MCALLEN, Texas – An apparent alliance by four different cartels could mean a shift in power in the ongoing violent struggle that has led to Mexico becoming one of the most violent countries in the world.
According to Mexican media reports, the top leaders of the Zetas, the Carrillo Fuentes (Juarez Cartel), the Beltrán Leyva and the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion met recently in the city of Piedras Negras Coahuila where they discussed a possible alliance.
The reports show a who’s who of the drug trafficking underworld, with Omar (Z42) Treviño Morales, his right hand man who has only been identified as Z43, representing the Zetas, Vicente “El Viceroy” Carrillo Fuentes the head of the Juarez Cartel, Nemesio “El Mencho” Cervantes the leader of the CJNG, and Fausto Isidro “El Chapo Isidro” Meza, the second in command of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel.
With the exception of the Zetas who are one of the largest cartels, the Beltrán Leyva and the Juarez organizations have been on the decline in recent years. The CJNG was part of the Sinaloa federation and one point went by the name of the Mata-Zetas because they had been specifically targeting that criminal organization.
Currently Mexican authorities have been focusing on the Gulf Cartel in the border state of Tamaulipas leaving the Zetas largely unchecked.
“If the reports of talks of an alliance between these groups are legitimate, then this is very bad news for the Sinaloa Federation and the Gulf cartel,” said Breitbart Contributing Editor and Border Security Expert Sylvia Longmire. “Even though these groups have been enemies at one point or another, those animosities can go away quickly — and begin to develop as well — when it’s convenient. For example, the CJNG was a strong ally of the Sinaloa Federation until it felt the grass was greener on the other side of the fence about a year ago and went independent. “
The series of rivalries and alliances is a repeating story similar to the one between the Sinaloa and Gulf Cartels who in the early 2000’s used to be bitter rivals, however by 2010 the two had joined forces to take on the Zetas, Longmire said.
“If this works out, Los Zetas will be running the show because there’s not much left of the Juárez cartel and the Beltrán Leyva Organization, she said. “They need a lot of help to stay in the game, and the CJNG and Los Zetas play the game the same way — very brutal and force first before negotiation. No good can come of this alliance, for either the Gulf or Sinaloa cartels or the levels of drug-related violence near our southwest border.
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