Government Recognizes Alliance Between CJNG and Gulf Cartel Forces in Zacatecas

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

The Secretary of National Defense recognized the alliance between the CJNG and the Gulf Cartel forces in the state of Zacatecas when discussing the regional cartel leader Óscar Javier Escalante Zurita, alias “La Mosca”, who he says was involved in the alliance. 

The Announcement at the Press Conference

On Monday, June 20, 2022, during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s morning press conference, the Secretary of National Defense Luis Crescencio Sandoval presented his monthly report on the activities of the military.

From roughly timecode 57:30 - 58:30 on the official video on the press conference, linked here, he said the following: 

Regarding the use of intelligence, this month the use of intelligence allowed us to make 24 arrests. Of these 24 detainees, five are relevant. We have them here in the slide:

A regional chief of the alliance between the Gulf Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation operating in Zacatecas was arrested.

In the city of Obregon, three people were arrested who are generators of violence in the state of Baja California and belong to the Arellano Felix criminal cell.

And also in Coatepec de Hinojosa, a prevalent operator of fuel theft was arrested, who belongs to the 'Los Cenobios' criminal group.

The most notable part of his statement is the federal government’s acknowledgement of an alliance within Zacatecas between the forces of the Gulf cartel (Cártel del Golfo, CDG) and the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which has long been discussed online but had been not previously verified.

The regional chief that Crescencio Sandoval is referring to is shown in the accompanying slide to be Óscar “N”, aliases “Mando Mosca”, "MK", and “La Mosca”.

According to newspapers such as Milenio, La Jornada, and Diario Cambio 22, La Mosca’s full name is Óscar Javier Escalante Zurita.  As of the writing of this story, no photos of La Mosca’s face without his eyes blurred have appeared online.

La Mosca’s Arrest

La Mosca, or The Fly, was arrested back on May 24, 2022, in the Villa Verde neighborhood within the city of Zacatecas, in the state of the same name. 

His arrest came about during the execution of a search warrant on a property within Villa Verde. The warrant was requested due to a kidnapping investigation that was being conducted by both the Specialized Prosecutor's Office to Combat Kidnapping and the National Anti-Kidnapping Coordination (CONASE). 

They found in Mosca’s possession a firearm, ammo, a little over 4 kilos of marijuana and just under 75 grams of methamphetamine. Despite his potential involvement in the kidnapping case, prosecutors pursued just the firearms, ammo and drug possession charges against him.  

Prosecutors may have pursued these lesser charges in order to ensure he remains in custody while they develop their larger case against him, or they may have no intention to seek anything more than the possession charges.

Mosca’s arrest was discussed by Undersecretary Ricardo Mejía Berdeja during a presidential press conference on May 26, 2022, which was covered by Sol in this previous article. 

From roughly timecode 27:00 - 28:00 on the official video on the press conference, linked here, he said the following: 

Next. We also report the arrest of Oscar Javier 'N', alias 'la Mosca', in Zacatecas, in the state of Zacatecas. This person is alleged to be the regional head of the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation in the municipalities of Villanueva, Jerez and Tabasco in Zacatecas.

He was arrested pursuant to a search warrant and was seized with long and short weapons, cash and drugs. He was handed over to the Attorney General's Office and is awaiting trial. It was an operation coordinated by the Sedena, the National Anti-Kidnapping Coordination, the Zacatecas Anti-Kidnapping Prosecutor's Office and the National Intelligence Center.

So, during this time, La Mosca was described as simply a CJNG regional leader, with no mention of a Gulf Cartel alliance. Mejía Berdeja described Mosca as being in charge of CJNG forces in “the municipalities of Villanueva, Jerez and Tabasco in the state of Zacatecas”, which are marked on the map below. 

On May 31, 2022, the federal Attorney General’s Office announced that a judge had ruled that Mosca will have to stand trial for the aforementioned charges.

The state level government had previously acknowledged the Gulf Cartel and CJNG being present in the state when Zacatecas governor David Monreal mentioned both groups during an interview with Milenio reporter Azucena Uresti.

Alliance Announcement Sources: Official Presidential Press Conference Video, Official Transcript of Press Conference, El Universal, Milenio, Express Zacatecas, La Verdad Noticias, La Prensa Coahuila

Mosca’s Arrest Sources: Official FGR Press Release, Official FGR Tweet, Diario Cambio 22, Milenio

May 26 Press Conference Sources: Official Presidential Press Conference Video, Official Transcript of Press Conference