Explaining the Violence in Acapulco in Recent Months

As previously reported, the arrest of Josué Gutiérrez Sandoval, alias "El Durazno", last December appeared at the time to have triggered a wave of violence in Acapulco, Guerrero.  It was then that I mentioned that there were rumors of a "reorganization" taking place within the Cártel Independiente de Acapulco (CIDA), though only recently has enough information came out in order to better understand the situation that was occurring.

Though the exact timing has not been reported, it appears that it was around this point that a dispute broke out between the then leader of CIDA, Víctor Aguirre Garzón, alias "El Gordo", and Ronaldo Mendoza Matilde, alias "Big Mama", who was not on my radar at the time, but was apparently referenced in a banner in February 2011.    Federal authorities contribute around seventy crimes that were directly connected to this fight.

The question remains, which side did the other leader of CIDA, Víctor Noel Piza Nogueda, alias "El Erizo", take.  Regardless, on January 12 it was reported that Luis Alvaro Leon Morales, alias "El Canario", an operator directly connected to "El Erizo", was arrested, likely based on information that was given by his rivals as part of the dispute between "El Gordo" and "Big Mama".

On February 5, "Big Mama" was arrested in Mexicali, Baja California, where he had moved temporarily, fearing that he would be killed by members of CIDA if he remained in Acapulco.  It was reported that authorities linked him to kidnappings, homicides, and extortion, including businesses and teachers, in colonias of Acapulco such as Cayaco, La Sabana, Renacimiento, and Emiliano Zapata, as well as an attack against a secondary school in the Coloso colonia, which took place last December 8.  It was reported at that time that he was once a member of a criminal group operating in Acapulco, a clear allusion to CIDA, but had left the organization in order to form another group, which was not named in the article, which generated a territorial dispute.

Two weeks later, banners appeared in Acapulco, telling business owners and taxi drivers to stop paying extortion fees to "El Gordo".  They bore the signature of "La Mochomera" and "El Jefe de Jefes".  Because the message was directed against "El Gordo" it was obviously written by an anti-CIDA group and I find it quite feasible that it was created by allies of "Big Mama". 

On March 10, "El Gordo" was arrested in Mérida, Yucatán.  He reportedly lived there, traveling to Acapulco once a month to check up on CIDA.  While the two main authors of the violence in Acapulco have been captured, it appears the fighting has not stopped.  For instance, just yesterday a human head was found on top of a poster board with a message written on it.  Apparently the war between the forces of "El Gordo" and "Big Mama" continues, with "El Erizo" likely in the mix as well.

Sources: 
"Era como El Chapo" 
Capturan en Mexicali a Ronaldo Mendoza Matilde
Detienen a El Gordo, líder del Cártel de Acapulco

Encuentran cabeza humana en la periferia de Acapulco