcement discovered a marijuana field in Texas with a market value of $2 million. Alberto Islas, a Mexico City security analyst whos advised corporations in Tamaulipas, offers a more plausible and chilling motive for the massacres: Its just business. No one charges under $2,000 these days to get into the United States and [the Zetas] get $400 to $500 for each migrant smuggled through their territory, he says. With all this being said, the power and brutality of the gang seem to be waning. In 2015, Los Zetas leader Morales was arrested in Mexico City. Graphic from a 2011 NDIC national drug threat assessment. ", The Gulf cartel's control in the northeast state of Tamaulipas has seen many violent incidents, both against rivals and each other. In August 2010, Zetas executed 72 migrants in Tamaulipas, which was followed by 2011 attacks in San Fernando and a Monterrey casino, killing a combined 245 people. The two men who were also gunned down have been identified as Cruz Felipe Pizana Saldivar and Angel Carrizales Amaya. On Wednesday morning, prosecutors called Jaime Abascal Reyna to the stand. Moreover, the extremely violent gang has made connections and collaborated with U.S. gangs all over the country since 2010. The criminal indictment claims that the former governor took bribes from drug cartels in exchange for official protection. Millan-Vasquez faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute narcotics, enticing minors to sell drugs, giving a false identification to authorities, and charges for at least nine murders in South Texas and Northern Mexico. Gradually, the BLO began to weaken in this battle of attrition, losing many members to jail or death. Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty ImagesLos Zetas cartel members and San Fernando Massacre suspects being presented to the press on June 30, 2011. Today, the cartel retains a small presence in southern Mexico. With Americans running the organization, winning the war against Los Zetas would be much more difficult. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); At least two jurors broke down in tears as they listened to Jorge De Leon Navarro describe how Los Zetas killed their prisoners. Yarrington is reported to have allowed the Gulf and Los Zetas cartels to operate in his state without hindrance in return for bribes. According to court testimony, from 2007 through 2011, Chavarria oversaw the shipment of enormous quantities of cocaine between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, and Eagle Pass, Texas on behalf of the Los Zetas Cartel, in which he was a high-ranking member. But Los Zetas stands out. In 2018, analystParker Asmann dubbed the Sinaloa Cartel "Mexico's top crime group," despite El Chapo's arrest, trial and eventual detention in the United States. The gunmen injured 4 others in the attack. In 2006, severalLa Familia hit men, who said they had a "divine right" to kill, dumped five severed heads on a dance floor, yet this didn't alienate them in the public eye (via Insider/Insight Crime). Follow @NewsHourWorld About two dozen have been captured or killed, including some from Los Zetas: Ivan Velazquez Caballero (aka El Taliban) Rather than prioritizing corruption like its competitors, Los Zetas has At one of the gory murders the horrific slaughter of a young girl he reportedly told her father the crime was "so you can remember me", before ordering the murder of both parents. It is disheartening to hear that the founding fathers of a criminal organization like Los Zetas received training from US military officers. They immediately went to war with the Los Zetas and proudly claimed responsibility for a swathe of mass killings, including the massacre of 15 Mexican cops in a single ambush. "The first time [I was kidnapped], they took me with a group of about seven people. He said that they spoke over the phone every day. When Reyna didn't hear from his son for several days, he started making calls. Jesus Gonzalez/AFP/Getty ImagesFollowing the 2011 San Fernando Massacre, Federal Highway 101 was colloquially dubbed the highway of death or the devils road.. She specializes in reporting on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border. Initially, the group was led by Osiel Crdenas Guilln, who recruited around 30 alumni from Mexico's special forces. He claimed that the drugs came from the Zetas "comandantes" or commanders, which included Millan-Vasquez. Alliances were formed on both sides, with the BLO allying with Los Zetas and the Sinaloa cartel working with the Gulf and Familia Michoacana cartels (via Insight Crime). Breitbart Texas Cartel Chroniclesare published in both English and in their originalSpanish. The heartless drug lord is claimed to have personally killed 2,000 people, in addition to ordering and supervising thousands of other murders. The defendant in this case is Mariano Millan-Vasquez, known to everyone as "Chano." Mexicos National Human Rights Commission estimated that 20,000 migrants were abducted in 2010, alone. With the Medellin leader gone, Insider noted how the rival Cali cartel took the reins of Colombia's booming cocaine industry. Victims were piled on top of one another haphazardly before the cartel used a backhoe to cover up their resting place. The 2011 San Fernando Massacre was both disturbing