Part one: "El Mencho" replaces La Tuta for control of Michoacán

Lucio R. Borderland Beat translated from LaSillaRota by Alejandro Salazar

The weakening of the Caballeros Templarios (Knights Templar) provides a  Michoacán takeover by the Jalisco Cartel New Generation (CJNG)  with alliances with “Los  Viagras" and "El H3”, also known as La Tercera Hermandad-. (The Third Brotherhood)

Part one of two: 

CJNG expansion set in place in April 2012, to acquire and control drug routes in  Michoacán that connect the port of Lázaro Cárdenas, Tierra Caliente and  La Costa, and  the farming of marihuana, poppy, and the development of syntectic drugs.

With the retreat of the Templarios, after the pursuit of the federal government in the state, the CJNG advanced and allegedly infiltrated some self-defense groups, while establishing agreements allowing CJNG to cultivate drugs in Michoacán.

Dr. José Manuel Mireles (Tepalcatepec) and Hipolito Mora (Buenavista Tomatlán):

Mireles and Mora, two autodefensa founders and leaders, repeatedly complained that some members of the Rural Forces who first took up arms to drive out the Templarios, had an alliance with the cartel. (CJNG).

Even Servando Gomez Martinez "La Tuta" -now imprisoned in the Federal Social Rehabilitation Center 1 'Altiplano'- said in a video that CJNG sought to seize  territories in Michoacán.  And that they had partnered with Rurales and others to aid in their fight to gain Michoacán territory.

CJNG,  Los Mata Zetas

In July of 2009 in a  Cancún, Quintana Roo, residential neighborhood, was an abandon grey colored van.  Inside the vehicle were the bodies of three men with plastic bags over their heads, and a narco cartulina message:

“We are Los Mata Zetas, (kill zetas) a new group that is against kidnapping, and extortion, and we will fight against Los Zetas in every state for a cleaner country”

The Mata Zetas were the armed enforcers- of - Cártel del Milenio, having an alliance with the Sinaloa cartel and CDG to contain and exterminate their rivals.

El Lobo seated, with his men at their presentation

After the death of Ignacio Nacho Coronel (July 2010) and the arrest of Oscar Orlando Nava Valencia, alias El Lobo Valencia  the Milenio Cartel leaders, the organization was fractured.

[Lucio's Note:Mexico extradited “El Lobo” Oscar Orlando Nava Valencia, former capo of the “cartel de los Valencia” or Milenio cartel, to the U.S. in January 2011, to face charges of conspiracy and drug trafficking before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.]

Nemesio Oseguera “El Mencho” and Martin Arzola Ortega, “El 53” founded CJNG,  another faction called  itself “La Resistencia”, both organizations fought for control of Jalisco.

Martin Arzola Ortega, “El53” was arrested in July 2011 leaving Nemesio Oseguera, “El Mencho” full control of the organization.

CJNG maintained an alliance with the Sinaloa cartels and CDG to exterminate the Zetas, for control the production and distribution of cocaine, marijuana and "meth".  They began to have presence and exert power mainly in Colima, Guanajuato, Veracruz and Jalisco .

CJNG was also known as Los Torcidos  as they were attributed for betraying Nacho Coronel.

They began by  presenting themselves as avengers; 

“Here in Jalisco we will not allow other groups in that want to impose their famous fees ... Do not worry! That while CJNG is here we will  not allow the destruction of our own state. "

In September 24, 2011, after the appearance of 49 corpses in the streets of Boca del Rio, Veracruz, the Mata Zetas -and as part of CJNG- released a video in which they offered "apologies" to the people of Mexico and the federal corporations.

"If our acts offended the society of Mexico and federal corporations we apologize on behalf of the whole group.  The intention was to give the people of Veracruz a message,  that this scourge of society (Los Zetas) are not invincible ".

[Inserted by Lucio: The biggest problem with their message is that none of the victims dumped in Boca del Rio were Zetas or had a connection to organized crime.  They were innocents taken off the street with assistance of the municipal police, and used as props.  Subsequently the entire municipal force was fired after not one officer could pass a poly.  Read more by following this link]

THE CJNG and its allies in 2012 initiated the invasion in Michoacán, this entity is key in the production of synthetic drugs, as the port of Lazaro Cardenas is a gateway to precursor chemicals from Asia, mainly from China and India -.

