Los Chapitos Threaten FESC Officials Through Handwritten Banner In Mexicali, Baja California

 "Enojon" For Borderland Beat

Image By: Villalugo Informa (Image of banner hanging from pedestrian bridge)

On July 31st, a handwritten banner was discovered along a pedestrian in the Nuevo Mexicali community of Mexicali, Baja California that threatened officials of the State Citizen Security Force or 'FESC' to stop an unknown agreement with 'Los Rusos,' a criminal cell operating under the 'Mayo Zambada' faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, or face being targeted in a "purge". 

Image By: Reporte Ciudadano en Mexicali (Pedestrian bridge where the banner was discovered)

The banner, placed around 7.5 miles from the facilities of the Attorney General's Office or 'FGE' (Coordinates: 32.61034392515877, -115.38661825059138), claimed the following officials were actively receiving payments from the criminal organization through two individuals identified as Arambula Limon and Robles Valenzuela: 

• Samuel Israel Ceballos Soto, FESC Director as of January 1st, 2023. 
• Lopez R, the FESC Sub Director.
• Rodrigo Rodriguez Ortiz, the Mexicali Regional Commander of the FESC as of February 1st, 2023. 
• Rosiles Hidalgo, an FESC Sub Commander.
• Anguiano Arredondo, an FESC Sub Commander. 

We were only able to confirm the active employment of Samuel Israel Ceballos Soto and Rodrigo Rodriguez Ortiz based of publicly searchable records, a translation of the message is as follows: 

“Director [Samuel Israel] Ceballos Soto, Sub Director López R. and [Commander Rodrigo] Rodriguez Ortiz. Sub Commanders Rosiles Hidalgo and Anguiano Arredondo of the FESC, this is the first [warning], stop your agreements with ‘Los Rusos’, we know money is being sent by Arámbula Limón and Robles Valenzuela, stop…or we’ll start the [purge] with you.

Sincerely,

La [Chapiza]”

The term "Chapiza", which is often paired with an image of a pizza, is in reference to the Sinaloa Cartel and has been repeatedly used in support of the criminal organization from its use in banners, tags on walls, or in social media posts published by active members or known affiliated accounts. The term would be further popularized by its modified use in the Fuerza Regida and Natanael Cano song 'Ch y la Pizza' who glorifies the criminal organization and mentions principal criminal figures such as Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera 'El Chapo'. 

Other groups have coopted a modified form of the term such as 'La Mayiza' in reference to the Mayo Zambada faction, and ‘La Primisa’ in reference to César Morfin Morfin ‘El Primito,’ leader of the ‘Los Metros’ cell of the Gulf Cartel (CDG). 

Image By: Infobae (Still image of a post from the yahir_saldivar01 Instagram account)

As previously mentioned, the term is usually seen paired with an image of a pizza which has the added benefit of subverting social media censorship, allowing active members or affiliated accounts to publish propaganda with impunity. 

According to the news publication El Imparcial,  a meeting was formed between María Elena Andrade Ramírez, the Attorney General of Baja California, and Leopoldo Tizoc Aguilar Durán, the head of the Secretariat of Citizen Security of Baja California, following the discovery of the banner. Although what was discussed in the meeting has not been disclosed, Ramírez would state that a channel of communication between the security agencies has been established and that information is being reviewed including the work of the mentioned officials, but mentioned that the Attorney General's Office lacks the authority to investigate incidents in relation to organized crime. 

Sources: Hyperlinked In Text

Categories: baja california, cartel de sinaloa, cartel del golfo, CDS, gulf cartel, Los Rusos, Mayo Zambada, mexicali, narco banner, Narcomanta, police