La Familia Michoacana

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La Familia Michoacana Cairtel
Foondit2006
Foondin locationMichoacán, Mexico
Years active1980-present[1][2]
TerritoryMexico:
Michoacán, State o Mexico, Jalisco, Baja California, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Colima, Mexico Ceety, Tamaulipas
Unitit States:
Californie, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, (an ither U.S. states)
EthnicityMexican
Creeminal activitiesDrug trokin, fowk smugglin, money launderin, extortion, kidnappin, racketeerin, murther, airms trokin, terrorism, robbery, assault, rape, bribery, prostitution, coonterfeitin, coercion, fencin, mayhem, burglary, polis impersonation[3]
AlliesSinaloa Cairtel, Guwf Cairtel, Milenio Cairtel
RivalsBeltrán-Leyva Cairtel, Los Zetas, Juárez Cairtel, Tijuana Cairtel, Knichts Templar Cairtel

La Familia Michoacana, (Scots: The Michoacan Faimily) La Familia (Scots: The Faimily), or LFM[4] is a Mexican drog cairtel an an organisit creeme syndicate based in the Mexican state o Michoacán.[5] Umwhile alliet tae the Guwf Cairtel—as pairt o Los Zetas[6][7]—it split aff on 2006.[6][8]

The cairtel's anerlie leader, Nazario Moreno González, kent as El Más Loco (Scots: The Craziest Ane),[9] preached his organisation's divine richt tae eliminate enemies. He carriet a "bible" o his awn sayins an insistit that his airmy o trokers an hitmen avoid uisin the narcotics thay sell.[10][11] Nazario Moreno's pairtners wur José de Jesús Méndez Vargas, Servando Gómez Martínez an Enrique Plancarte Solís, each o whom haes a boonty o $2 million for his captur,[12] an wur contestin the control o the organisation.[13]

In Julie 2009 an November 2010, La Familia Michoacana affered tae retreat an even disbaund thair cairtel, "wi the condition that baith the Federal Govrenment, an State an Federal Polis commit tae safeguardin the security o the state o Michoacán."[14] Housomeivver, Preses Felipe Calderón's govrenment refused tae strike a deal wi the cairtel an rejectit thair caws for dialogue. Mairower, accordin tae federal an state soorces, La Familia Michoacana haes been increasingly involvit in Michoacan's politics, impellin thair favorite candidates, financin thair campaigns, an forcin ither pairties tae renoonce thair candidacies.[15][16] La Familia Michoacana still exists the day, despite the killin o its foonder an leader Nazario Moreno González,.[13][13][17][18] It is present mostly in the State o Mexico.[2][19]

History[eedit | eedit soorce]

Mexican analysts believe that La Familia formit in the 1980s wi the statit purpose o bringin order tae Michoacán, emphasizin help an pertection for the poor.[20] In its initial incarnation, La Familia formit as a group o vigilantes, spurred tae pouer tae coonter interlopin kidnappers an drug dealers, who wur thair statit enemies.[20] Syne then, La Familia haes caipitalizit on its reputation, biggin its meeth, pouer an reach tae transition intae a creeminal gang itsel.

La Familia emerged tae the foregrund in the 1990s as the Guwf Cairtel's paramilitar group designed tae seize control o the illegal drug trade in Michoacán state frae rival drug cartels. Trained wi Los Zetas,[21] in 2006 the group splintered aff intae an independent drug traffickin operation. La Familia haed a strang rivalry wi baith Los Zetas an the Beltrán-Leyva Cairtel, but strang tees wi the Sinaloa Cairtel o Joaquín Guzmán Loera. La Familia Michoacana wis ane o the strangest an fastest growin cartels in Mexico.[22]

Efter the daith o Nazario Moreno González, José de Jesús Méndez Vargas (El Chango Méndez) teuk control o the cartel.[13] Housomeivver, his authority wis disputit bi the cartel co-foonders Enrique Plancarte Solís an Servando Gómez Martínez (La Tuta),[17] who formit an affshuit o La Familia cawin itsel Caballeros Templarios (Knights Templar).[13][17][18] Méndez Vargas wis captured on 21 Juin 2011 bi Mexican polis in the state o Aguascalientes.[23] The Mexican Federal Polis declared that the cartel haes been disbandit.[2][19] Housomeivver, the organisation continues tae exercise its pouer an influence throuoot Michoacán an Guerrero states.