and, tragically, far from a one-off occurrence. It was a solid lead, as cartels were known to take over ranches and convert them into makeshift jails or execution chambers. The FBI and the IRS eventually built a case against Morales and others, leading to his arrest. The first one they asked, he didn't want to work, and [cartel members] said, that's fine. He turned around, and they shot him in the head. According to information provided to Breitbart Texas by the Tamaulipas government, the children have been identified as Galilea Garcia Amaya, Mariana Garcia Amaya (both from Texas), Maria Pizana Carrizales and Estephania Guadalupe Pizana Carrizales. Favors were done under threat of death, while higher-ranking officials were paid off. During the trial, witnesses said he had hacked apart his victims with an axe and burned their bodies in barrels, according to the San Antonio Express-News. You can contact her at [emailprotected]. The video shows four women on their knees in a field, their hands tied behind their backs. De Leon said that Millan-Vasquez would smile and laugh as he performed these killings. Founded by the Orejuela brothers, the Cali cartel earned billions a year, inheriting the Medellin cartel's 80% market share and multi-ton shipments to the United States (via Seattle Times/Insider). Authorities expect more violence to ensue in the coming days. Rival gang MS-13 may have the most terrifying tattoos (see featured image), but Los Zetas wins the prize for violence. De Leon said that his mother sold her house for $20,000 to help him, and that the Zetas let him loose with the stipulation that he must pay $100,000 more in one week. [1] The deadly organization started out as the enforcement branch of the Mexican Gulf Cartel. WebCartel Del Golfo interrogation 4 Zetas these bastards have admitted to raping women,killing women, killing kids. While older cartels were more interested in smuggling drugs than anything else, Los Zetas apparently has its sights set on any type of crime that translates into quick and steady cash. An armored police vehicle carrying Los Zetas member dgar Huerta Montiel in June 2011. A former Mexican drug cartel kingpin who dismembered a six-year-old girl with an axe in front of her parents has been sentenced to seven consecutive life terms in a US prison. Some believe the victims were simply killed for refusing to join the cartel but, ultimately, San Fernando had become so violent that few journalists ever entered to investigate. Arson investigation underway after cars catch fire at west Houston apartment complex, Mother of 15-year-old shot at a house party wants someone held accountable, Houston forecast: Grab your jacket as you head to the rodeo, it's a cool and breezy Friday, Damage reported throughout North Texas area during severe weather. A rival of the Sinaloa cartel, the Juarez group has been responsible for thousands of murders across its territory, which included 21 states at the height of its power. Earlier in life, he was trained in a Mexican Special Forces unit to fight drug-trafficking organizations. 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[9] Local police rounded up migrants traveling by bus and handed them over to the gang. Reyna never heard back from the cartel, so he said that he contacted the Mexican government. When it was By 2020, the once leading cartel was wounded and facing competition from old rivals and new cartels, such as the Jalisco New General Cartel, often referred to as CJNG. 1996 - 2023 NewsHour Productions LLC. There is a huge consensus that Mexican drug cartels are responsible for the drug epidemic in the United States. Promotional materials distributed by your outlet, including all social media work, must include cites for the Observer and our reporter. Picture taken from a TV screen showing Miguel Angel Trevino Morales by Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images. Originally a security detail for the Sinaloa cartel, BLO seceded in 2008 and a fierce conflict ensued. WebCIUDAD VICTORIA, Tamaulipas -- Gunmen with the Los Zetas cartel butchered close to 20 victims over the weekend, three of those victims were Texas residents who had been The memo indicated that local police acted as lookouts and helped in the interceptions of persons across all cases. Miguel Angel Trevino Morales (aka Comandante 40) The field was linked to the Los Zetas cartel. The load belonged to De Leon. They kidnapped a local farmers son and demanded $10,000, and when he gave them $5,000 everything he had they sent him half of his son.. Yet the Cali cartel was still a powerful drug cartel that used violence if it had to, especially during its conflict with the Medellin cartel, which took many lives on both sides. Countries militaries are dedicated to defense from external aggression and the protection of peoples lives and properties. The Texas Observer is known for its fiercely independent, uncompromising work which we are pleased to provide to the public at no charge in this space. The cartel leaders that subsequently took over after Moraless arrest were unable to stay in power for long, either being arrested or gunned down by a rival gang. Cartel: Los Zetas This essay provides an overview of those incidents of torture and beheadings linked to the Mexican cartels and their