Gulf Cartel Faction Boss 'Choco/Metro 90' Murdered Outside a Bar in Monterrey, Nuevo León

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat (formerly "MX")

Armando Daniel León García, alias "Comandante Choco", Metro 90", and/or M90". He also used alternate aliases, including: Jesús Carmona Benavidez y/o José Alberto Yáñez Sánchez.

At dawn on May 8, an armed attack took place in Bar Doroteo, located on the first floor of the Nuevo Sur Commercial Center in Monterrey, Nuevo León. Two people were killed. One of the victims was Armando Daniel León García, alias "Comandante Choco", "Metro 90", and/or "M-90", a high-ranking Gulf Cartel faction boss from Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

According to the first reports, the shooting began at around 2:00 a.m. in the establishment's parking lot, where the victims were killed. The Nuevo Leon State police arrived at the scene shortly after the shootout was reported and found the bodies in the parking lot.

Upon reaching the designated place, paramedics confirmed that M-90 no longer had vital signs. Meanwhile, his companion, preliminarily identified as Antonio Orta, died minutes later while being treated at a local hospital.

The report indicates that victims were shot on the chest, back, legs, and arms. Witnesses said that the sicarios were asking where the victims were and waited for them outside.

Elements of the State Investigations Agency (AEI) were able to obtain images of the hitmen from security cameras from the bar and the commercial plaza. Rumors on social media say that M-90 was killed on orders from Jose Perez, alias "El Licenciado" and/or "El Mofles", and Cesar Morfin Morfin, alias "El Primito", the head of the Gulf Cartel faction in La Frontera Chica, Tamaulipas.

First floor of the commercial center where M-90 was killed.

A bar employee said that M-90 was a frequent bar attendee. In 2018, several pictures of M-90 circulated on social media where he was seen in a Reynosa bar and shopping center.

Background

M-90 was one of the top operators of Los Metros, the faction of the Gulf Cartel based in Reynosa and La Frontera Chica. Following the 2017 death of Reynosa plaza boss Juan Manuel Loisa Salinas, alias "Comandante Toro", "Metro 42", and/or "M42", several of Los Metros leaders fought to gain control of Reynosa.

One of the groups, where M90 was in, was led by Jesús García, alias "El Güero Jessi", who was a close collaborator of "Comandante Toro". However, in June 2017, El Guero Jessi was killed by Luis Alberto Blanco Flores, alias "El Pelochas", "Metro 28", and/or "M28", leader of another Metros group looking to fill the power vacuum. 

Once “El Güero Jessi” died, Humberto Loiza Méndez Salinas, alias "El Betillo", took command of Los Metros. He was M-42's nephew.

However, in January 2018 he was killed along with several bodyguards in a massive shootout in Reynosa, so "El Pelochas" took his place. His reign was short-alive since he was arrested in August 2018 after being placed on the Tamaulipas's most-wanted list. 

Sources: El Porvenir; ABC Noticias; Infobae; El Norte; Valor Tamaulipeco; (2); Jalisciense1 (Image)