References tae releegion[eedit | eedit soorce]

La Familia cartel is whiles describit as quasi-releegious syne its leaders, Moreno González an Méndez Vargas, refer tae thair assassinations an beheidins as "divine juistice"[24] an that thay mey hae direct or indirect tees wi devotees o the New Jerusalem releegious muivement, which is notit for its concern for juistice issues.[25]

La Familia’s boss an spiritual leader Nazario Moreno González, (a.k.a.: El Más Loco or The Craziest One) haes published his awn 'bible',[24][26] an a copy seizit bi Mexican federal agents reveals an ideology that mixes evangelical-style sel help wi insurgent peasant slogans. Moreno González, who wis killed on 9 December 2010,[27][28] seems tae hae based maist o his doctrine on a wirk bi Christian writer John Eldredge, uisin thair awn unnerstaundin o the idea in Eldredge's message that ivery man must hae "a battle tae fecht, a brawness tae rescue an an adventur ae live." The Mexican juistice depairtment statit in a report that Gonzalez Moreno haes made Eldredge's beuk Salvaje de Corazón (Wild at Hert) required readin for La Familia gang members an haes peyed rural teachers an Naitional Development Eddication (CONAFE) tae circulate Eldredge's writins throughoot the Michoacán kintraside.[29][30] La Familia cartel emphasize releegion an faimily values durin recruitment an haes placed banners in auries o operations claimin that it daes no tolerate substance abius or exploitation o weemen an childer. Accordin tae Mexico Public Safety Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna, it recruits members frae drug rehabilitation clinics bi helpin addicts recover an then forcin them intae service for the drug cartel or be killed.[31] Advancement athin the organisation depends as hintle on regular attendance at prayer meetins as on target practice.[10] The cartel gies loans tae farmers, businesses, schools an kirks,[32] an it advertises its benevolence in local newspapers in order tae gain social support.[30]

On 16 Julie 2009, Servando Gómez Martínez (La Tuta), the cartel operations chief, contactit a local radio station an statit: "La Familia wis creatit tae leuk efter the interests o oor fowk an oor faimily. We are a necessary evil," an when asked what La Familia really wantit, Gómez repleed, "The anerlie thing we want is peace an tranquility." Preses Felipe Calderón's govrenment refuses tae strike a deal wi the cartel an rejected thair calls for dialogue.[33][34]

On 20 Aprile 2009, aboot 400 Federal Polis agents raidit a christenin pairty for a baby born tae a cartel member.[35][36] Amang the 44 detained wis Rafael Cedeño Hernández (El Cede), the gang’s seicont in command an in chairge o indoctrinatin the new recruits in the cartel's releegious values, morals an ethics.

Alliances[eedit | eedit soorce]

On Februar 2010, the major cartels aligned in twa factions, ane made up o the Juárez Cairtel, Tijuana Cairtel, Los Zetas an the Beltrán-Leyva Cairtel; the ither faction made up o the Guwf Cairtel, Sinaloa Cairtel an La Familia Michoacana.[37] La Familia Michoacana became a rival o its splinter group Knights Templar.[18] Mexican Attorney General (PGR) reportit that La Familia Cartel wis "exterminatit" bi 2011.[38]

Operations[eedit | eedit soorce]

La Familia haes been kent tae be unuisually violent.[31] Its members uise murther an tortur tae quash rivals, while biggin a social base in the Mexican state o Michoacán. It wis the fastest-growin cartel in the kintra’s drug war an is a releegious cult-lik group that celebrates faimily values.[10][39] In ane incident in Uruapan in 2006, the cartel members tossed five severed heids ontae the dance floor o the Sol y Sombra nicht club alang wi a message that read: "The Faimily doesna kill for money. It doesna kill weemen. It doesna kill innocent fowk, anerlie those who deserve tae dee. Ken that this is divine juistice."[40]

The cartel haes muivit frae smugglin an sellin drugs an turned itsel intae a hintle mair ambitious creeminal organisation which acts as a parallel state in hintle o Michoacán. It extorts "taxes" frae businesses, pays for commonty projects, controls petty creeme, an settles some local disputes.[41] Despite its short history, it haes emergit as Mexico’s lairgest supplier o methamphetamines tae the Unitit States, wi supply channels runnin deep intae the Midwastren Unitit States, an haes increasingly acome involvit in the distribution o cocaine, marijuana, an ither narcotics. Michael Braun, umwhile DEA chief o operations, states that it operates "superlabs" in Mexico capable o producin up tae 100 poonds o meth in aicht oors. Housomeivver, accordin tae DEA offeecials, it claims tae oppose the sale o drugs tae Mexicans.[31] It sauld piratit DVDs an aw, smuggles fowk tae the Unitit States, an runs a debt-collectin service bi kidnappin defaulters. Acause aftentimes thay uise fak an whiles oreeginal uniforms o several polis agencies, maist o thair kidnap victims are stoppit unner false pretenses o routine inspections or report o stolen vehicles, an then taken hostage.

