HOUSTON, Texas — The long standing war between the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas may be over or almost over.
A document Breitbart Texas obtained from Mexican federal law enforcement claimed that the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel had ended their quarrel and had joined forces as the Old School Gulf Cartel. The term old school refers to the time during the 1990’s and 2000’s when the Gulf Cartel was the leading criminal organization in Mexico.
Los Zetas began as the security detail of a former Gulf Cartel boss during the early 2000’s and over time grew to become an independent criminal organization. In 2010 the two crime syndicates went to war over lucrative drug territories leading to massive shootouts throughout Mexico particularly in Northern Tamaulipas.
Beheadings, mutilations and gory execution videos became the norm as the two cartels fought for control. The fighting resulted in a massive attrition within the two cartels as well as others that took sides in the fight leading to younger inexperienced and rash cartel bosses taking the lead. The communique which was leaked on Tuesday warns of an internal cleanup within the two organizations in order to bring about peace.
“The Old School Gulf Cartel and Zetas are present we will not make any more mistakes and we will depurate from our ranks those that want to work with lies and abuses,” the document leaked to Breitbart Texas states.
“Don’t worry, don’t be paranoid this will soon be over this is a rearrangement. Soon the extortions kidnappings right of way will end. There will be peace.”
While the information in the document cannot be completely verified through independent sources, Mexican law enforcement agencies also received the document but would not comment on the content. The timing of the announcement follows a series of important changes in the Mexican underworld.
The announcement of the purported alliance comes just months after the Mexican courts released from prison of Rogelio “El Kelin” Pizana (Zeta-2) from federal prison even though he was supposed to serve a 16-year sentence. Pizana is the last Zeta boss remaining from the Old School, the time when the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas were one.
Mexican law enforcement sources claim to have sighted Pizana, who has no criminal charges pending in Mexico, in northern Tamaulipas.
Follow Ildefonso Ortiz on Twitter @ildefonsoortiz