Tales of Los Zetas: The 50+ Members of Fall 2001

 "Itzli" for Borderland Beat.

The events of 2001 leading up to the training of Los Zetas in the fall, at which point they numbered over 50 individuals.

The Fall of El June

The rise to power of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén and the origins of Los Zetas were greatly linked to Gilberto “El June” García Mena, a long time member of the Cártel del Golfo (CDG, Gulf Cartel) who controlled the Frontera Chica region from his seat of power in Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas. “El June”, whom authorities considered to be second in command of the CDG at the time, was arrested on April 6, 2001 in Guardados de Abajo, Tamaulipas. 

It was suspected that a former associate of “El June”, Edelio “El Yeyo” López Falcón had provided authorities with information leading to his arrest following the assassination attempt on his cousin Rolando “El Rolis” López Salinas by Los Zetas in February 1999. In retaliation, Osiel sought revenge and “El Yeyo” was attacked a month later, on May 13, 2001, while attending the Expo de Monterrey, but managed to escape unharmed.

Additional Recruits of Los Zetas

As mentioned in Tales of Los Zetas: Los Zetas Viejos, following Gonzalo “El Cuije” Cerezano Escribano, whose documented military desertion date was May 11, 2000, there is a significant gap in known desertion dates of early members of Los Zetas, with only two documented to over the following year:

1. Alberto José González Xalate- Nicknamed “El Paisa”. He is reported to have joined Los Zetas at some point in 2000, having been invited by “El Cuije”.

2. Isidro Lara Flores- Nicknamed “El Colchon”. According to government records he joined the military on August 16, 1996. Later, he requested to be discharged from active service and be placed in the reserves, which was granted on May 16, 2001.

Rescue of El Cholo

For much of their early history, Los Zetas were regarded as a myth by authorities, yet their members would occasionally appear in connection to crimes without their true nature being realized at the time.

One such example is the case of Ricardo César García García and his wife Manuela Nelly Peña, owners of a currency exchange business in Brownsville, Texas, that allegedly had a secondary function, laundering money for the CDG. Apparently there was a falling out of some sort; on June 19, 2001 gunmen were in the process of kidnapping the couple in Matamoros but were spotted by ministerial police officers, who arrested the perpetrators after a car chase.

Among the kidnappers was a member of Los Zetas, José Ramón “El Cholo” Dávila López, who appears to have been among El Grupo de 14. Eight hours later, a group of 20-25 heavily armed men wearing bullet-proof vests rescued “El Cholo” from the Matamamors Ministerial Police headquarters. Eduardo Salvador “El Chavita” López Lara was reportedly part of this group.

Killing Yanez Cantu

A few weeks later, on July 4, the commander of the Policía Ministerial del Estado in Matamoros, Jaime Yañez Cantú stopped a suspicious vehicle and the driver attempted to flee by foot. Upon arrest, he was identified as Hugo Ponce Salazar, who was noted to have ammunition that “was characteristic of hired assassins in order to have 80 shots instead of the usual 40”. Even so, his true importance was not recognized at the time; Hugo Ponce Salazar is better known as “Z-4” and may have been part of Los 7, the original members of Los Zetas.

In addition to arresting “Z-4”, Yañez Cantú was leading the investigation into the rescue of “El Cholo”, making him a thorn in the side of the CDG and Los Zetas. All too often officers are faced with the choice “plata o plomo”, literally silver or lead, take a bribe or be killed. In the afternoon of July 9, 2001 Yañez Cantú and his chauffeu were killed inside their vehicle, both having been shot at least five times in the head. It was reported that a briefcase containing $20,000 was found at the scene of the crime.

According to later reporting, at least three individuals were involved in the killing of Yañez Cantú: Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa, who was the brother of Reynosa plaza head Gregorio “Goyo” “El Caramuela” Sauceda Gamboa; Juan Carlos “La Torta” González Sánchez, a former police officer and nephew of Jorge Eduardo “El Coss” Costilla Sánchez; and Rogelio “El Kelín” González Pizaña, a former ministerial police officer who left the force around May 1999.

Angélica Lagunas Jaramillo

As leader of the CDG, Osiel Cárdenas Guillén sought to rule Matamoros with an iron fist, “only he could conduct illegal business”. Anyone involved in anything illegal, including unlicensed bars and prostitutes, were forced to pay “fees” to Osiel in order to conduct business or face his wrath.

Such was the case of Angélica Lagunes Jaramillo, a woman in her early 40s, originally from Guerrero, who sold perfume, jewelry, and alcohol, as well as marijuana and cocaine at a retail level without authorization. Because of this, a group of 18 gunmen, led by Arturo “Z-1” Guzmán Decena arrived at her house the evening of August 16, 2001, searched the residence for drugs, and brought her and her daughter to face Osiel.

