Chihuahua/Guachochi: Carlos Díaz Meza “El 5” of Sinaloa Cartel Executed

Oaxaqueño For Borderland Beat

On Friday morning at about 08:00 hrs, Carlos Díaz Meza, alias “El 5”, was executed in his home in calle Tarahumara in Guachochi. The municipality is situated in the southwest of Chihuahua and is part of the Barrancas del Cobre. Reportedly, “El 5” was shot dead at close range by two individuals, armed with an AK47 and an AR15, at the entrance of his house after opening the door to his assailants. Authorities expressed the concern that this murder could lead to increased violence in the region.

Oaxaqueño Analysis:

Carlos Díaz Meza, who allegedly led several dozen gunmen, was part of the Sinaloa Cartel. More precisely, he worked under the command of his brother, Melquiades Díaz Meza, aka “El Chapo Calin”. Born in 1974, “El Chapo Calin” is in control of Guachochi and the surrounding area. On his part, “El Chapo Calin” is working for Ruperto Salgueiro Nevárez, alias “El 37”, ranking among Chihuahua’s most wanted and controlling parts of the notorious Golden Triangle, most precisely Guadalupe y Calvo, located some 80 kilometers south of Guachochi. The brother of “El 37”, Noel Salgueiro, alias "El Flaco", who was arrested in October 2011, is considered the founder of Sinaloa Cartel’s Gente Nueva. All the above-mentioned men are affiliated/part of the Salgueiro crime family.

In contrast, the crime family Salazar maintains a strong presence in the region as well. Like Los Salgueiro, Los Salazar are also part of the Sinaloa Cartel. Among others, Los Salazar are represented by Servando Meza Osorio, alias “El Servandito” or “El 21”. “El Servandito”, 30 years of age, controls the municipaltities of Batopilas and Morelos, both located some 70 kilometers west of Guachochi. “El Servandito” assumed control in January 2015 after the death of his brother, Juan Meza Osorio, alias “El Palancas”. Reports indicate that it was during “El Palanca’s” time, some 5-6 years ago, when a feud erupted in the region. While the reason for this feud remains unclear, it has culminated in recent years between “El Chapo Calin” and “El Servandito”, who are cousins. The groups of both men have presumably tried to territorially expand their influence. A repeated hotspot of the violence has been the community of Yoquivo (belonging to Batopilas), situated some 20 kilometers east of Batopilas. While in general most of the skirmishes between the two groups are not reported by locals due to fear of reprisals, the conflict is said to have left dozens (up to one hundred) people dead over the previous years. This number might still be (highly) underrated (my two cents taking all the facts into consideration).

Against this background, it appears likely that “El 5” was executed by men of “El Servandito”, or by sicarios under the command of his lieutenants who go by the aliases of “El Melo” and “Tony Tormenta”. Having said that, two mantas signed by “LA COMUNIDAD DE GUACHOCHI” denouncing the criminal group led by “El 5” and his brother “El Chapo Calin” appeared in the city of Chihuahua in March 2017. In the mantas, the authors denounce both “El 5” and “El Chapo Calin” of being responsible for rampant extortions, murders, and disappearances in Guachochi. Furthermore, the authors of the mantas asked the governor to help them and to send in the Marinas, as they do not trust the regular army. I purposely refrained from labeling these as narcomantas, as they did not bear the hallmarks of typical narcomantas. Hence, the authors might had been connected (at least to some extent) to non-criminal actors such as businessmen in Guachochi who were just being sick of extortions (or ordinary people just being sick of murders/disappearances). The point I want to make here is, that it is possible that “El Chapo Calin” and “El 5” have some considerable rivals within the civil society of Guachochi itself who might have ordered this killing. However, an involvement of “El Servandito” still seems much more plausible to me. Whatever the background of the killing was, it can be assumed that “El Chapo Calin” will look for revenge so the authorities’ fear of an increased level of violence in the region in the near future seems more than reasonable.

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