"El Chuy Playas", Operator for Los Tena, Killed

Although not officially confirmed, based upon police sources multiple news agencies have reported the death of Jesús Cruz Virrueta (or Jesús Cruz Mendoza), alias "El Chuy Playas", a notable operator for Los Tena in the state of Michoacán, before dawn on Thursday, February 25.

"El Chuy Playas" was once a member of Los Caballeros Templarios, a cartel that dominated Michoacán up until the February 27, 2015 arrest of its final main leader, Servando Gómez Martínez, alias "La Tuta".  Thereafter Los Caballeros Templarios went on to be led by Homero González Rodríguez, alias "El Gallito", and various high ranking members of the organization formed independent splinter groups.

Among these breakaways of Los Caballeros Templarios is Los Tena, led by its namesake Fernando Cruz Mendoza, alias “El Tena” which appears to be based out of the city of Aquila, Michoacán. Dominating the coastal region of the state, particularly the municipalities of Aquila, Coahuayana, and Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares, Los Tena are able to receive shipments of drugs from South America.  In addition to normal cartel activities, they run illegal iron mines and logging of timber, particularly the nearly extinct and valuable sangualica trees (also known as granadilla), all of which were generally shipped to China.  

Over the years shifting alliances would lead to the formation of Carteles Unidos, a collection of various small cartel groups in Michoacán, to counter the advancements of the Cártel Jalisco  Nueva Generación (CJNG), which includes Los Tena.

Described as an operator for both Los Tena and Carteles Unidos, "El Chuy Playas" appears to have been second in command to "El Tena", whom some reports indicate is his brother.  Assuming that is the case, it is not clear if they are full brothers or merely share the same father.  

Among the crimes for which "El Chuy Playas" was personally blamed for is the death of human rights activist Zenaida Pulido Lombera, who was killed in Aquila on July 19, 2019 and a ten hour gun battle with a group known as Los Pulido, that took place in an area known as La Casona in Huahua, Michoacán on June 28, 2020 which left over twenty people dead.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that a brother of "El Chuy Playas", Fernando Cruz Virrueta, was arrested around kilometer marker 36 on coastal highway 200, which runs between the port cities of Lázaro Cárdenas and Manzanillo, in Michoacán on March  11, 2017.

Reports indicate that "El Chuy Playas" took part in an armed confrontation on Wednesday, February 26 in the mountain village of La Otatera, located in the municipality of Aquila, in which he was shot. Thereafter he was taken to a private hospital in the capital city of Michoacán, Morelia, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Following his death personal from the Attorney General of Michoacán took the body to forensics and at this point nothing has been announced.