Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas and Coahuila to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by Coahuila’s “JM Martinez” and Breitbart Texas’ Ildefonso Ortiz.
PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Coahuila — A Mexican appeals court has ordered the release of nine police officers from this border city that had been convicted of working for Los Zetas, the murderous Mexican drug cartel controlling portions of the Texas-Mexico border.
The surprise move took place this week when a five judge panel from the Coahuila Superior Tribunal revoked the original sentences that had been set by Judge Victor Manuel Reyes Caldera after their conviction. The charge that the cops had been prosecuted under is “facilitation of a crime” and is commonly called “halconeo” or hawking in reference to the cartel lookouts known as “halcones” or hawks.
The move by the higher court judges raised even more eyebrows since according to Coahuila Attorney General’s Office’s (PGJE) Delegate Everado Javier Lazo Chapa. the nine narco-cops were released without notifying the PGJE. Since prosecutors were not notified of the move, they were not able to appeal the decision made by the judges.
The nine previously convicted narco-cops were identified as former public safety director Felix Alberto Lopez Salinas, the public safety sub-director Enresto Valadez, and officers Noe Santillan, Carlos Ramon Maldonado, Liliana Guerrero Garcia, Ernesto Montelongo Dominguez, Nancy Nataly Moreno Contreras, Ernestina Rodriguez Melchor and Jesus Vara Rivas. All of the officers spent a year and 15 days in the Piedras Negras prison (CERESO) before their release by the judges.
Information provided to Breitbart Texas revealed that the officers would not only act as lookouts for Los Zetas and would at time help them coordinate or even carry out operations and kidnappings. Officials believe the newly released cartel operatives may have information as to multiple other crimes that took place in Piedras Negras.
The cops would use the social media application Whatsapp to communicate with Los Zetas during work hours.
The release of the cops sends the wrong message to the rest of the country where police officers can become involved with organized crime and nothing will happen, said Piedras Negras mayor Fernando Puron.
“I was determined to clean up the Piedras Negras police and i found information to try and sentence these municipal officer who were hawking me, the (Mexican) Navy and the (Mexican) Army.” Puron said. “Whoever took this decision is sending a very bad message to the public security of Mexico and a message of support to organized crime and the bad police officers like these … No pasa nada.”