He used all of the forces at his command to give H-2 complete control of drug trafficking in the state: according to witnesses in Compostela, for example, every week Polica Nayarit officers would escort a truck full of H-2 gunmen into their town to help them to disappear people. Veytia also made sure that any H-2 members who were arrested were always quickly freed. Instead, they changed form, as murders, disappearances, abduction, extorsion and land thefts were carried out, may be investigated and, if appropriate, charged, https://www.noria-research.com/the-youngsters-are-masters-of-opium/. 21 das de prueba gratuita de nuestro curso de francs online, Mejore su ingls con EL PAS con 15 minutos al da, Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas, Mejore su italiano con EL PAS con 15 minutos al da, Las mejores oportunidades hablan alemn. Some 200 armed men had They were members of the police force of the neighboring state of San Luis Potosi who had been reported missing hours earlier. Click here to receive our twice-monthly newsletter. Web(Video) Suspected Members of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) Carried Out a Shooting Attack on a Tourist Police Patrol, Guayabitos, Nayarit, Mexico 04 January Far from a law enforcement hero, however, Edgar Veytia was in fact the very picture of a miscreant. The Beltrn Leyva organization were Sinaloans who had once controlled trafficking in Nayarit and several other areas of western Mexico as part of the wider Sinaloa cartel, until a violent break with El Chapo Guzmn and his allies in 2008the same year that Sandoval and Veytia assumed positions in Tepics municipal government. Cartel violence is raging in Mexico - should you cancel your trip? When Sandoval acceded to the state governorship he named Veytia the states assistant attorney general but never appointed anyone as head of the state justice department, leaving Veytia its de facto chief. Although the drug trade in Nayarit operated with the direct involvement of government representatives at all levels, the army occasionally attacked traffickers and often arrested, tortured and/or imprisoned peasants caught cultivating poppies and marijuana. WebA commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers Authorities report confrontation in Guayabitos, within the Nayarit "The bullets were entering the restaurant.". Juan Francisco Patrns brother Jess, who also played a leading role in the organization, was arrested six years ago. Days after the June 24 shootout, authorities found two more corpses, raising the death count to 20. Motorists reported on social networks the closure of federal highway 200 in the town of rsula Galvn, where barriers were reported, forcing people to turnaround. TIJUANA.- Mnica Jimnez, a member of the Coastal Zone Citizen Security Committee, denounces that the assaults on the Tijuana-Rosarito scenic federal highway, such as those that happened recently, are not a new matter, and that every year there is a season in which they happen. When they did, they found 18 bodies in San Juan Capistrano, a small community in Valparaso, Zacatecas. Outbursts of gunfire are common. "It's worth the effort to continue on with this fight," Calderon said. Hctor was arrested in 2014. Ovidio Guzmn was indicted in 2018 by a grand jury in Washington, along with a fourth brother, for the alleged trafficking of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Sam Quinones. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The next morning, a joint force of marines and Veytias officers killed the Beltrn Leyva organizations second-in-command, Daniel Isaac Silva Grate (codenamed H-9), in an ambush in another part of Tepic. One month after the June 24 killings, there have been no arrests. Goods to stock store shelves and medical care frequently dont arrive for fear of cartel roadblocks. Prosecutors said Friday they have arrested a suspect in that killing. After the brutal murder of his family ordered by his boss Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo, Palma engaged in a string of vicious crimes to WebCartels wreak havoc across Mexico in week of 'narco-terrorism' Tourism will account for about 8.3 per cent of Mexico's GDP in 2022, according to the Mexican federal On October 15, Cienfuegos was detained in Los Angeles on charges including conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana in the United States, allegedly working on behalf of the Nayarit-based H-2 Cartel. Cienfuegos denied the charges against him, and after a month of behind-the-scenes wrangling, US attorney general William Barr decided that . 2 dead in dramatic shootout near upscale Mexican resorts Last week, the assistant director of the local prison was gunned down -- along with his wife and his bodyguard -- as he dropped his kids off at a school. WebOn the morning of Saturday, March 20th, a violent shootout was reported in the town of Rincn de Guayabitos, which mobilized the municipal, state as well as federal authorities, On 9 February, Patrn Snchez and seven of his men were killed in a joint operation in suburban Tepic. His sons have reportedly taken over the Sinaloa drug cartel, considered Mexico's most powerful organized crime syndicate. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. And it was from this position that he was able to consolidate a pre-existing relationship with the head of the Beltrn Leyva cartel in NayaritJuan Francisco Patrn Snchez, whose codenameH-2would eventually become shorthand for the criminal organization in the state. Ramon Perez, a retired teacher, says the governor did the right thing in closing the schools. A federal grand jury in New York City charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, import and distribute heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana between 2013 and 2017. 