The Los Rojos Cartel (Spanish: Cártel de los Rojos) is a Mexican criminal organization that emerged as a split from the Beltran-Leyva Cartel, being led at first by brothers Arturo "El Barbas" and Héctor "El Ingeniero", Alfredo "El Mochomo" and Jésus Nava Romero "El Rojo", hence the name of the group.[1] The group also has an important participation in drug trafficking to the United States.[2][3]
Cártel de los Rojos | |
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Years active | 2009−present |
| Territory | Guerrero, Morelos and Puebla |
| Ethnicity | Mexican |
| Leader(s) | Jésus Nava Romero |
| Criminal activities | Drug trafficking, money laundering, extortion, robbery, murder, arms trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping |
| Allies | Guerreros Unidos |
| Rivals |  Mexico Jalisco New Generation CartelLa Familia Michoacana Guerreros Unidos. |
History
editThe group arose after the weakening of the Beltran-Leyva Cartel, settling in some areas of Guerrero and Morelos.[1] Since then, they have engaged in a number of criminal activities, including its financing of eleven candidacies for municipal positions in the state of Morelos during 2015, in addition to increasing the climate of insecurity in the regions where they are active.[4][5] The group also has ties with Alfonso Miranda Gallegos, mayor of Amacuzac municipality, who is accused of kidnapping and continues in his position from prison.[6][7]
Activities
editThe first leader of the group was Jésus Nava Romero alias "El Rojo", who died shortly after the creation of the group on 16 December 2009, during a confrontation between elements of the Mexican Navy and members of the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel in the city of Cuernavaca, Morelos.[8][9]
Since the beginning of 2015, Los Rojos have more actively fought other cartels, with clashes that occurred on 23 February of the same year, which left 15 hitmen dead, near the towns of Tetela del Río and Cashacahui, in the municipality of General Heliodoro Castillo. The authorities confirmed that the cause of the confrontation was due to a dispute over territory between Los Rojos and cells belonging to La Familia Michoacana.[10] In 2016, Los Rojos increased their hostilities and their presence in municipalities such as Ahuacuotzingo, Zitlala and Chilapa de Álvarez.[11] An example of this was the irruption of more than 300 members of the self-defense groups that entered the municipality of Zitlala during the course of 5 May in response to the rise in violence in the region.[12][13] As a result of the violence in the region, classes have been suspended in several schools in the municipalities, as well as reports of forced displacement.[14][15]
On 24 October 2019, a confrontation was registered in the town of the community of Pocha-Huizco, Zitlala, Guerrero, a confrontation that left nine hitmen of Los Rojos dead, finding dozens of casings in the place. It was also confirmed that among the deceased were members of the close circle of Senen Nava, aka "El Chaparro", leader of the criminal group.[16][17][18]
On 9 February 2021, a shooting was reported between an alleged self-defense group and Los Rojos, in the town of Mitepec in the municipality of Jolalpan, in the extreme southwest of Puebla. According to a witness, the confrontation lasted more than two hours, leaving three dead (two members of "La Ronda Ciudadana" and a hitman from Los Rojos), according to state authorities, being of great media relevance in the region.[19][20][21][22][excessive citations]
References
edit- ^ a b "El origen de Los Rojos, la banda criminal emanada de los Beltrán Leyva". La Silla Rota. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Quiénes son 'Los Rojos', el cartel que aparece por primera vez en EEUU". Univisión. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Tres cárteles y tres pandillas devastan Morelos". Contralínea. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
- ^ "Guerreros Unidos y Los Rojos: quiénes son las nuevas amenazas en el tráfico de drogas, según la DEA". Infobae Noticias. 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Confirman detención de candidato de Morena-PT por nexos con el cártel Los Rojos". El Sol de México. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Desde la cárcel, alcalde acusado de secuestro,inaugura calles en Morelos". El Universal. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
- ^ "Con su líder encarcelado, esta ciudad se acobardó a su voluntad". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
- ^ "Muere Artuo Beltrán Leyva en Cuernavaca". El Universal Noticias. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Arriban a la SIEDO detenidos en Cuernavaca". El Universal Noticias. Archived from the original on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "15 muertos por enfrentamiento entre Los Rojos y La Familia". Eje Central. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Enfrentamiento en el municipio de Zitlala alarma a habitantes de la zona". Agencia Informativa Guerrero. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Se atrincheran en Zitlala 400 hombres armados". El Economista. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Al menos 300 hombres armados toman la entrada principal de Zitlala, Guerrero". Animal Político. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Por violencia suspensión de clases en Chilapa y Zitlala". Excelsior. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Huyen de Zitlala por el crimen organizado". El Universal Noticias. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Enfrentamiento en Zitlala, Guerrero, deja nueve hombres muertos". Animal Político. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "n enfrentamiento en Zitlala, Guerrero, mueren 9 presuntos miembros de Los Rojos". Milenio Noticias. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Hombres asesinados en Zitlala, Guerrero, eran conocidos de 'El Chaparro'". Noticieros Televisa. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "La Mixteca arde: tres muertos, el saldo del enfrentamiento entre Los Rojos y la Ronda Ciudadana". Diario Cambio. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Tres muertos durante un enfrentamiento entre Los Rojos y Ronda Ciudadana en Jolalpan, confirma la Segob". La Jornada de Oriente. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Enfrentamiento entre "Los Rojos y Ronda Ciudadana en Jolalpan" deja tres mue". Arroba Noticias. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ^ "Tres muertos deja enfrentamiento entre "Los Rojos" y la "Ronda Ciudadana" en la Mixteca". Almanaque Revista. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-25.