Osiel, with Jorge Eduardo “El Coss” Costilla Sánchez at his side, personally threatened Angélica. Several members of Los Zetas were there as well, including Heriberto “El Lazca” Lazcano Lazcano, Luis Alberto “El Guerrero” Guerrero Reyes, Alfonso “El Cañas” Lechuga Licona, Alberto José “El Paisa” González Xalate, and Omar “El Pita” Lorméndez Pitalúa.

Two hours later, Angélica and her daughter were released on the condition that she begin renting houses in her name for cartel use and went on to be closely connected to the cartel. In addition, she married “El Pita” in 2002, while her daughter, Ana Bertha González Lagunas, entered a relationship with “Z-1”, with whom he had a child.

It is quite possible that this alleged photo of “Z-1” is with Ana Bertha. 

Zeta Training in Nuevo León

Beginning in September 2001, Osiel Cárdenas Guillén ordered all of Los Zetas to undergo two months of training in Nuevo León under the direction of Daniel “El Cachetes” Pérez Rojas, Héctor “El Caballo” Robles Duarte, and Isidro “El Colchón” López Arias. According to a later declaration of one of the participants, Los Zetas “began to conduct more frequent and larger scale operations” thereafter.

Counting Los Zetas

The training of Los Zetas from September to November 2001 is quite important for our purposes as it is one of the rare occasions in which we have insight as to the number of individuals making up Los Zetas. Generally speaking, those that have written about the origins of Los Zetas are vague, referring to them as a group of military deserters ranging as low as 30 individuals and up to around 40, many of which were said to be ex-GAFE. Closely tied to this is the issue of terminology, as phrases such as “founding members of Los Zetas”, “original Zetas”, “Zetas viejos” (old Zetas), and “second generation Zetas” are used in writing without being clearly defined. 

With regards to the training of Los Zetas in the fall of 2001, an individual who would later become a protected witness under the alias Rafael would declare that “there were already over 50 of us”, which provides us a number which our research can be measured against. As previously discussed, there is documented information as to the defection date from the military for many of the individuals that appear on lists of Los Zetas using the above mentioned phrases. While this is not conclusive evidence, it does serve as a guide to show when these individuals may have joined Los Zetas.

It is quite clear that Los Zetas began with Arturo Guzmán Decena following his defection from the military on September 27, 1997 and a core group known as Los 7 was recruited. It appears that this took place by the spring of 1998 and included Raúl Lucio “El Lucky” Hernández Lechuga, Heriberto “El Lazca” Lazcano Lazcano, Ernesto “El Traca” Zataraín Belíz, Jaime “El Hummer” González Durán, Alejandro Lucio Morales Betancourt, and Hugo Ponce Salazar.

Furthermore, we know that an additional 7 individuals would be included to become El Grupo de 14 based upon testimony of the fourteenth member of Los Zetas and this appears to have taken place from the summer of 1998 through spring 1999. We believe that these individuals were Gustavo “El Erótico” González Castro, Efraín “El Chispa” Teodoro Torres, Mateo Díaz López, José Ramón “El Cholo” Dávila López, Luis Alberto “El Guerrero” Guerrero Reyes, Raul Alberto “El Alvin” Trejo Benavides, and Jesús Enrique “El Mamito” Rejón Aguilar.

Recruiting appears to have continued in the spring of 1999 and there are vague references to restructuring of Los Zetas in 1999, which we believe to have taken place in the summer of 1999. Over this timeframe it is believer that six more joined, brining the total to 20, with the addition of Rogelio “El Guerra” Guerra Ramirez, Miguel Angel “El Parra” Soto Parra, Galdino “El Mellado” Mellado Cruz, Braulio “El Gonzo” Arellano Dominguez, Nabor “El Dévora” Vargas García, and Luis “El Rex” Reyes Enríquez.

As discussed in Los Zetas Viejos, 9 more individuals appear to have been recruited during the fall of 1999 through early spring of 2000, bringing the total to 29, with the addition of Raúl “El Flanders” Hernández Barrón, Victor Nazario Castrejón Peña, Flavio “El Amarillo” Méndez Santiago, Carlos “El Vera” Vera Calva, Sergio Enrique “El Tlapa” Ruiz Tlapanco, Omar “El Pita” Lorméndez Pitalúa, Daniel “El Cachetes” Perez Rojas, Óscar Eduardo “El Winnie Pooh” Guerrero Silva, and Alberto José “El Cuije” González Xalate.

