CDG Chismes: The Lastes Upticks

By Itzli. 

Here we are for our third installment of CDG chismes, where I break down the latest online news, rumors, and gossip about the Cártel del Golfo (CDG, Gulf Cartel) and try to put it in context. I had planned on doing these periodically as I felt “needed” but I definitely didn’t expect to write another one so soon. Let’s dive in. 

Maps

Earlier this week MennyValdz, who has not only been active on Twitter for over a decade but is behind two blogs: "EPOCAVIOLENTA" SabiaCalle and BITACORA EPOCAVIOLENTA aka Menytimes Blog, posted a couple of maps that I wanted to share. 

The San Luis Potosí map is an update to a map he published in December 2023 and when it’s all said and done not much has changed with the exception of the diminished power of Los Alemanes and a bit of expansion on the part of the CDG Matamoros Faction/Los Escorpiones. 

Then there’s the latest version of Tamaulipas, updating maps from January 2024 and December 2023. Is this 100% accurate? Most likely not but it definitely gives a perspective to consider.

CDN & Metros Fighting

With the end of the ceasefire between the Los Metros Faction of the CDG and the Cártel del Noreste (CDN) there have been new videos of fighting between them. There’s not much information on that one, but this one is said to have taken place between El Nogalito and Los López and supposedly two armored vehicles from the forces of “Galleta” from Miguel Aleman won against eight CDN armored vehicles. Another allegedly took place in Los Guerra with it said that Los Metros are also making incursions into Los Aldamas, which has been controlled by the CDN.

Government Operations

On Monday, March 24th several roadblocks popped up around Diaz Ordaz when government officials got into a shootout with Los Metros under the command of “El Pirata” and his right hand man, “El Cherry”. Seven armored vehicles were seized in the operation and there were claims that “El Pirata” was killed but it was later said that this was false. The real name of “El Pirata” is said to be Jaime Peña and he was recently mentioned as head of plaza in Diaz Ordaz; back in April 2023 he was described as being in charge of trafficking migrants in Miguel Aleman.

One or two additional operation took place against Los Metros: a report on March 25th stated that five vehicles, three of which were armored, were seized in Reynosa and a report of eight vehicles, three of which were armored “monstruos” were seized just west of Reynosa, which appears to be a general staging ground for operations in Diaz Ordaz and Tamaulipas/Nuevo León in general. 

A major drug bust took place in San Fernando, with it reported on March 26th that 215 kilograms of methamphetamines was being shipped from Jalisco to McAllen, Texas. That same day it was reported that three vehicles were seized in Valle Hermoso and from the pictures it looks like one was an armored “monstruo” and another was in the process of being constructed.

Río Bravo

In my first “chisme” article from the end of February I mentioned how there had been rumors of a ceasefire being negotiated between the Matamoros Faction and Los Metros. I guess I missed it going into effect because a number of people are mentioning it online recently and the reason is several days of activity in the Río Bravo area as the Matamoros Faction is apparently targeting Guardia Estatal (GE) forces.

Gunshots were reported in Río Bravo on Sunday, March 23rd but it was rumored that it was actually some drunk members of the GE doing it. The next day a convoy of cartel forces was reported heading toward Nuevo Progreso from Canales. That evening the GE was attacked between Río Bravo and Matamoros and thereafter cartel forces dropped road spikes throughout the area, including Nuevo Progreso, Rigo Tovar, and Lucio Blanco. It was later said that cartel forces had been attacking GE forces arriving in Río Bravo that apparently had not been corrupted. Blockades occurred on Wednesday night, March 26th, including Lucio Blanco, as cartel forces traveled the area. A major storm system went through the area on Thursday, March 27th and a lot of flooding occurred so we should expect things to calm down for a bit.

Allende-Linares

Okay, I’m getting bored with my own article so let’s get to the good stuff that made me want to write in the first place. When we talk about the CDG we usually focus on Tamaulipas and it’s only been fairly recently that I’ve brought up the northeast part of Nuevo León. One thing that gets overlooked all too often is the cartel activity southeast of Monterrey, particularly in the stretch from Ciudad de Allende to Montemorelos to Linares. 

