Gulf Cartel Hands Out Food and Supplies in Tamaulipas Due to COVID-19

"MX" for Borderland Beat

Images of the supplies handed out by the Gulf Cartel

In the cities of Matamoros and Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, members of the Gulf Cartel handed out food and supplies to low-income communities as part of an aid campaign during the COVID-19 outbreak. Each of the boxes included a note from the Gulf Cartel on behalf of Evaristo Cruz Sánchez ("El Vaquero" and/or "Ciclón 46"), one of their regional bosses based in Matamoros.

Among the supplies provided included non-perishable goods like beans, rice, cooking oil, cookies, soups, coffee, condensed milk, tuna, cereal and other basic food items. On social media, people criticized Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) for failing to help poor communities. "The Gulf Cartel is giving more aid than AMLO", one person said.

The individuals handing over the donations told the people that they were not part of the government's National System for Integral Family Development (DIF) and that the gifts were from the cartel. At first, some people were wary about taking the boxes because some of the men handing them out were armed with machine guns.

However, others took boxes and that encouraged more to do the same. The police stated that the Gulf Cartel began handing out these goods since the weekend and that they were investigating the incident to locate those responsible for the donation.

Background

As of April 7, the Government of Tamaulipas confirmed that there have been 3 deaths and 58 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state. The first case was confirmed on March 17.

This is not the first time the Gulf Cartel has provided aid during difficult times. Back in 2013, they handed out food and supplies to those affected by Hurricane Ingrid in municipalities in southern Tamaulipas. This incident spread on social media and was positively received by many of the residents from these areas, who praised the Gulf Cartel for its charitable deeds.

Throughout the mid-2000s, former Gulf Cartel boss Osiel Cárdenas Guillén funded multiple events during Children's Day (Día del Niño), even while he was already in prison. Thousands of kids attended these events and they were advertised on TV and in newspapers across Tamaulipas.

Evaristo Cruz Sánchez

According to Mexican authorities, Cruz Sánchez is a high-ranking Gulf Cartel member based in Matamoros. The Government of Tamaulipas is offering up to MXN$2 million (approximately US$85,000) to anyone that provides valuable information that leads to his arrest. He is wanted for extortion, kidnapping and organized crime involvement.

Wanted poster of Evaristo Cruz Sanchez ("El Vaquero"), high-ranking Gulf Cartel member in Matamoros

Since mid-2019, Borderland Beat forum contributors have noted that Cruz Sánchez has been vying for the control of Matamoros. His main rival is Mario Alberto Cárdenas Medina ("El Betito"), who reportedly continues to lead a cartel faction behind bars through envoys like the recently-released kingpin Víctor Manuel Vázquez Mireles ("El Meme Loco"), as reported by Borderland Beat.