"El Mayo" tries to control Baja California. His lieutenants fight each other.

Borderland Beat

(This post is a partial translation of an original article published on pril 5^th by Tijuana´s ZETA newspaper.)

The federal government abandons Baja California.

The eight criminal leaders who control the drug trafficking and violence which has caused more than 135 murders this year in Baja California commit crimes with total impunity. The State Attorney General Office has received statements against them but they haven´t gotten any arrest warrants. While the federal government refuses to fight “high impact” crimes, and the local authorities retreat given the lack of support, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada tries to take over control.

There are 8 members of the Sinaloa Cartel in Baja California who control organized crime but none of the Attorney General offices is after them. Neither the Republic´s Attorney General nor the State Attorney General offices have any indictments against the –at least by now- supposed criminals.

The Federal Government led by Enrique Peña Nieto and the Republic´s Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam evade and leave the issue of fighting “high impact” crimes, while the local authorities are afraid to act without support from the Federation in the middle of a fake coordination.

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.

Incoordination that serves to hand in a platter the state of Baja California to the criminals, to the point where a “conclave” took place, in which Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada intends to take charge and decide the fate of the illicit activities in the region.

The actual report, corroborated by the intelligence areas belonging to the different corporations within the northern state Security Council, indicates that during the first quarter of 2013, the only attempt at controlling the criminals came from another criminal in Sinaloa.

Their boss and drug provider, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambado, who along with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman control the Sinaloa Cartel, summoned the leaders of the smuggling cells operating in Baja California. He called them all to Sinaloa, although not everyone has the same level within the criminal organization, all eight attended Zambada´s call.

Raydel Rosalio Lopez Uriarte aka "El Muletas".

From Tijuana and Tecate, Alfonso Arteaga Arzate aka “El Aquiles”, Rene Arzate Garcia “La Rana” and a third man who was recently identified by authorities as brother to the last two. Also Jose Antonio Soto Gastelum aka “El Tigre” and Francisco Javier Mendoza Uriarte aka “El Chapito Uriarte” (Cousin of Raydel Rosalio Lopez Uriarte aka "El Muletas").

Gustavo Inzunza Inzunza aka "El Macho Prieto".

Considered the criminal leaders in Mexicali, Cenobio Flores Pacho aka “El Checo” and Gustavo Inzunza Inzunza aka “El Macho Prieto” were also appointed. From Ensenada and Rosarito the call went to “El Pariente” also known as “El Primo”, a man believed to be a close relative of Hector Eduardo Guajardo Hernandez aka “El Guicho”

Hector Guajardo Hernandez aka "El Guicho"

The reasons for this meeting were the multiple internal conflicts translated into homicides between members of the same cells. These conflicts are awakening the interest and operations from local police that are resulting in seizures and captures. In criminal slang, “They are heating up the plaza”.

The “narco-retailer” executions

From January 1^st to April 3^rd, 2013, there have been 135 murders, most of them related with drug retail rivalries. This is a bigger number than the one recorded in the same period during 2012.

Under that context –the authorities believe-, the criminal conclave took place, where Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada supposedly ordered an end to executions, an instruction which obviously hasn´t been followed because the executions continue. In the short period between March 21^st and April 3^rd there were 20 executions in Tijuana and Rosarito, including shootouts, corpses in blankets, tortured people, incinerated, and half-buried bodies.

There are 3 reasons officially identified by local authorities for this bloodshed:

1. - The drugs arriving at Baja California not only come from Sinaloa, retailers are buying directly from South American cartels and a group from Guadalajara is also supplying them.

2. - Those in conflict are considered second in command, “El Atlante” and Luis Mendoza Uriarte aka “El Güero Chompas” –This last man also left Baja California, his brother in law is believed to be in charge right now-, these men, along with their hit men squads have grown in power, they weren´t called to the reunion and they are not following the instructions given by their criminal superiors, because at the moment, there´s nobody in the state above them.

Jose Luis Mendoza Uriarte aka "El Guero Chompas".

3. - None of the “Eight from Sinaloa” are in Baja California right now. They control the shipments and local retail using third parties, basically their unknown relatives. Most of them left the state when their image and names became public, however, none of them had or has any arrest warrant. In that scenario, it is the Federal Government duty to investigate, chase and arrest the criminals who, even from outside Baja California, commit crimes in that Mexican region.

As a matter of fact, there have been  operations against only two of them.

Against Cenobio Flores Pacho and Jose Antonio Soto Gastelum, who, aided by corruption and partnership with some members of the army and the state police, had made Mexicali their comfort zone. “El Checo” with a safe house in the Villa Hermosa neighborhood and “El Tigre” with one in the San Pedro neighborhood.  The former, being neighbor with the old wealthy families, and the later, with their offspring.

At the end, it was corruption and living between powerful people what let these criminals escape. Authorities asked for access to these areas, they followed protocol and got permission, but the criminals were told about this and escaped -through the back walls- minutes before the police arrived. Cops saw their kids, talked with their wives, but there was nothing about the criminals.      


Full article in original language:
http://www.zetatijuana.com/ZETA/reportajez/los-8-de-sinaloa/