Captured : “El Z 43 “, José Maria Guízar Valencia, US Citizen

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Milenio

José María Guizar Valencia was captured during an operation of the Navy and the Federal Police.

Feb 9, 2018

Since 2014 the United States has offered a reward of $5,000,000 for information leading to the arrest of "El Z40". Elements of the Ministry of the Navy in coordination with the Federal Police captured José María Guizar Valencia, "El Z43" , also known as "Charly", "Chema" or "Carlitos ", identified by the federal government as the leader of Los Zetas and one of the 122 priority objectives , revealed federal officials. 

The Americans have pointed to "El Z43" to be behind the murder of an undetermined number of Guatemalans , when the Zetas took control of the border region between Mexico and Guatemala. 

Through his Twitter account, the Interior Minister, Alfonso Navarrete Prida, congratulated the Marinas and civilian staff for the operation that led to the capture of the "priority objective", although did not mention his name. 

This Friday, Renato Sales Heredia, National Security Commissioner, will officially announce the capture in the Ministry of the Interior. 

Until the close of this edition, the authorities did not offer details of the area where the operation against "El Z43" took place . 

The Office of Narcotics and International Affairs reported that "El Z43" assumed full control of Los Zetas and is responsible for trafficking thousands of kilos of cocaine and methamphetamine to the United States. 

The Narcotics Rewards Program, founded in 1986, offers up to $5,000,000 USD for information leading to the capture of major drug traffickers operating outside the United States. 

José María Guizar Valencia, is a US citizen and is reportedly behind the execution of Veracruz policemen, in events that occurred last year. 

According to the State Department, he became Los Zetas leader after the founder of the criminal group, Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, "El Lazca" , and the arrest of his successor, Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, "El Z40" . 

Guizar Valencia has complete control over his group , which allied with the faction led by Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, "El Z40" , currently imprsioned, the US officials warned at the time.

Press Conference Update: Milenio

The detention of José María Guízar Valencia , El Z43 , occurred in Colonia Roma , in the Cuauhtémoc delegation, in Mexico City, and without a single shot, reported the National Security Commissioner, Renato Sales.

Guízar Valencia, also known as "El Charly" and "El Amo" , formed part of the list of 122 priority objectives identified by the federal authorities, which included ten Los Zeta operators , all of whom were captured or killed.

In a press conference, Renato Sales identified "El Z43" as the operator of the transfer of drugs from Colombia to the United States and one of the main generators of violence in the southeast region of Mexico and Guatemala.

He explained that the US government has already requested Mexico for the extradition of "El Z43" because he has arrest warrants in Washington, Dallas and Laredo , although he is also accused in Tabasco, Puebla and Chiapas of crimes against health, arms trafficking, organized crime, homicide and kidnapping.

Sales Heredia reiterated that José María Guízar has Mexican and American nationality and that the US government had offered $5,000,000 for his capture.