La Familia haes bocht some local politeecians.[42] 20 municipal offeecials hae been murthert in Michoacán, includin twa mayors. Haein established its authority, it then names local polis chiefs.[43] On Mey 2009, the Mexican Federal Polis detained 10 mayors o Michoacán an 20 ither local offeecials suspectit o bein associatit wi the cartel.[42]

On 11 Julie 2009, a cartel lieutenant—Arnoldo Rueda Medina—wis arrestit; La Familia members attackit the Federal Polis station in Morelia tae try tae gain freedom for Rueda shortly efter his arrest. Durin the attacks, twa sodgers an three federal polismen wur killed.[44] When that failed, cartel members attackit Federal Polis installations in at least a hauf-dozen Michoacán ceeties in retribution.[45]

Three days later, on 14 Julie 2009, the cartel torturit an murthert twal Mexican Federal Polis agents an dumpit thair bodies alang the side o a muntain heich-gate alang wi a written message: "So that you come for anither. We will be waitin for you here." [45] The federal agents war investigating crime in Michoacán state;[46] Preses Calderón, respondit tae the violence bi dispatchin additional 1,000 Federal Polis officers tae the aurie. The infusion, which mair nor tripled the nummer o Federal Polis officers patrollin Michoacán, angered Michoacán Govrenor Leonel Godoy Rangel, who cried it 'an occupation' an said he haed no been consultit. Days later, 10 municipal polis officers wur arrestit in connection wi the slayins o the 12 federal agents.[45]

The govrenor's hauf-brither Julio César Godoy Toscano, who wis electit o 5 Julie 2009 tae the lawer hoose o Congress, wis accused tae be a tap-rankin member o La Familia Michoacana drug cartel an o providin poleetical pertection for the cartel.[45][47] Based on thir charges, on 14 December 2010, Godoy Toscano wis impeached frae the lawer hoose o Congress an therefore lost his parliamentar immunity; he fled an remains a fugitive.

Preses Calderón statit that the kintra's drug cartels haed grown sae pouerful that thay nou posed a threat tae the futur o Mexican democracy. His strategy o direct confrontation an law enforcement is no popular wi some segments o Mexican society, whaur battlin violent drug gangs haes brocht oot several human richts chairges against the Mexican militar.[48]

Project Coronado[eedit | eedit soorce]

On 22 October 2009, U.S. federal authorities annooncit the results o a fower-year investigation intae the operations o La Familia Michoacana in the Unitit States dubbit Project Coronado. It wis the lairgest U.S. raid iver against Mexican drog cairtels operatin in the U.S.[49][50] In 19 different states, 303 individuals wur taken intae custody in a coordinatit effort bi local, state, an federal law enforcement ower a twa-day period. Seizit durin the arrestin phase wis ower 62 kilogram (137 lb) o cocaine, 330 kilogram (730 lb) o methamphetamine, 440 kilogram (970 lb) o marijuana, 144 wappens, 109 vehicles, twa clandestine drug laboratories, an $3.4 million in U.S. currency.[49][51]

Syne the stairt o "Project Coronado", the investigation haes led tae the arrest o mair nor 1,186 fowk an the seizur o approximately $33 million. Oweraw, amaist 2 metric ton (2.2 short ton) o cocaine, 1,240 kilogram (2,730 lb) o methamphetamine, 13 kilogram (29 lb) o heroin, 7,430 kilogram (16,380 lb) o marijuana, 389 wappens, 269 vehicles, an the twa drug labs wur seizit.[49]

Multi-agency investigations sic as Project Coronado wur the key tae disruptin the operations o complex creeminal organisations lik La Familia. The investigative efforts in Project Coronado wur coordinatit bi the multi-agency Special Operations Division, comprisin agents an analysts frae the DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigration an Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs an Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service an ATF, as well as attorneys frae the Criminal Division's Narcotic an Dangerous Drug Section. Mair nor 300 federal, state, local an foreign law enforcement agencies contributit investigative an prosecutorial resoorces tae Project Coronado throu the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.[52]

Project Delirium[eedit | eedit soorce]

