Michoacan: After weekend defeat, Mencho offers rewards for finding rivals, 5 million offered for El Abuelo, Gordo, Gallito

by Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat

Allegedly after losing a showdown over the weekend in Tepalcatepec, El Mencho stepped up his campaign seeking information from the public that will take him to the location of his Michoacán enemies.

The rewards campaign which began in August of 2019, this time concentrates on Michoacán.

In 2019 his main target was both Michoacán and Guerrero, with the leader of ‘La Nueva Familia Michoacana’ of Guerrero, Francisco Maldonado Bustos aka “Don José”. Wanted ‘Dead or Alive’.

At that time, videos uploaded on YouTube showed a series of flyers with the photograph of the alleged hitman.

'Don José' was accused of breaking ranks with CJNG.

The campaign of this week offers 2 to 5M pesos for:

• Juan José Farías Álvarez, aka as El Abuelo (Cártel del Abuelo Farías) 
• Homero Gonzales Rodríguez aka El Gallito (Caballeros Templarios) 
• Nicolas Sierra Santana (Viagras)

The three aforementioned above are a part of a coalition to defeat CJNG’s attempt to advance and power control Michoacán.  They are called “Cárteles Unidos".

During the autodefensa movement in Michoacán, Abuelo was linked to CJNG, being its operator in Michoacán and a lieutenant in Tepelcatepec, Sahuayo, Juquilpan and Aguililla specifically.

Viagras, founded by the Sierra Santana brothers of Huetamo, Michoacán, were also allied with CJNG.  

They were the only splinter group spitting off of Caballeros Templarios.  CT leader La Tuta, was under the impression that the Sierra Brothers remained in alliance with him after the split. 

The showdown was on video where Tuta confronts Carlos Sierra Santana about the signs of a betrayal.

Subsequently, CJNG cut ties with both Viagras and Abuelo, this coming on the heels of his advancement in Michoacán.  However, he did not expect the groups to collude and create a power group of Cárteles Unidos, who have to this point effectively prevented Mencho and CJNG from solid advancement.

Interestingly, CJNG has featured Homero Gonzalez Rodriguez, alias "El Gallito" as one of the top three targets.

Gallito, the first cousin of Nazario Moreno González, commonly referred to by his alias El Chayo and/or El Más Loco, is the successor of the Caballeros Templarios.  There are reports/rumors that Gallito betrayed his cousin in order to gain prominence in the cartel,  by tipping off authorities to his location.

When La Tuta was arrested, Gallito gained leadership.  He reorganized the group into small cells, rather than fighting for advancement.

Chayo is an interesting character, originally a leader of La Familia Michoacana, then splitting to Caballeros Templarios. 

He was reported “dead” twice by the Mexican government, The Mexican government reported his death a second time when reporting  Moreno González was killed during a fierce two-day gunfight with the Mexican federal police in his home state in December 2010, without a body.

The body was “discovered” however the government elements reported it missing upon their return to retrieve the “dead narco”.

Subsequent to his third death, Mexican authorities located him again, allegedly with the help of Gallito, in Tumbiscatío, Michoacán, and attempted to apprehend him. 

A gunfight ensued resulting in Chayo’s death confirmed this time by forensic examination and testing.  The government flooded the press with images of his dead body to ward off any disbelief. 

In 2019, there were narco messages distributed in Michoacán allegedly from Mencho and CJNG. 

In the message, “Mencho” branded the Caballeros Templarios and Gallito "traitors" this supposedly because CT did not respect the agreements they had reached.

According to the message attributed to El Mencho, both groups had accepted a truce in Michoacán.

The pact consisted of the CJNG supporting the other group with money and arms on the condition that they stop stealing, kidnapping and extorting the civilian population, which they did not do.

El Mencho asks residents not to believe in the Templars, whom he classifies as "traitors" and "filthy thieves".

“Rigo Díaz who was sent for the truce and turned out to be a traitorous dog.   They want war, and now they will know what it is to live one.  I tell the people that I do not allow robberies or extortion, or that my commanders ask for support (money) for the war, and if any of my commanders does, please let me know. There is no fear and I have plenty of money."

Diaz was supposedly killed in 2014 in a shootout with Federal Forces.  He lives by the El Chayo life model of dead but not really dead.

Just as in the case of the three lives of El Chayo, residents and local authorities have reported that Díaz, who is also nicknamed Don Belisario, is alive. The other rewards range for 1 million to 3 million pesos for, various members of Cárteles Unidos, la llamada Guardia Michoacana, Los Blancos de Troya and of Cártel del Abuelo Farías.

Note: The image of Gallito was sent to me in 2016.  Allegedly, It is the only known image of Gallito and the one all media uses.  The image was posted on an IG account with a man living in Houston named “Junior”.  There were many photos on the account including a bizarre Moroccan looking Michoacán mansion being built for Gallito.  

I saved two photos and planned to return the following morning.  I wrote a post about the new CT leader,  using the photos.

When I returned to IG the following day, the entire page had been deleted.