With control of Michoacán, the CJNG have two major ports –Manzanillo, (Colima at left)  and Lazaro Cardenas, which will facilitate the manufacture of "crystal" and designer drugs. 

On April 10, 2012  three Templarios were discovered executed in Zinapécuaro.  A few hours’ later 6 additional bodies were discovered in Tancítaro with another message to the Templarios.

The next day "CT” responded with hanging a nude corpse off a bridge.

The CJNG answer came hours later, seven bodies were found in different colonies of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán.

On May 1, 2012, five more killed in Tancítaro -on the boundary between Michoacán and Jalisco with a cartulina signed by the CJNG.

On August 26, 2014, CT responded with 11 bodies on the Lázaro Cárdenas-Feliciano Highway.

The CJNG response was six bodies in Uruapan.

The CJNG objective was to triumph over and control the municipalities of Chinicuila, Coahuayana, Aquila, Coalcomán, Tepalcatepec, Aguililla, Buenavista, Apatzingán, Tumbiscatío, Arteaga, Lázaro Cárdenas and  La Huacana.  Those municipalities that have passage to the Pacific Ocean and influence in the ports of Lazaro Cardenas and Manzanillo. 

In these municipalities CT had the greatest presence and influence, it was also where autodefensa groups began to emerge.

The formation of Autodefensas

Fed up with C.T. kidnappings, extortion, abuse, murder and intimidation, and the lack of interest by authorities to protect Michoacana, on February 24, 2013, Michoacán farmers and traders took up arms and formed the first group of self-defense (autodefensas or AD)  in the municipalities of Buenavista, Tepalcatepec and Tomatlán (La Ruana) in Tierra Caliente.

AD took over security in the municipalities with the goal to free Michoacán from the terrorism of CT. Supported by the inhabitants, AD groups formed in  other villages. But not all groups shared the same agenda.

In June 2013, C.T. hung mantas (banners) in various points warning people:

"Federal and state governments and people in general; be informed and not be fooled by the autodefensas directed by Leopoldo Soberanis Hernández formed in Tecpan de Galeana.

Because behind them is Chava Granados,  and the new generation, remnants of BLO who maintain an alliance with CJNG and  who feel cornered by our C.T. force, who will not allow them to continue kidnapping. Teachers, tourists and environmentalists and the elderly are disappearing.”

Named in the mantas is Salvador "Chava" Granados, who is the brother of Rubén "El Nene" Granados, now in prison and who was an operator for Beltrán-Leyva Cartel.

The signs did not stop there, the commander of the Ninth Military Region, Genaro Fausto Espinoza Lozano said that organized crime subsidized a group of armed civilians led by Soberanis, which emerged on June 20, 2013 to face the Templarios.

He stated; "The  group in Tecpan de Galeana is not self-defense but has affinity with organized crime."

Over the months, Servando Gomez Martinez "La Tuta", leader of "Caballeros Templarios” said some self-defense groups  were controlled by CJNG who were the providers of weapons and advice.

"La Tuta" said that some  members of the AUC,  were previously  part of his organization but had jumped sides and joined CJNG."

Carlos Sierra Santana listening to Tuta's ultimatum 

In another video La Tuta accuses  Carlos Sierra Santana, a leader of the Los Viagras, the Huetamo based [and the first and only CT splinter group] of going to Jalisco to ask for support and weapons from the CJNG leader, "He went to see El Mencho and Choyo in Guadalajara, [to seek assistance and partnership].

A splintering of CT  in Tierra Caliente gave rise to Los Viagras , the cartel founded by the Sierra Santana siblings; Rodolfo, Nicolas, Valentin, Severino, Beatriz, Barnabas, Mariano and Carlos, Mariano bears the moniker “Viagra”.  They are compadres to  the leader of La Familia Michoacana, Jose de Jesus Mendez Vargas "El Chango Mendez" who fought for control of the organization against "La Tuta," whom he accused of siding with Los Zetas.

End of part one of two ....to be continued, 
Part two:  Mencho's alliance with Viagras, and H3, Castillo's blunders, Dr. Mireles, and El Mencho reign in Michoacan