In Julie 2011, the Unitit States Depairtment o Juistice annoonced that a 20-month lang operation, kent as "Project Delirium" haed resulted in mair nor 221 arrests o La Familia cartel members in the Unitit States, alang wi significant seizurs o cash, cocaine, heroin, an methamphetamine. Ootside o the Unitit States, the operation resultit in the arrest o mair nor 1,900 members. Cartel members wur arrestit athort the Unitit States, an face chairges in Alabama, Californie, Colorado, Georgie, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas an Washington, DC.[53] This annooncement came juist a month efter Mexican authorities annooncit the captur o cartel leader, José de Jesús Méndez Vargas.[54]

See an aw[eedit | eedit soorce]

References[eedit | eedit soorce]

  1. ↑ Aurora Vega (2 November 2011). "Templarios dominan Michoacán, donde habrá elecciones el día 13". Excelsior (in Spanish). Excelsior. Retrieved 10 Februar 2012.CS1 maint: unrecognised leid (link)
  2. ↑ a b c "Surgieron cuatro grupos del narco en 2011; el chapo es el mas poderoso". Narcotrafico en Mexico (in Spanish). 7 August 2011. Retrieved 11 Februar 2012.CS1 maint: unrecognised leid (link)
  3. ↑ McCAUL, MICHAEL T. "A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border" (PDF). HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY. Archived frae the original (PDF) on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  4. ↑ "Detienen en Ecatepec a 6 de LFM". La Policiaca. Archived frae the original on 7 Apryle 2012. Retrieved 20 Juin 2012.
  5. ↑ La Familia Michoacana Fact Sheet Archived 2012-07-22 at the Wayback Machine DEA
  6. ↑ a b "La Familia, un cartel que se volvió un Estado paralelo". Mercosurnoticias.com. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  7. ↑ "En el imperio de La Familia Michoacana". Impre.com. Archived frae the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  8. ↑ "Mexico offers $2m for drug lords". BBC News. 24 Mairch 2009. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  9. ↑ "A Mexican Cartel's Swift and Grisly Climb". The Washington Post. 13 Juin 2009. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  10. ↑ a b c Tuckman, Jo (5 Julie 2009). "Teetotal Mexican drugs cartel claims divine right to push narcotics". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  11. ↑ Sergio Flores (12 December 2010). "Mexicans march in support of 'Craziest' kingpin". Associated Press. Retrieved 14 December 2010.[deid airtin]
  12. ↑ "Mexico offers $2 million for top drug lords". El Paso Times. 23 Mairch 2009. Archived frae the original on 23 November 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  13. ↑ a b c d e "Prevén arrecie lucha por lugar del 'Chayo' en Michoacán". Reforma (in Spanish). Terra. 29 Mey 2011. Archived frae the original on 1 Juin 2011. Retrieved 29 Mey 2011.CS1 maint: unrecognised leid (link)
  14. ↑ Ovemex. "La Familia Michoacana Retreats, Offers to Disband". Borderland Beat. Archived frae the original on 19 Juin 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  15. ↑ "Matan a alcalde mexicano antes de elecciones en su estado". 3 November 2011. Fox News Latino. Archived frae the original on 16 Juin 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  16. ↑ "Los Caballeros Templarios responsables del asesinato del Alcalde Ricardo Guzmán". Noticias 40. 5 November 2011.
  17. ↑ a b c "Archived copy". Archived frae the original on 25 Juin 2011. Retrieved 20 Juin 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ↑ a b c N.A[deid airtin]
  19. ↑ a b Vega, Aurora (2 November 2011). "Templarios dominan Michoacán, donde habrá elecciones el día 13". Excelsior (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 Februar 2012.CS1 maint: unrecognised leid (link)
  20. ↑ a b Samuel Logan; John P Sullivan (17 August 2009). "Mexico's 'Divine Justice'". International Relations and Security Network. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  21. ↑ Cook, Colleen W., ed. (16 October 2007), "Mexico's Drug Cartels" (PDF), CRS Report for Congress (PDF) |format= requires |url= (help), Congressional Research Service, p. 11, retrieved 9 August 2009
  22. ↑ Mexico Arrests Important Familia Michoacana Boss. Archived 2012-06-13 at the Wayback Machine 2009 'Latin American Herald Tribune'.
  23. ↑ Rene Hernandez; Catherine E. Shoichet (21 Juin 2011). "Top cartel leader captured". CNN News. Retrieved 22 Juin 2011.
  24. ↑ a b Stephen Gibbs (22 October 2009). "'Family values' of Mexico drug gang". BBC News. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
