Cartels with MANPADS

Joaquin Guzman Loera (El Chapo) is in Guatemala today, checking out his new weapons with his allies in the Guatemalan military (los Kaibiles) and Los Caballeros Templario (LCT).

Man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS or MPADS) are shoulder launched surface to air missiles which are particularly effective against helicopters. Sources suggest that the FN-6's (Second generation shoulder launched SAM's) have been delivered recently.

Chinese made FN-6 MANPAD

The narcotics cartels in Mexico are changing as MEXGOV is changing its way of managing the narcotics supply to the United States. The old "dinosaurs" in the PRI Party have been or are are being 'castrated' and removed from power to make way for the young turks. 

los Kaibiles, armed by the US and other nations.

El Chapo found himself in a position where his SEDENA bodyguards/reps were being recalled. The same is true with his personal SEGOB detail. So he made a bold move and has built an alliance with LCT - which is being armed to the teeth. The Beltran Leyva Cartel (BLO) made a similar move a couple of years ago with Los Zetas. The alliance worked for a while. But, in fairness, Los Zetas are not the LCT, which enjoys the tacit backing of the Catholic Archdiocese. 

If the Mexican Military/Paramilitary can't fly their helicopters, it removes a key ingredient in their multi-pronged approach to take down significant narco targets. Time to break out the popcorn and see how it all unfolds.

UPDATE:

There is a rumor floating that the Guatemalan military shot Chapo in the border area just south of Chiapas this afternoon at about 1500 HRS (local time).

Narco Holiday Update

There is a lot of uncertainty among narcos in Mexico these days. None of them are concerned about the "fiscal cliff" looming in the economic environment with their neighbor to the north because it's simply political chicanery and Mexicans are well schooled in such government gambits. They are concerned about the selling environment and their own government's stance toward trafficking through Mexico into the US.

MEXGOV Snubbs Narcos

Since the Pena Nieto Administration took office on December 1, its key people are not taking meetings with mid to higher level traffickers, precursor dealers, and manufacturers (lab owners). That's not to say that the very highest narcos are lacking access. The crisis has come with those below the top tier. They've been snubbed. And it's making this narco holiday season a lot less cheery than it usually is.

O Canada

In most years, traffickers/distributors leave the US and return home to Mexico to spend their fiesta time with their families. Not so much this year. There are the meth labs in Canada and the new Canadian Cartel types are sticking with business - and shipping crystal meth south despite the holiday season. They've decided to be industrious right up to the period between Christmas and New Year's Day this year. 

The Canadians (RCMP pictured right) seem to be behind the curve in investigating and raiding clandestine laboratories that the Mexican drug cartels (primarily the Sinaloa Federation) have established on Canadian soil. Chapo Guzman (Joaquin Guzman Loera) has visited Canada at least three times this year.

Plastic Surgery - Surging

The uber low key Juan José Esparragoza Moreno (El Azul) has a 'new face' now as does Chapo Guzman. They used the same Brazilian surgeon and they do appear different than the photos that course through the internet. El Azul has been hanging out in Colima, reorganizing the Sinaloa Federation there. Cartel Colima Nueva Generacion (El Mencho) would seem to be out and Chapo's faction is in. SEDENA has stopped the car with El Azul in it and he hasn't been recognized, so one must suspect that the surgeon did a very good job. El Azul also has 'new finger prints'. That surgery must have been unpleasant but it would seem that it has paid off.

Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación

Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) is presently under attack in Colima State by the Mexican Army. At this point they have cleared Colima City, Tecoman of the Sinaloa Federation (CJNG) and Los Caballaros Templarios have moved in to fill the void. The Army also moved into Manzanillo, but not as hard and CJNG still retains a presence there.

Ruben Osegevera Cervantes (El Mencho) runs CJNG and his headquarters in the Autlan de Navarro and El Grullo area of southwestern Jalisco. It is also being heavily pressured by the Mexican Army (SEDENA). 

It's not really news to the people in Guadalajara where literally ALL of the narcos with any stroke at all left town about a month ago in anticipation of rough times. Some went to homes in San Antonio, Texas (where many of the Guadalajara narcos maintain residence), others with warrants for their arrest either went to Costa Rica or over the hills to Puerta Vallarta. They plan to return home after February when the Mexican Army will be discontinuing its offensive in that area.

There are two principal factions of the Sinaloa Federation in Guadalajara. CJNG is run by El Mencho. He's the one being hit. Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) is not being pressured. He is more closely allied with Joaquin Guzman Loera (El Chapo) than El Mencho is.

The Colima Bay Cafe

Context and Precedence

Manzanillo is the busiest port in Mexico, as measured by total tonnage and volume of containerized cargo. In 2007, the port moved 1.4 million TEU's and 18.0 million tons of total cargo. Ferromex rail lines connect the port with the rest of Mexico. 

