The resurgence of La Familia Michoacana

 Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat TY Steve    LaSillaRota

"La Familia Michoacana" was in decline, however, it was reborn. It has a second wind that puts it back in the sights of the Mexican and US government

By RODRIGO GUTIÉRREZ GONZÁLEZ OCTOBER 5, 2020

"La Familia Michoacana" seemed like a cartel in decline, practically disappeared on the national map of drug trafficking; However, he was reborn, today it has a second wind that puts the cartel back in the sights of the Mexican and US government .

THE FIRST BOOM

The criminal organization was one of the most fearsome organizations in the country, born in the eighties, it was the executioner of Michoacán in the first decade of the two thousand.

First, an ally of "Los Zetas", who learned military tactics from what was the armed wing of the Gulf Cartel (CDG), adding a religious pseudo-ideology to their criminal practices.

Later, he became independent and violently removed his former associates from the entity, becoming the head of the Michoacán state.

Its top leaders were: Enrique "Kike" Plancarte; Nazario Moreno González, "El Chayo"; and by José de Jesús Méndez Vargas, "El Chango Méndez". (Carlos Rosales Mendoza founder / leader should be named on this list)

Michoacán still remembers the abandonment of five human heads in a den in Uruapan, Michoacán, in 2006; or the granadazos in the center of Morelia during the national festivities of 2008.

In 2009, in a publication of the Official Gazette of the Federation, the government of Felipe Calderón offered rewards of 30 million pesos to those who help find the whereabouts of the main drug trafficking leaders.

Among the most wanted capos were Nazario Moreno, "El Chayo"; Servando Gómez Martínez, "La Tuta", José de Jesús Méndez Vargas, "El Chango"; and Dionicio Loya Plancarte, "El Tío". All of them from the "Michoacan Family".

THE FALL

Starting in 2010, everything changed. The cartel began to disappear in the criminal sphere.

One of the reasons for its decline, even mentioned by the US government, is that "La Familia Michoacana" requested a truce with the Mexican authorities in exchange for the dissolution of the organization.

Another of the arguments for his first fall were the differences in the leadership: "El Chango Méndez" and "El Chayo" thereby, the two leaders had a falling out and split. (one of the reasons often pointed to is their clash regarding Los Zetas involvement, Chango supporting the involvement)

Nazario Moreno, along with "Kike" Plancarte, separated from "La Familia" and founded "Los Caballeros Templarios", where they accentuated religious overtones and placed "El Chayo" as their "messiah."

They took advantage of the fact that "El Chayo" was presumed dead by the Mexican authorities without evidence - more than an audio " La Tuta " telling "his people" that Nazario Moreno "was no longer with us" after a confrontation with Federal Forces - to ensure that the capo would return from death.

The weakening of "La Familia Michoacana" was consolidated with the capture of "El Chango Méndez" in 2011.

The power vacuum left by " La Familia Michoacana" was quickly taken over by "Los Caballeros Templarios ".

THE RESURGENCE

The criminal power of "Los Caballeros Templarios" was more violent than that of "La Familia Michoacana ", they controlled practically the entire state and, in addition to drug trafficking, they ventured into extortion, kidnapping and illegal seizure of mines.

The violence against the population was such and the government's response was non-existent, that self-defense groups were born to remove the "Templars" from their lands. The armed movement caught the attention of the government of Enrique Peña Nieto, who set "The Knights Templar" as a priority target.

Then, its leaders began to fall: "El Chayo" Moreno and "Kike" Plancarte were killed by federal forces in 2014; "La Tuta" was already arrested in 2015. While the self-defense groups (autodefensas) were taking their operators out of the Michoacán municipalities.

However, some of these self-defense groups were co-opted by members of organized crime, mainly the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), who began to grow in 2015. (CJNG/Mencho allied with the Sierra-Santana brothers aka Los Viagras in an agreement that Mencho would supply all equipment, weapons, funding to eliminate the autodefensas and Tuta.  Allegedly, Rafa Caro Quintero supported the effort and supplied funding and vehicles.  Tuta was among the last to know of this agreement between his enemy and his former members)

The CJNG made itself out of the power vacuum in Michoacán, after the constant blows against "Los Templarios", with the help of local criminal gangs, such as "Los Viagras" and the "Familia Michoacana" itself.

The Sierra Santana brothers, leaders of "Los Viagras", were part of the self-defense groups ; like Jesús Méndez , "El Chuchín", son of "El Chango Méndez" and compadre of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes , "El Mencho", maximum leader of the CJNG .

Thus, "La Familia Michoacana" re-emerged in its homeland with the backing of the CJNG. They expanded, with the help of "El Mencho", in Guerrero , State of Mexico and even had a presence in Colima.

THE CONSOLIDATION

The alliance of "La Familia Michoacana" with the CJNG was broken. There are still no clear reasons for their break, but there are records of clashes between the two cartels.

Although "La Familia Michoacana" was gradually relegated from Michoacán, they made the State of Mexico their criminal bastion.

The Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) maintains that "La Familia Michoacana" maintains an alliance with " The Caballeros Templarios" in the State of Mexico , to confront "Guerreros Unidos", which has resulted in the weakening of the criminal organization (GU).

The Attorney General's Office of the State of Mexico (FGJEM) points out the most wanted in the Mexican entity as the brothers Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, alias "El Pez", and José Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, alias "El Fresa", for whom it offers 500 thousand pesos of reward for his capture.

The Sedena coincides with the Mexican Prosecutor's Office of the Hurtado Olascoaga leadership in "La Familia Michoacana."

Regarding its presence in Mexican territory, different national and international agencies differ, but there are at least three states that constantly mention: Michoacán, Guerrero and the State of Mexico .

For example, a document from the Attorney General's Office (FGR) indicates that "La Familia Michoacana" has a presence in Morelos, Guerrero and the State of Mexico .

For its part, information from the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) places "La Familia Michoacana" in Michoacán , Guerrero and the State of Mexico .

While the government of the United States says they have presence in Michoacan and Guerrero, alongside identifying operations in the state of Washington, in partnership with gangs;  Mexican Mafia", "Norteños", "Sureños" and Peckerwoods".

The same US authorities claim that it has specialized in the production and smuggling of methamphetamine, along with the trafficking of other synthetic drugs. They are also known to traffic marijuana, cocaine, and heroin.

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