Z40: "Lazca Ordered Lalo Moreira Killed"

Chivis Martínez for BorderlandBeat.Com

After the capture of 40, you may recall I had concerns that the government was trying to charge 40 with the migrant deaths in San Fernando.  I stated so because there was an abundance of proof he had nothing to do with the killings, and in fact killed the triggermen.  Those responsible said that they were supposed to recruit, "but things got out of hand".  My fear was that he would be exonerated for that crime and given a relatively shorter prison sentence for trafficking and laundering.  It appears he is well prepared in the event of a capture to be convicted for crimes apart from murder.

Posted by Bjeff: The former leader of the criminal organization Los Zetas,  known as Z-40", denied involvement in the murder of Jose “Lalo” Eduardo Moreira, son of the former governor of Coahuila and national leader of PRI, Humberto Moreira, which happened in October last year near Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila.

According to a statement issued by the newspaper El Siglo de Torreon Coahuila in its Wednesday edition, the drug trafficker arrested last July 15 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, confessed to the Attorney General of the state of Coahuila that Heriberto Lazcano ordered the murder of the nephew of the current governor of the state, Rubén Moreira Valdez. “El Lazca” aka ”the Executioner”, was killed October 7, 2012 in Progreso, Coahuila, but whose body was stolen from the funeral home by an armed group ordered by Treviño,

This is what, Homer Ramos Gloria, said in the paper:

"In the case of the murder of Jose Eduardo Moreira (committed on October 3, 2012), Z-40 does not accept responsibility as such, says he is completely detached from it and points outside ministerial records, to Lazcano as the mastermind".

The official explained that Z-40, presently incarcerated in the federal prison Altiplano, in the State of Mexico, was questioned by federal prosecutors assigned to the Deputy Attorney Specialized Investigation of Organized Crime (SEIDO) at the request of part and a questionnaire prepared by the Attorney of Coahuila.

Ramos Gloria told the newspaper that Treviño was involved "in many cases" of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Coahuila.

However, the official said, in his statement “he does not admit any matters relating to kidnapping and murder, a fact attributed to a strategy of his lawyers, because the penalty for these two crimes are greater.

"He is well advised and has been very careful in the statements of ministerial character," the official said. [below at an event for the kicking off of a "roof" project for impoverished people, this was a few hours before his slaying, he is wearing the same shirt as in the death photo]
Proceso

A Nephew for a Nephew by Chivis Martínez

Acuña is a city in control by Los Zetas.  Every element of the city is under the direction of Zetas leaders, city hall, police, and the media all function under the cartel’s command.

Lalo’s execution was a hit ordered by  by the premier leader of Los Zetas, Heriberto Lazcano, aka “Lazca”.  At the time of the killing most people assumed it was Miguel Treviño aka “Z40” who ordered the hit, but if we are to believe Zeta Salvador Alfonso Martínez aka “La Ardilla” (the Squirrel) , that was not the case.  When apprehended "Ardilla" (at his wedding with Lazca above left)said he himself was surprised to learn it was Lazca and not 40 who ordered the hit.

On Tuesday October 2, the day prior to Lalo’s killing, another young man was killed, his name; Alejandro Treviño Chavez, the son of Miguel Treviño’s sister.  He was killed in Piedras Negras, Coahuila in a shootout with GATE.  GATE is the Special Forces agency of Coahuila, and Governor Ruben Moreira had ordered their mobilization to Piedras Negras.  The death of Z40’s nephew was blamed on the increased presence.

To fully understand how Zetas could conclude the death was the fault of the Governor, one must understand that Coahuila is a “Estado Zetas”, and that means the entire state with little exception, government employees from the top down collaborating with the cartel.  When I arrived in Mexico, Zetas were the enforcer group of the Golfo Cartel.  And Golfos controlled Coahuila.  After the split, Zetas gained a huge chunk of Golfo territory, Coahuila being one of those territorial gains. 

Grieving family left to right, Lalo's wife, Humberto, oldest sister and Humberto's wife Vanessa

Although Nuevo Laredo is the most valuable plaza for the Zetas, for drug trafficking, Coahuila is the home base for the administrative element; most leaders make Coahuila their home full or part time.  They for all intents and purpose operate with impunity and have full reign of whatever it is they need or want. 

Coahuila is a PRI state, and most of the past state leaders have been sleeping with the enemy.  However it seems that this Moreira wasn’t playing ball.   And Zetas were pissed.  It was evident the new governor was not going to play by their rules, which doesn’t necessarily mean that the governor was a law and order kind of ruler, it could also mean that his group wants to play with a different team.  For example giving favor instead to Chapo and/or Golfos.

Returning to October 2, that evening there were rumors and reports between citizens of Acuña, and on social networks that narco mantas had been spotted that threatened the governor with “Family for Family”, “Nephew for Nephew”.  It was Carlos Moreira, brother of the governor and president of the Coahuila teachers union, that confirmed the presence of mantas.24 hours later, Eduardo Lalo Moreira’s 25 year old body was discovered in the driver seat of his truck, with a bullet wound entry in the back of the head. His body was “discovered” by police supervisor Victor Sifuentes.  Victor vanished directly after giving his report of the finding.

Lalo was buried the following day, hundreds of Acuña citizens gathered to mourn the loss of life of the young person who was “theirs”.  He was of Acuña, he worked with the poor and those in need.  The young man who was a love child of Humberto and Lalo’s mother, herself born and raised in Acuña.  He was never a part of the luxury life that his half siblings lived in the state capital of Saltillo. 

Although his father made frequent trips to Acuña to visit Lalo, he was not acknowledged by Humberto as being his son until Lalo was in his late teens, at a time when Humberto had decided to cast a bid for governorship. Clearly, had Humberto remained silent about his relationship with Lalo, to the people living in Acuña the paternity was well known, therefore the “secret” would have been revealed during the campaign.  ..continues next page

By all accounts the father and son had a loving, close relationship, and Lalo was loved by his siblings and extended Moreira family.  Humberto encouraged Lalo to leave Acuña, a small dusty border town a far different than Saltillo the city where Coahuila movers and shakers called home.  Humberto tried again shortly before Lalo was killed, explaining that opportunity is in Saltillo, not Acuña, Lalo declined the offer stating again that Acuña was home.

At Lalo’s funeral service both the church and cemetery, though the church overflowed into the streets with mourners, there were glaring absences; the police Chief, Mayor and local dignitaries, no federal dignitaries, no state chiefs…and no "uncle Rueben" Moreira,  the Governor of the State.

One can understand federal PRI chiefs shunning the man who many predicted would be president of Mexico one day, most likely the candidate in 2018.  That is until all hell broke loose from a financial scandal and he was forced to resign his position of national chief of the powerful PRI political party.



El Lazca instructed that Miguel Angel Rodríguez Díaz, Alfa Metro, should coordinate the operation