As stated above, Alberto José “El Paisa” González Xalate joined at some point in 2000 and Isidro “El Colchon” Lara Flores in May 2001. In addition, we know of six other individuals that should be included:

1. Eduardo Salvador López Lara- Nicknamed “El Chavita”, he is also known by the code name “Z-48”. It is unclear at what point he joined Los Zetas but, as discussed above, he was reportedly part of the group that rescued “El Cholo” from prison in June 2001.

2. Víctor Manuel Hernández Barró- Nicknamed “El Flanders Dos”, he is the brother of Raúl “El Flanders” Hernández Barrón. According to government records he joined the military/air forces on February 1, 1995 as an infantry soldier and was promoted to corporal in 1998. He eventually deserted the military and was officially discharged on September 13, 1998. Later, he requested to be discharged from active service and be placed in the reserves, which was granted on June 16, 2001.

3. Priciliano Ibarra Yepiz- According to government records he joined the military on June 1, 1997. Later, he requested to be discharged from active service and be placed in the reserves, which was granted on July 1, 2001.

4. Alfonso Lechuga Licona- Nicknamed “El Cañas”, he is also known by the code name “Z-27”. It is unclear at what point he joined Los Zetas but, as discussed above, he is mentioned following the kidnapping of Angélica Lagunas Jaramillo in August 2001.

5. Héctor Robles Duarte- Nicknamed “El Caballo”. It is unclear at what point he joined Los Zetas, but he appears as one of the instructors during the training in Nuevo León that started in September 2001.

6. Eduardo Estrada González- According to government records he joined the military on July 22, 1993. He eventually deserted and was officially discharged on October 25, 2001.

The Missing Zetas

At this point, we have documented 37 individuals in a rough timeline of Los Zetas, a number quite a bit short of “there were already over 50 of us”. Due to a lack of information, it is not possible to fill in all the gaps, however there are several individuals that should be mentioned as possible members of Los Zetas by this time frame:

1. “Z-19”- Nicknamed “El Pelón”, this individual appears in a message from 2008 but beyond this his identity is unclear. It should be noted that Contralinea reporting of the early days of Los Zetas leaves the identity of Z-19 completely blank. While it is possible that “El Pelón” is a nickname of Maxiley Barahona Nadales, they may very well be separate individuals. Other individuals that have been members of Los Zetas and have used the nickname “El Pelón” are Alejandro García, who joined Los Zetas at the age of 18 and may have been arrested in 2010 and José Ángel Fernández de Lara Díaz, but both are long shots and the true identity of “El Pelón” is debatable.

2. “Z-21”- Contralinea reporting of the early days of Los Zetas identifies him as Omar Serrano but there does not appear to be any information about a cartel individual with this name beyond this. Alternatively, an FBI bulletin identifies Martin Moreno as using the alias “Z-21”.

3. “Z-24”- Identified by Proceso as Javier “El Javi” Almazán Baldera and Contralínea as Rolando Xavier “El Javi” Almazán Balderas.

4. “Z-25”- Germán “El Tatanka” Torres Jiménez was recruited by “El Lazca” in Pachuca, Hidalgo, at an unspecified time and reporting would refer to him as a Zeta Viejo.

5. “Z-30”- Believed to be Ulises Gordillo Presenda.

6. “Z-34”- Identified by La Jornada as Mario Maldonado Gómez, he has the nicknames “El Patrón”, “El Aguila”, and “El Chaparro".

7. “Z-35”- Believed to be Omar Israel “El Flaco” Romero Sánchez, a former agent of the Policia Federal (PF). The alias “El Flaco” was mentioned by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos. 

8. “Z-37”- Ciro González Pérez, who was born in Poza Rica, Veracruz. He joined the military at an unspecified time and became a GAFE before becoming a member of Los Zetas. He was known by the nicknames “El Puchini”, “El Enano”, “El Chaparro”, and “El Perro de Evelio”. He was “viewed as part of the second generation of founders of Los Zetas”.

9. “El Chelelo”- Eleazar Medina Rojas was born January 28, 1972 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. According to the United States Department of Justice in a press release from July 2023 “between 2000 and 2010, Eleazar Medina Rojas, aka Chelelo, 51, was a high-ranking member of the Zetas”. From this, it would appear that he joined Los Zetas in 2000, in the same timeframe as Los Zetas Viejos or “El Paisa”.

10. “El Caprice”- Listed by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos, a list of 42 cartel members, the vast majority of which were old members of Los Zetas, where he was identified as José Jaimes, El Pais where he is said to be a former GAFE, and mentioned in Memorias de un sicario Zeta. Alternatively, he has been identified as Roberto González Juárez, who also uses the alias "El Genio".

