‘El Titán’, an Alleged Fuel Theft Ringleader, is Transferred to the University Hospital in Monterrey

Turning to news from Nuevo León this morning: a federal judge has ordered the transfer of José Antonio Cortes Huerta, aka El Titán.” You may recall we reported on him about a month ago; he had been in custody but has now been transferred from the penitentiary to the University Hospital in Monterrey. 

This follows a new decision—specifically, a suspension granted as part of an *amparo* (constitutional protection) proceeding. You might also remember the weekend of continuous operations across several municipalities in the Monterrey metropolitan area, part of an investigation into fuel theft. 

Pedro Delgado has the details on this new development. Go ahead—good morning. Hello, Victor. Good morning to everyone tuning in to Milenio Televisión. We have news from Nuevo León regarding José Antonio Cortés—alias “El Titán”—a man whom federal authorities have identified as the leader of a “fuel theft” network, allegedly linked to the Northeast Cartel. 

There has been an update in his case; he has been in custody for just over a month, and the latest development is that he has left the standard prison cells. However, authorities specify that he hasn’t been released; instead, a federal judge ordered that his detention continue within the facilities of the University Hospital here in Monterrey. 

Federal sources confirmed that this measure stems from a suspension granted during a direct *amparo* proceeding filed by the defense before the state’s First District Court for Criminal Matters. Judicial authorities clarified that “El Titán” has neither been acquitted nor pardoned. 

The accused—whom the federal government identifies as an alleged leader in fuel smuggling for the Northeast Cartel—remains subject to serious criminal proceedings. Technically, the ruling requires prison authorities to modify the conditions of his detention, temporarily transferring the accused to the security ward of the aforementioned University Hospital. 

Legally speaking, Victor, this isn’t an unusual situation; such rulings are issued when defense attorneys substantiate an imminent health risk or a lack of specialized medical infrastructure within the correctional facility to treat an inmate’s specific medical conditions, thereby prioritizing the individual rights enshrined in Article 4 of the Constitution. 

Regarding “El Titán”—to provide some background on this individual, Victor—he is a former bodybuilder originally from Tamaulipas who operated here in Nuevo León, specifically in the municipality of San Pedro Garza García. He was arrested in early May during a federal operation in the Portal del Huajuco neighborhood, an exclusive area in the southern part of Monterrey. 

I should also mention, Victor, that several operations have recently been carried out across various municipalities in the Monterrey metropolitan area, yielding positive results such as arrests and the seizure of assets, including properties. For now, that is the latest update regarding this individual, José Antonio Cortés—alias “El Titán”—who was arrested here in the southern zone of Monterrey.

Sources: Milenio, Cartel Insider Archives