7. She continues working here, but recently moved her belongings to Fresnillo where her daughter and mother live in case she has to quickly leave one day for good. Nayarits hugely important agricultural sector has made the state a natural stronghold of the PRI, and in particular of PRI strongmen of a particularly brash and populist bent; only two non-PRI governors have ever run the state (once between 1999-2005, while in 2017 the state flipped to current president Lpez Obradors insurgent MORENA party), while the PRIs stranglehold on municipal-level politics has been even more complete. Cinco sedes disponibles, Licenciatura Ejecutiva en Derecho. VALPARASO, Mexico (AP) When they heard gunfire in the valley, residents locked their doors and cowered inside their homes. Indeed, Nayarit is Mexicos second biggest exporter of mangoes, and primary producer of tobacco. With the death of H2, 107 have now been arrested or killed. Patrns death comes after increased violence in Nayarit that has seen several killings in the area. According to Mexicos naval secretariat, Juan Francisco Patrn, also known as H2, was a key figure in the Beltrn Leyva cartels operations in the states of Nayarit and Jalisco. That Edgar Veytia was eventually arrested, tried and convicted for his part in this story, and that an arrest warrant has since been issued for Roberto Sandoval, is somewhat heartening. The public safety department in Zacatecas state said the policemens bodies were found Wednesday morning in the state capital, also known as Zacatecas. He grew up a dual citizen in San Diego, California, before heading south into Mexico to begin a career of violent crime. hide caption. Crime "has gone up a little with extortion, with drug sales to foreigners and Mexicans," the prosecutors office said about the raid. With dozens of other people, Garcia took refuge in a low-end clothing store where people can buy $10 soccer jerseys on credit. In Nayarit, he declared, there was no room for organized crime. Homicides fell 75 percent in four years. Public shoot-outs between rival cartel gunmen grew rarer, and by 2016, Nayarit ranked at No 2 on the Mexico Peace Index, and was lauded by President Pea Nieto as an example of PRIista policy success. And at the same time, Patrn Snchez rose up within the ranks of the Beltrn Leyva organization, taking full command of the group after Hctor Beltrn Leyva was arrested in 2014, thus expanding his personal influence beyond Nayarit into parts of Sinaloa, Jalisco, Colima and Guerrero. The lack of control that the country is But their relations with El Chapo cooled off after Alfredo Beltrn Leyva was arrested in January 2008. Yet the fact of General Cienfuegos recent release is testament to the difficulties of obtaining real justice for the people of Nayarit. Nayarits transformation to an estado narco was tied up with the long history of PRI control in the state, and, more specifically, with the nature of Roberto Sandoval Castaedas tenure as state governor between 2011 and 2017which not coincidentally overlapped with General Cienfuegos term as Secretary of Defense during the PRIista administration of President Pea Nieto, from 2012 to 2018. The battle for control of Guanajuato, an industrial and farming hub, have continued despite increased efforts by police and the National Guard to contain the fighting. Indeed, it is in some ways unsurprising that Cienfuegos would be connected with an organization based in Nayarit, where the unique dynamics of local politics, combined with the states low profile as a hub for trafficking, have long permitted a particular brand of what Benjamin Smith has termed narco-populism to flourish. The cartel is now splintered into small, competing gangs. Mexico In Nayarit, he declared, there was no room for organized crime.. BBC News - Mexico gang shootout in Nayarit state kills 28 A 2014 photo of Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn being escorted to a helicopter in Mexico City following his capture. They sometimes beat people or tie them up regardless to instill fear. Bullets ripped through the children's play area at the adjacent Burger King. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC) are dominant in the Nayarit region. According to the national newspaper El Universal, 96 people were killed on Monday alone, the highest daily death toll since Calderon declared war on the cartels in December 2006. Cartel del Golfo The Gulf Cartel and Cartel del Noreste known as Los Zetas by many people, Jones told Fox. They're shooting!' cartel Valparasos mayor could not confirm or deny figures given by some residents that were double that. All of these activities were overseen by his chief ally and enforcer, Edgar Veytia: the same man charged with the local prosecution of the Mexican states war on the drug cartels., State attorney general Veytia was the man who made good on Sandovals promises to halt the killing in Nayarit: the sheriff to the governors cowboy. Further inland is Tepic, the states slightly gritty capital of 330,000, located in an altiplano zone of cane fields and coffee orchards towered over by huge volcanoes. Shortly after the confrontation, gunmen some wearing black masks took off on a rampage, driving through the city in trucks firing heavy caliber weapons. ", Mexico Seems To Favor Sinaloa Cartel In Drug War. There have been signs that the situation in Quintana Roo state, where all the resorts are located, was out of control months ago. Mexicos federal government defends its policy of targeting the root causes of violence