mercenary and gang affiliates taking place both within Mexico and the United States. Abstract. Initially formed by about 30 former members of an elite Mexican army unit, the gang used fear and intimidation to conduct business in defiance of government operations. Los Zetas is a powerful Mexican drug cartel that has made special use of fear to achieve its business goals. Much of the cartel's drugs trade depended on theLazaro Cardenas port, an asset that La Familia killed some 1,500 people to protect. De Leon said that he didn't voluntarily start working with the cartel; he was kidnapped and forced to participate. Their operations in Colombia and Guatemala can be taken for granted because these countries have homegrown drug cartel problems of their own. During their enforcer period, theUS Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA) described Los Zetas as perhaps "the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and violent of these paramilitary enforcement groups.". The cartel member he spoke with was Jose Luis Rodriguez. To protect himself from harm, Guillen hired a retired Mexican soldier as his bodyguard, who in turn solicited 30 Mexican Army deserters to form the cartels well-paid mercenary wing. Relatives of the victims have begun a Go Fund Me campaign in order to take the bodies of Garcia and her two daughters Galilea and Mariana to South Texas for burial. 330 76 comments Best Add a Comment ComfortableSoup5 2 yr. ago Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month, Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. The macabre bloodsport was detailed in The Houston Chronicle. Tomas Yarrington, former governor of Tamaulipas, is currently facing multiple drug trafficking and money laundering charges in the United States. He also forced captured Mexican migrants into gladiatorial fights to the death. Piedras Negras, in the state of Coahuila, has a reputation as a hotbed for drug smuggling and violence. Britannicawriter Richard J. Samuels defines cartels as, "An illicit consortium of independent organizations formed to limit competition and control the production and distribution of illegal drugs," adding that cartels are, "extremely well-organized, well-financed, efficient, and ruthless." As Breitbart Texas has been reporting for more than eight months, the Cartel Del Noreste has been at war with the rival faction known as Vieja Escuela Z or Grupo Bravo. The cartels have now moved beyond drug violence to murdering busloads of civilians, and the government seems incapable of stopping it. WebLos Zetas is a powerful Mexican drug cartel that has made special use of fear to achieve its business goals. Please check your inbox to confirm. Most harrowing of all was the forensic evidence. De Leon is now cooperating with authorities. This is a unique and distressing fact about the deadly gang. Cartel: Los Zetas Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. It operates in more than half of the countrys 32 states. Do you think free access to journalism like this is important? He frequently supervised killing experiments wherein new recruits were ordered to kill people with a machete or sledgehammer. Specific forms of torture are discussed as well as the most likely victims and perpetrators. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin, Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Captured: July 15, 2013 In and around Cali if the mafia doesn't like you, you just disappear.". [4] The cartel recruits in US prisons and also courts street gang members for its drug trafficking activities in Mexico and the U.S. They ordered the informant be killed along with anyone and everyone associated with him. People began to disappear, said San Fernando priest Ramon Ruiz. It had only been a year since officials in the Mexican city found 72 victims of the Los Zetas drug cartel buried in the dirt. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia, The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Cartel: Los Zetas Border / Cartel ChroniclesBreitbart TexasCartel ChroniclesCartel ViolenceCDNCiudad VictoriaGrupo BravoLos ZetasVieja Escuela. Few rivals could hope of matching Escobar as his cartel controlled80% of the cocaine trade, which involved daily 15-ton shipments to the United States, as detailed in Escobar'sInsight Crimebiography. Its origins are traced toEl Milenio, a group that was allied to the Tijuana cartel. The witness said that the commanders kidnapped him and his two superiors until they paid what they owed for the seized load of marijuana. This time around, the horrific body count eclipsed all expectations with 193 people rotting in 47 mass graves. Based in northwest Mexico's Sinaloa state, the Sinaloa Cartel is widely considered to be the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere, according to Insight Crime. Human smugglers often use buses to transport migrants north to the Texas-Mexico border. It was the second time in eight months that the town of 57,000 in the border state of Tamaulipas had been the site of mass graves. WebZetas behead and dismember four women from the Gulf Cartel. WebOn behalf of Los Zetas." Locals also reported of the many corpses found in the Cauca River, which runs through Cali. Elizabeth Shell.
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