11. “El Paguita”- Listed by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos, El Pais where he is said to be a former GAFE, and mentioned in Memorias de un sicario Zeta.

12. “El Ostos”-  Listed by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos and mentioned in Memorias de un sicario Zeta.

13. “El Bedur”- Listed by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos and mentioned in Memorias de un sicario Zeta.

14. “El Chafe”- Listed by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos and mentioned in Memorias de un sicario Zeta.

15. “El Tizoc”- Listed by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos and mentioned in Memorias de un sicario Zeta. A member of Los Zetas named Juan José Olivares Torres or Juan Carlos Millares Martínez used this alias, but it is unclear if they are the same individual.

16. “El Tejón”- Listed by El Universal in December 2008 as one of Los Zetas Viejos and mentioned in Memorias de un sicario Zeta. A member of Los Zetas named  Emilio Chamorro Almazán used this alias, but it is unclear if they are the same individual.

17. “El Chocotorro”- Daniel Enrique Márquez Aguilar, a “deserter” identified by “El Mateo”, though it is unclear at what point he joined Los Zetas.

18. “El Omarcito”- Omar Hernández Bautista, a member of Los Zetas by September 2002 but it is unclear at one point he actually joined.

19. “Comandante Sol”- According to El Universal: “The main accountant of the organization is known as Comandante Sol, being among the first Zetas, and is in charge of moving all the money, and reports directly to El Lazca”. While it states that he was among the original Zetas, no other information can be found, thus making it unclear if this information is accurate. Alternatively, “Sol” may be a nickname used by a member of Los Zetas that has been previously listed.

The Excluded Zetas

When considering individuals that were possibly members of Los Zetas in the fall of 2001, there are several that were considered but excluded from the above list due to a number of reasons. 

1. “El Kelín”- Rogelio González Pizaña was a former ministerial police officer who left the force around May 1999. He appears to have joined Los Zetas at a later time frame and adopted the code name “Z-2”, apparently after it was vacated following the November 17, 2001 arrest of Alejandro Lucio Morales Betancourt.

2. “El Contador”- Maxiley Barahona Nadales, also known as “El Max”, was born in Tabasco. His first notable mention was in August 2010, when the PGR offered a reward for his arrest, at which point “El 19” was listed among his aliases. In October 2012 he was referred to as “Z-19” and appeared in association with Carlos “El Charly” Guízar Valencia. There is much uncertainty due to a lack of information, but as discussed previously there may have been a different original “Z-19” and at a later date Maxiley Barahona Nadales either adopted or was given this by the media.

3. “El Canicón”- Sigifredo Nájera Talama is often listed as “Z-29”, however he was originally a member of Los Tangos under the code name “T-29”. It appears that he joined Los Zetas at a later point and his Tango code name was simply changed to Zeta.

4. “La Fila”- Saraí Fabiola Díaz Arroyo, also known as La Muñeca”, was said to have used the code name “Z-31”, but does not seem likely to have been much more than an associate/girlfriend of Martín Omar “El Kilo” Estrada Luna.

5. “Z-33”- Eduardo Mendoza Robles was born December 5, 1965 in Nuevo Laredo and was sanctioned by the United States. He is tentatively excluded due to a lack of being mentioned in older sources.

6. “El Willy”- Guillermo Aparicio Lara was reported as “Z-34” in 2009 and as “Z-32” or “Z-34” in 2014. While it is possible he was an earlier member of Los Zetas, there is stronger evidence that Mario Maldonado Gómez was “Z-34”, thus making it likely that “El Willy” merely adopted this code name.

7. “El JC”- Juan Carlos de la Cruz Reyna is often listed as “Z-36”, however he was originally a member of Los Tangos under the code name “T-36”. During the fall of 2001 “El JC” worked under Jorge Eduardo “El Coss” Costilla Sánchez.

8. “La Rana”- Carlos Alberto Oliva Castillo has been said to use the code name “Z-39”, however, a SEDENA press release indicates that he began his criminal career in 2005 under “El Mamito”.

9. “Z-40”- Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales was originally a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa and eventually absorbed into Los Zetas, at which point he was considered a Cobra Viejo. It is likely his original code name was “L-40” which was changed to “Z-40”

10. “Z-41”- José Treviño Morales was originally a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa and eventually absorbed into Los Zetas. It is likely his original code name was “L-41” which was changed to “Z-41”

11. “Z-42”- Óscar Omar Treviño Morales was originally a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa and eventually absorbed into Los Zetas, at which point he was considered a Cobra Viejo. It is likely his original code name was “L-42” which was changed to “Z-42”

12. “Z-43”- José María or Carlos Guízar Valencia was born November 1, 1979 in Tulare, California. Also known as “El Charly”, it seems unlikely he was ever in the Mexican military and probably was a later addition to Los Zetas, although it is possible he was a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa.