poverty, corruption, impunity with social programs while deploying the National Guard and soldiers. In October 2013, Veytia even provided security at a wedding at Santa Mara del Oro lake, where Juan Francisco Patrn Snchez and Hctor Beltrn Leyva, were entertained by famous norteo singer Remmy Valenzuela. Far from a law enforcement hero, however, Edgar Veytia was in fact the very picture of a miscreant. Subsequently, in early 2019, the, Then, in February 2020, and apparently on the basis of, But it now appears that Sandovals was not the only name Veytia shared with U.S. authorities. The bullet-ridden bodies of the cartel members were discovered in the north-central state of Zacatecas. All the businesses locked their doors, Garcia says. This region is difficult to access, sparsely populated, incredibly poor (even by Mexican standards), and predominantly populated by Indigenous Wixrika (Huichol) and Nayari (Cora) people. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Ulyses Ramirez, a cook there, says eight windows shattered but no customers were hurt. Two suspected drug dealers were killed after gunmen from competing gangs staged a dramatic shootout near upscale hotels that sent foreign tourists scrambling for cover. And the killing continued the next day. The government, if it pays attention, can put a stop to everything.. He used all of the forces at his command to give H-2 complete control of drug trafficking in the state: according to witnesses in, In October 2013, Veytia even provided security at a wedding at Santa Mara del Oro lake, where Juan Francisco Patrn Snchez and Hctor Beltrn Leyva, were entertained by famous, Both sides gained from this partnership: Sandoval grew extremely rich, as did Veytia, who earned money from embezzlement, kidnapping, murder-for-hire, extorsion, and the seizure of peasants lands. Hector Parra/AP If Sinaloans dominated the higher echelons of the Nayarits drug trade, from the 1980s growing numbers of Nayarit natives also began to move from drug production into the more profitable business of trafficking. Armed attackers killed 10 people in a pool hall in an industrial region of central Mexico plagued by drug cartel-related violence, authorities said Thursday. Thanks for everything. The battle for Zacatecas is part of the larger war to dominate the fentanyl market, which is the largest source of money for the cartels in the United States, said Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Two suspected drug dealers were killed after gunmen from competing gangs staged a dramatic shootout near upscale hotels that sent foreign tourists scrambling for cover. Nayarit rarely makes the headlines in Mexico, far less in the rest of the world. Rather, it was an organization that not only controlled drug trafficking in Nayarit between 2011 and 2017, but also established close ties with much of the states political elite. How did people fight for their rights back in the 20s? cartel With a total area of a little under 30,000 km2, Nayarit is roughly the size of Massachusetts, and 23rd out of Mexicos 32 federal entities in terms of size. He also said one person suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, but authorities could not determine whether that person was a hotel employee or a guest because they were still undergoing medical treatment. Montes de Oca said eight suspects in the Tulum attack had been detained in possession of firearms. The installed checkpoint stops vehicles at random and performs preventive checks on their occupants at the Boca de Tomates bridge crossing. If this was the case, we can only imagine what Veytia who thanked Sandoval for his intercession with a gift of Spanish horses worth a million dollars and 300 hectares of recently-seized peasant lands gave to the Secretary of Defense in exchange for his support. In 2020 Mexico had the highest number of homicides in the countrys history, there were 17,439 murders, a 1.7% increase but most of the deaths in Mexico are due to fighting between cartels and if you are not part of the cartel then you are probably safe. The day they (soldiers) leave, we know from experience that quickly the criminal groups are going to fight over territory, said Eleuterio Ramos, Valparasos worried mayor. A detective who apparently was investigating the shootout and was pulled out of Valparaso for his safety was later killed. Some people were locked in the supermarket for more than a hour. "Sol Prendido" and "HEARST" for Borderland Beat In Colima, a video shows CJNG hitmen interrogating a CDS member who alle "Ivan" for Borderland Beat Guano Guzman & Seor Guzman News started to emerge on Friday, February 24, 2023 that a joint fede "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat The aftermath of an armed attack comes into view. There were 15 days that we didnt go out for anything, said Claudina Betancourt, a nurse born in San Juan Capistrano. Yet the fact of General Cienfuegos recent release is testament to the difficulties of obtaining real justice for the people of Nayarit. Just five weeks later, however, Veytia miscalculated or was perhaps himself betrayed and on one of his twice-monthly trips to San Diego to visit his family was detained at the US border. For Guadalajara-based Sinaloan capos like Ruperto Beltrn Monzn in the 1960s, Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo in the 1980s, and Hctor El Gero Palma in the early 1990s, maintaining control over Nayarit, whose roads connected their native state with their new homes, was therefore doubly important. A national newspaper reported that on Monday 96 people were assassinated in drug-related violence across the country the highest daily death