Army finds Evidence that Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, "El Chayo," May Be Alive

Borderland Beat

Based on documentary evidence found by the Mexican army from a recent raid of a ranch allegedly owned by Enrique Plancarte a leader of Knights of Templar, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) is examines the evidence trying to determine if Nazario Moreno "El Chayo" or "El Loco" is still alive.

The Mystery of the Knights Templar, Nazario Moreno Gonzalez: A Brief History

Apatzingan, Michoacan. - The Military Zone 43, located in Apatzingan, Michoacan, gave the Attorney Specializing in Organized Crime Research (SEIDO)  evidence indicating that Moreno Nazario "El Chayo"  ex- leader of La Familia Michoacana could be alive and could be the new leader of "The Knights Templar."

Evidence provided from various documents that were found on a ranch called Los Caballos, where elements of the Mexican military conducted an operation to identify through various patrols on the 27th of October the location of a property situated in a spot known as El Refugio, in the town Los Cuniques, near Apatzingan where they secured the ranch allegedly owned by Enrique Plancarte, leader and principal financial brain of the organization.

They also confiscated high-powered weapons, including more than 100 grenades, money, jewelry, watches. There was much documentation of payrolls, expenses, and distribution of illicit money from the organization on behalf of employees and other physical evidence.  The documentation was  found in a truck which was destined to move to another safe house of Enrique Plancarte, but it didn't make it out of the encirled fence of Mexican military, forcing criminals to flee on foot, leaving everything behind to avoid capture.

As stated in the ministerial declaration after the start of a preliminary investigation, as the leader of the Knights Templar was being surrounded by soldiers, he sent his first circle of security out to face the soldiers, but managed to escape after the confrontation where one of his escorts died, but left on the property, not only  heavy weapons and even some diamond-handled pistols with the written the name of Kiki. He also left his wife and children who were found in a state of nervous from the sound of gunfire.

The evidence found by the Mexican army reveal that some of the letters are addressed to one who presumably died in December 2010 after a clash with federal police, so it seeks to confirm if Nazario Moreno El Chayo is still alive, since his body was never found, nor is there any physical evidence to prove that this is its condition.

The investigations  the PGR established that days after the members of the Mexican Army managed the important seizure, a lawyer representing Enrique Plancarte had not requested the return of all seized, but only requested one object: a Versace ring that meant a lot to sentimentally his employer.

Government declared  "El Chayo"dead in 2010

In December 2010, Michoacán lived through several days of intense violence unleashed by the strategic operations against the leaders of La Familia Michoacana, just four years after since the start of the war against organized crime by President Felipe Calderon in this precise entity.

On December 9 there was a  reported wave of shootings, blockades of roads in 12 municipalities of the state,  leaving three federal agents, two alleged gunmen and three innocent civilians dead.

Violent confrontations continued between members of organized crime and federal police for 24 hours hours, primarily in Apatzingan and Morelia. The fighting left 50 vehicles torched.

Clashes began at 19:00  on Wednesday, when federal police were ambushed in Apatzingan. In this municipality, Morelia and Patzcuaro, families lived through moments of psychosis. Schools, government offices and businesses closed their doors.

The next day, the federal government confirmed the death of Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, alias El Chayo, leader and founder of La Familia Michoacana, who was killed during the clashes in Michoacan between federal agents and assassins.

Alejandro Poire, spokesman for security federal government, was the one who gave the information. He said the balance of the fighting killed five police elements,  three criminals and three civilians.

"Several pieces of information obtained during the operation coincide in pointing Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, also known as El Chayo or El Loco, the main leader and one of the founders of the criminal organization La Familia Michoacana was gunned down. '

"During the retreat and escape of criminals, they have been picking up their injured and collecting their presumed dead,  " Poire said.

The then government security spokesman explained that federal forces advancements caused retreating of the criminal groups, so that the Security Cabinet decided to significantly increase the number of ground troops, air support and ground units, the Federal Police, the Army and Navy in the state of Michoacan.

After PF faced attacks by drug traffickers for two days, the government considered shipping additional troops to Michoacán

A day after confirming the death of El Chayo, the federal government ordered the deployment of all federal forces to form joint forces that patrolled a dozen municipalities in Michoacán.

This was carried out in order to surround the criminal groups who were terrorizing the population, through the closure of roads, avenues, and streets and  with vehicles they seized from individuals which they would later torch.

With integrated surveillance by agents of the Federal Police (PF) communicating with soldiers of the Army and Navy, who, by land and air, continued to protect the community from violence.

The public announcement at the time reiterated the intention of the administration of Calderon, "The federal government condemns the violence caused by this criminal organization. We will spare no efforts to safeguard the peace and security of all inhabitants of Michoacán." .

"This criminal organization began operating under the name of La empresa/the company in 2000, has devastated the population of Michoacan, not only dedicated to the production of drugs and drug trafficking but extortion, charging fees, kidnapping and murder " Poire said.

Brigadier General Miguel Angel Patrino Canchola, commander of the 43 military Zone affirms that Michoacán has confiscated 700 weapons so far in 2012.

Sources:  Policíaca, Excelsior