13. “Z-47”- Believed to be Juan Carlos López Sánchez, it is possible that he was originally a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa and eventually absorbed into Los Zetas, where he adopted the code name “Z-47”.

14. “El Talibán”- Iván Velázquez Caballero was originally a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa and eventually absorbed into Los Zetas, where he adopted the code name “Z-50” and was considered a Cobra Viejo.

15. “El Talibán 2”- Juan Daniel Velázquez Caballero, also known as “El Talibancillo” was originally a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa and eventually absorbed into Los Zetas, where he adopted the code name “Z-52”  and was considered a Cobra Viejo.

16. “El Chuta”- Jorge López Pérez is a relatively well known member of Los Zetas and a military deserter, however, he joined the organization sometime in 2003.

17. Rafael Martínez- According to La Jornada in October 2012 “Of the initial group of Los Zetas, only Rafael Martínez and the brothers Miguel Ángel and Omar Treviño remain at large; the rest have been arrested or killed”. In November 2013, Animal Politico reported “Of the original list of 30 most wanted Zetas, which was released in 2004, there is only one fugitive: Rafael Martínez, of whom there is very little information and it is not known which organization he works for”. In all likelihood they are referring to a member of Los Zetas that joined after the fall of 2001, possibly Rafael “El Oso” Martínez Nájera.

18. “El Chicles”- Alfredo Rangel Buendia was originally a member of Grupo L under Héctor Manuel “El Karis” Sauceda Gamboa with the code name “L-46”.

19. “El Chabelo”- Benjamin Torres Sosa was born March 31, 1969 in Guadalupe, Zacatecas. While he appeared on a list of 42 cartel members, the vast majority of which were old members of Los Zetas, he may have been a member of the CDG instead.

20. “El Guano”- Luis Sánchez appeared on a list of 42 cartel members, the vast majority of which were old members of Los Zetas, though he may have been a member of the CDG instead.

21. “La Mascarita”- Álvaro Sánchez Esteban appeared on a list of 42 cartel members, the vast majority of which were old members of Los Zetas, yet he may have been a member of the CDG instead.

22. “Materiales de Guerra Uno”- Marcelino del Moral Ramírez is listed in Contralinea reporting of the early days of Los Zetas, yet it is unclear in his placement if he was a member of Los Zetas or the CDG. 

23. “El Polo”- Leopoldo Flores Soto appeared on a list of 42 cartel members, the vast majority of which were old members of Los Zetas, yet it is known that he worked under “El Gordo Mata” and was likely a notable member of the CDG instead.

24. Nereo Mejía Quintana- While he is listed in Contralinea reporting of the early days of Los Zetas, from his placement it is unclear if he was a member of Los Zetas or the CDG.

25. Fernando López Trejo- Born April 11, 1971. According to Proceso he was identified by the PGR as a high ranking member of Los Zetas in 2003 but it is unclear at what point he joined.

26. Ismael Marino Ortega Galicia- born May 31, 1974 in San Gabriel Chilac, Puebla. He joined the military in 1991 and left in 1999 to become an Agencia Federal de Investigación (AFI) agent. He would be indicted by the United States, who considered him a high ranking member of Los Zetas, but it is unclear at one point he joined the cartel.

27. “El Piojo”- Ramón Ulises Carvajal Reyes was born in 1974. According to Proceso he was identified by the PGR as a high ranking member of Los Zetas in 2003 but it is unclear at what point he joined.

28. Alejandro Pérez Mancilla- Born December 23, 1974 in Reynosa, Tamaulipas. According to Proceso he was identified by the PGR as a high ranking member of Los Zetas in 2003 but it is unclear at what point he joined.

29. Arturo Muro González- Born May 16, 1973 in Cuiliacan, Sinaloa. According to Proceso he was identified by the PGR as a high ranking member of Los Zetas in 2003 but it is unclear at what point he joined.

30. Ismael Flotes Téllez- According to Proceso he was identified by the PGR as a high ranking member of Los Zetas in 2003 but it is unclear at what point he joined. 

31. Rubén Alejandro Valenzuela Zúñiga- According to Proceso he was identified by the PGR as a high ranking member of Los Zetas in 2003 but it is unclear at what point he joined. 

32. Armando Flores Arreola- According to Proceso he was identified by the PGR as a high ranking member of Los Zetas in 2003 but it is unclear at what point he joined.

A special thanks to BJeff/LeChef and Morogris/MX whose previous research has guided this and previous articles.