toll since Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels in December 2006. He became municipal president of Tepic in 2008, and succeeded Gonzlez to the state governorship in 2011, using the PRIs impressive local political machine, together with a carefully cultivated cowboy image, and assurances that only he could put a stop to the violence then wracking the state, to appeal to Nayarits beleaguered and predominantly rural electorate. Until, that is, a helicopter-load of marines dropped out of the skies, sparking a fierce battle with the Polica Nayarit, which gave Veytias most important guests enough time to escape. [4] Nathaniel Morris, Now the Youngsters are Masters of the Opium Harvest: Opium, Agriculture and Indigenous Identity in the Sierra of Nayarit, NORIA Research, 20 September 2020 [https://www.noria-research.com/the-youngsters-are-masters-of-opium/] In the tourist town of Taxco, south of Mexico City, soldiers fought a 40-minute gun battle with alleged cartel hitmen that left 15 people dead. The authorities didnt arrive until the next day. He did not rule out that there were deaths, according to The Associated Press. Montes de Oca's office said earlier in a statement that "there was a clash between rival groups of drug dealers on a beach" near the hotels. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); All Rights Reserved The Yucatan Times 2020, Merida number one in the preference for Easter vacations, US Ambassador Ken Salazar says the USMCA achieved Teslas investment in Mexico, Lpez Obrador accuses opponents of exaggerating minister Yasmn Esquivels case, German circus replaces wild animals with holograms, Maya indigenous tourist guide speaks 4 languages fluidly, Battle for water in Yucatan: there are big challenges to ensure the supply, Rhythmic gymnastics team will compete in Yucatan Cup, Worlds second-largest blue hole found off the Yucatan Peninsula shores, Cine Mvil ToTo: dates and locations in Yucatn. On Tuesday, he gave a passionate televised address to the nation calling on Mexicans to join in the fight against organized crime. Finally, Mexicos largest mountain range, the Sierra Madre Occidental, completely dominates the western third of the state. Soon Veytia expanded into trafficking drugs himself. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star The following years were even bloodier, and not just for civilians: numerous police officers were also murdered, including a municipal police chief in the Sierra, and two active members of Nayarits Preventative Police Force and one-time close associates of Edgar Veytia. The strategies that the Mexican government has implemented over the last 15 years have not worked, he said. In less than eight years, he went from self-proclaimed rags to being one of Nayarits richest men, or, to use a measure more in keeping with his cowboy image, from having two horses, [to] 800 pure-bred Andalusians, which he kept on a luxurious 17-hectare ranch complete with an artificial, palm-tree lined lake. The next morning, a joint force of marines and Veytias officers killed the Beltrn Leyva organizations second-in-command, Daniel Isaac Silva Grate (codenamed H-9), in an ambush in another part of Tepic. MEXICO CITY A commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang. Smoke from burning cars rises in Culiacn, Mexico, on Thursday, after an intense gunfight between security forces and gunmen linked to the Sinaloa drug cartel. The story of how that corruption played out in Nayarit brings into focus the interplay between military operations, political maneuvering and drug trafficking. The surge in killings comes as President Felipe Calderon is ramping up efforts to win more public support for the drug war. and the police showed up later and made a big show of showing upand made empty promisesy esta es acabo, Thanks for covering this. Media outlets in Mexico later reported that for government had released the fugitive. Smoke from burning cars rises in Culiacn, Mexico, on Thursday, after an intense gunfight between security forces and gunmen linked to the Sinaloa drug cartel. hide caption. The military has sent reinforcements, but killings continue across Zacatecas: a doctor here, a police officer there, a family hacked to pieces, eight killed at a party, two girls shot along with their parents. It was this indictment that led to the Cienfuegos arrest in the United States and revealed his place in the Nayarit corruption story. To order copies of Several shootings have occurred near schools. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution With a total area of a little under 30,000 km2, Nayarit is roughly the size of Massachusetts, and 23rd out of Mexicos 32 federal entities in terms of size. "There was a lot of panic. In a country that has suffered more than a decade of violence at the hands of powerful drug cartels, the situation in Zacatecas, as well as violence-plagued states like Michoacn and Tamaulipas, shows that neither the head-on drug war launched by former President Felipe Caldern in 2006, nor the softer hugs not bullets approach of current President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador have managed to break Mexicos cycle of violence. The Puerto Morelos shooting comes two weeks after a California travel blogger and a German tourist were killed in a similar shootout in the beach town of Tulum. The killings in Zacatecas came one day after prosecutors in Mexicos most violent state, Guanajuato, reported seven men were shot to death at a mechanics shop. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Plaza Cigarrera looks like a boring strip mall in Tepic, capital of Mexico's Pacific coast state of Nayarit.