Back in the spring of 2023 it was said that Allende was where members of Los Metros would hide out. In July of that year Linares, which lies on a migrant trafficking route from Matehuala, San Luis Potosí to Camargo/Miguel Aleman via China, Nuevo León, became a battleground as CDN forces under “Comandante Pollo” began attacking the Fuerza Civil there, having linked up with “La Cotorra”, a former member of the Sinaloa Cartel that operated in Galeana. It appears that the CDN was contesting control of Linares with the San Fernando Faction of the CDG which is made up of Los Sierra, Zetas Vieja Escuela (ZVE), and Los Panteras. In November 2023 the San Fernando Faction is said to have sent forces from Méndez, Tamaulipas to Linares and several locations in northeast Nuevo León. Similarly, a convoy of “monstruos” being sent to Linares from Burgos and San Fernando were said to have been spotted in Ejido Lucio Blanco, Tamaulipas in July 2024, apparently to reinforce fighting against the CDN under the command of “Franky Esqueda”.

In September 2024 the CDN seems to have added forces to Linares as well as Hualahuiches, Montemorelos, and General Teràn. Around this time it was said that Operativa Fénix of Los Metros was operating in Linares and Jose “El Zombie”, who operated in this area, fell on November 20, 2024. Two weeks later, 9 members of Los Metros were arrested in the area. On January 12, 2024 the mayor’s office in Galeana was shot and roadblocks appeared along with trailers set on fire between Linares and Hualahuiches. Thereafter, it was reported that “El Cotorra” had been killed

It was reported that last week a convoy of cartel gunmen attacked police officers in Allende and on Saturday, March 22nd seven members of Los Metros were reported to have been arrested in Linares. That evening it was reported that cartel members attacked officials in Allende and Linares. On Monday, March 24th an armed clash between cartel gunmen and the Fuerza Civil in Montemorelos was said to have left eight dead. The following day word spread that the rural town of Raynoes, Nuevo León was being abandoned over the past two weeks due to cartel violence.

Return of Los Fresitas

Okay so we’re up to speed, we have an area of Nuevo León that has been contested by the CDN and Los Metros/San Fernando Factions of the CDG for quite some time but here’s where the gossip gets juicy, members of Los Fresitas are allegedly involved in the latest “uptick” of violence in the area.

Back in April 2014 a conflict in Tampico was just starting which would lead to the formation of Los Rojos, also known as Los Fresitas, under the command of R1, Silvestre “El Chive” Haro Rodriguez, who was arrested in August 2015 and his brother R2, Antonio “El Toñin” Haro Rodriguez, who was arrested in April 2016. Since then Tampico has been under the control of R3, Héctor Crescencio “El Teto” de León Fonseca but here’s the thing, in Mexico you never know when people are quietly released from prison.

Guess who’s back? In October 2020 it was said that “El Toñin” had been out of jail since mid-2018. In October 2019 a person claiming to be the daughter of “El Chive” implied that he was either out of jail or would be getting out soon. In July 2021 it was said that the brothers were wanting to overthrow R3 and rumors that “El Chive” was being backed by someone in the CJNG. In October 2022 it was claimed that “El Chive” was in San Luis Potosí, in February 2023 it was said that “El Toñin” was fighting the CDN in Los Metros territory, and in December 2023 that they both were “flirting” with Los Metros.

This all ties back to the attack on police officers in Allende last week. The rumor is that “El Toñin” was behind it and is being backed by the CJNG, which was echoed again on the 27th. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for confirmation.

Odds and Ends

I already wrote an article about this so I won’t rehash everything but CDG Matamoros Faction cell leader José Francisco “Alfa 1” Contreras Gómez that operated in Guanajuato and Querétaro was arrested last week. He was on my radar when I wrote part 13 of the CDG Matamoros series and I’ve tried digging into his arrest in 2008 but haven’t had any luck; I’m really curious where it took place and if he was presented as a CDG member then.

Same goes with the death of Mario Armando “El Pelón” Ramírez Treviño, it was awesome that Char got the scoop and pushed me to help write up the news before any other media reported it.

That’s it for now so let’s get the conversation rolling on the comments or feel free to hit me up at itzli.borderland.beat@gmail.com