Manzanillo is  home to Fuerza Naval del Pacífico (Mexican Navy's Pacific Fleet). Manzanillo also hosts the most efficient port for tuna landings in Mexico. It handles exports like fish, corn, copra, wine, lemons, bananas, canned foods, lumber, and minerals.

Despite the city's bucolic existence, it's a huge port city and thus it's a hub of the narcotics trade. Everyone who is anyone in the Mexican narco world has their representatives present and active. 

Colima Bay Cafe

The Colima Bay Cafe - Manzanillo

Tourist Information: This was once part of the Carlos and Charlie's it is still owned and operated by the original manger and owner. The food is very good Mexican style and the service is professional. A fun place and late at night the DJ cranks up the volume so if you want to go for conversation go early or even better go for lunch. This place is right on the beach and cooled by ocean breezes a perfect place for a great lunch.

I don't know which son, but one of Chapo Guzman's sons has been frequenting the Colima Bay Cafe, Blvd Costero Miguel De La Madrid 921 28218 Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. He is there at least four times per week. The boy runs the Sinaloa Federation - Chapo Faction's interests in Manzanillo and has been under surveillance by Los Caballeros Templario (LCT). The son drives a new model black Chevrolet Silverado pick-up and always has one bodyguard with him in the truck. He is accompanied by two Chevrolet Suburbans with four to five bodyguards in each vehicle.

Alejandrina Gisselle Guzman Salazar

On Friday, October 12, Paola Ortega (DOB January 8, 1981), holding a Mexican Passport with a (counterfeit) US visa attempted to enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. It turns out that Paola Ortega was actually Alejandrina Gisselle Guzman Salazar (DOB October 15, 1981). She spent her thirty-first birthday at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown San Diego in the protective custody lock-up.

She looks very much like her father.

She is carrying the baby of Dr. Juan Carlos Magana Jimenez, MD (age 25), a clinician practicing medicine in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The couple have been married for about two years. Together they decided to send Alejandrina (whose mother is also named Alejandrina) to the US to have their daughter. Ms. Guzman-Salazar is about six months pregnant.

Up to this point, nobody cares, but she's the daughter of the prime narcotics kingpin in Mexico, Joaquin Guzman Loera (El Chapo), and that makes all the difference as far as USGOV is concerned.

El Chapo has several wives, one of whom, Emma Coronel Aispuro legally entered the US last year and had twin children, now US Citzens. After the babies were born, they returned to Mexico with their mother.

As usual, the San Diego bar is scrambling for the case. Early in the business, Juan Carlos Magana hired Guadalupe Valencia, who publicized the arrest. Then, angry with Valencia, he fired him and hired Jan Ronis, another narco-attorney based in San Diego, who is famous for selling his clients who cooperate with the government out to the cartels -- who kill them. And remarkably, Ronis is still alive after a lifetime of treachery. Who would have guessed he'd survive this long? Will Ronis be the last attorney on this case? Unlikely. 

Will Alejandrina be released on bond? Also unlikely. Will her daughter be born in custody and become a US Citizen? Very likely. And after all, that's why she crossed the border, isn't it?

A Lack of Harmony in the Sinaloa Federation

José Manuel Torres Félix is now communicating from hell - so says the narco mata (left) announcing a message from the late El Ondeado (also known as M-1), who was killed on October 13th.  Narco matas are a common sight, hanging from freeway and highway overpasses in mexico. They are anonymous messages to the public that the Mexican press might have not carried. Call if a blog, if you will.

José Manuel Torres Félix ran a cell that dealt primarily with Plaza Management, which means that he handled everything from money movement and narcotics movement to turf control. Sometimes there was a little money laundering as well. While alive, he was more or less on a par with Gonzalo Inzunza Inzunza (El Macho Prieto) in terms of ranking. 

His former subordinates, Mario Aguirre and Lamberto Verdugo feel that the big boss, Joaquin Guzman Loera (El Chapo) and the #2 man, Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) gave Torres up to the Mexican government. That is precisely what they did and the messages hanging from the overpasses in Sinaloa and Jalisco are accurate.

But what else is new. MEXGOV needs victories in the endless war on drugs and El Chapo thins the ranks of the bold, cocky and insubordinate this way with a double win. The subordinate is killed or captured (life in prison) and out of El Chapo's hair and it makes for gruesome but flamboyant headlines as MEXGOV remains on the road to victory.

http://youtu.be/7x93aqiZ51w       (Sanguinarios del M1)

Maybe it was the song? Chapo prefers that the people in Sinaloa sing songs about HIM, not his lieutenants. Maybe the song went to Torres' head? Who knows?