  25. ↑ Grayson, George W. (19 Februar 2009). "La Familia: Another Deadly Mexican Syndicate". RSD Reports. Archived frae the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  26. ↑ Grillo, Loan (24 Julie 2009). "Mexico drug cartel with its own 'bible'". The UK Telegraph. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  27. ↑ "Mexican drug lord Moreno gunned down". Reuters. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  28. ↑ "Cops: Chief of La Familia Cartel Nazario Moreno Believed Dead After Shootout". Reuters. CBS News. 10 December 2010. Archived frae the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  29. ↑ "Focus on the Family' outreach: Mexican drug decapitation cartel La Familia demand and preach James Eldredge's 'Muscular Christianity'". Juin 2009. Archived frae the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  30. ↑ a b "La nueva fe de los narcos: La Familia, "Salvajes de Corazón"". Archived frae the original on 6 Juin 2009. Retrieved 20 Juin 2012.
  31. ↑ a b c "La Familia Cartel Targeted, Police Arrest More Than 300 Across U.S." Associated Press. October 22, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  32. ↑ Por El Universal (21 Julie 2009). "El inmenso poder de la "La Familia Michoacana"". Zocalo.com.mx. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  33. ↑ Matthew Weaver and agencies. "Mexican gang leader offers drug war truce". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  34. ↑ Jo Tuckman in Mexico City and Ed Vulliamy. "Cartel declares war on Mexican state". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  35. ↑ Keeley, Graham (21 Apryle 2009). "Mexican police arrest 44 in baptism raid on drugs cartel". The Times. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  36. ↑ "Un bautizo termina con 44 presuntos "narcos" detenidos en el oeste de México". Noticieromexicano.com. Archived frae the original on 28 Januar 2016. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  37. ↑ JEREMY ROEBUCK (9 Mairch 2010). "Violence the result of fractured arrangement between Zetas and Gulf Cartel, authorities say". The Brownsville Herald. Archived frae the original on 13 Mairch 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  38. ↑ Vega, Aurora (7 August 2011). "Surgen cuatro grupos del narco en 2011; El Chapo es el capo más poderoso". Excelsior (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 August 2011.CS1 maint: unrecognised leid (link)
  39. ↑ "Cocaine cartel uses religion to control its killers". The Irish Times. 7 Julie 2009. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  40. ↑ George W. Grayson (Februar 2009). "La Familia: Another Deadly Mexican Syndicate". Foreign Policy Research Institute. Archived frae the original on 15 September 2009. Retrieved 20 Juin 2012.
  41. ↑ "La Familia cobra impuestos en Michoacán" (in Spanish). El Universal. 16 August 2009. Archived frae the original on 6 Juin 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2009.CS1 maint: unrecognised leid (link)
  42. ↑ a b Wilkinson, Tracy (31 Mey 2009). "Mexico drug traffickers corrupt politics". Los Angeles Times. Archived frae the original on 5 Mairch 2011. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  43. ↑ Sponsored by (23 Julie 2009). "Mexico: Taking On the Unholy Family". The Economist. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  44. ↑ "Mexican police, Soldiers killed in multi-city attacks by drug gang". CNN. 11 Julie 2009. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  45. ↑ a b c d "10 Mexican police officers held in killings of 12 federal agents". CNN News. 19 Julie 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  46. ↑ "Mexico's drug war: Cartel kills 12 federal officers". Archived frae the original on 20 Julie 2009. Retrieved 20 Juin 2012.
  47. ↑ "2 Mexican politicians sought; drug cartel link alleged". CNN News. 15 Julie 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  48. ↑ "Mexico On the Brink". The Guardian. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  49. ↑ a b c Richey, Warren (22 October 2009). "US strikes at Mexican cartel's drug-and-gun trade". The Christian Science Monitor.
  50. ↑ Pilkington, Ed (23 October 2009). "Crackdown on La Familia cartel leads to more than 300 arrests across US". The Guardian.
  51. ↑ Finnegan, William (2010). "Silver or Lead". The New Yorker. Condé Nast (May 31, 2010): 39–51. Retrieved 10 Julie 2011.
  52. ↑ "DEA Project Coronado". Usdoj.gov. 22 October 2009. Archived frae the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  53. ↑ "Project Delirium Results in Nearly 2,000 Arrests During 20-Month Operation, Seizures of More Than 12 Tons of Drugs and $62 Million in U.S. Currency". Fbi.gov. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
  54. ↑ "Authorities arrest dozens in 'surgical strike' against Mexican cartel". CNN. 21 Julie 2011. Retrieved 20 Mey 2012.
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