A Cartel is Born in Yucatán

*This is the Coastal Cartel, which emerged locally. It is comprised of former members of the Epitacio Cartel, who lost territory with the arrival of other groups, such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, and the Caborca ​​Cartel.

*There are former state and federal police officers who have firsthand information that helps them in their operations.  A man nicknamed “H” is identified as the leader. It is a clearly defined criminal group with its own structure.

*Its area of ​​influence extends from the eastern part of the municipality of Progreso to the borders of Buctzotz, passing through Telchac, Sinanché, Yobaín, and the Dzilanes, that is, in the so-called Yucatecan Riviera.

Yucatán is experiencing an unprecedented security crisis that is being exploited by criminal groups.

Intelligence information from the Yucatán security cabinet, revealed to Sol Yucatán, confirms that a new cartel is operating in the state.

This is the Coastal Cartel, which emerged locally, meaning it operates internally.

It is comprised of former members of the Epitacio Cartel, who lost territory with the arrival of other groups such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, and the Caborca ​​Cartel.

In addition, there are former state and federal police officers who have firsthand information that helps them in their operations.

A man nicknamed “H” is identified as the leader.

Its area of ​​influence extends from the eastern part of the municipality of Progreso to the borders of Buctzotz, passing through Telchac, Sinanché, Yobaín, and the Dzilanes.

That is, in the so-called Yucatecan Riviera.

It is a clearly defined criminal group with its own structure.

The informant assured that some problems could arise in that area, because in the Sinanché, Dzilam González, and Dzilam de Bravo areas, the Interián group operates, which is a cell of the Caborca ​​Cartel.

To which Donato Valdés Rodríguez, alias Nato, and his son Juan Carlos Valdés, who was shot and killed last week, belonged.

Dzilam González is even considered the spearhead of the Interián family.

Yucatán has traditionally been one of the states with the lowest rates of homicides and drug trafficking-related violence in Mexico, compared to other regions of the country.

However, its strategic location on the Gulf of Mexico and bordering Quintana Roo has attracted the interest of criminal organizations for drug trafficking to the United States and Europe.

Leaked reports and security analyses indicate the presence of various groups already operating on the peninsula, including organizations with ties to national cartels such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which is expanding into municipalities in Yucatán.

The Sinaloa Cartel also has a historical presence on some distribution routes.

Cells of the Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas, and other smaller factions use the region as a logistical corridor, meaning that at least five criminal groups are present in the state.

The most serious issue is that the authorities systematically deny the presence of these criminal groups, despite the increase in crimes related to drug trafficking, fuel theft, and the sheltering of criminals.

The governor of Yucatán, Joaquín Díaz Mena, acted irresponsibly in trying to conceal the reality of the situation in the state; that is, Yucatán no longer enjoys the security it once did.

The governor claimed that the massacre in Dzilam González was an isolated incident and unrelated to organized crime.

“It was a fight between two families,” Díaz Mena asserted.

The governor’s statements, who in 15 months has lost his grip on security matters, contrasted sharply with the security operations following the capture of Don Donato, where the SSP (State Public Security Secretariat) and the Attorney General’s Office buildings were heavily guarded. What is a reality is that insecurity and violence have increased since the arrival of Morena, where there is evidence that they may have made a deal for control of the territory in exchange for funding to rise to power, and now the price is being paid.

The state lives amidst a simulated sense of security, and the security bubble has burst.

The attack was clear, and there were three collateral victims who were caught in the crossfire; two died, and one is hospitalized.

The thugs used weapons exclusively used by the Army and armed forces. At the scene, 32 spent shell casings were recovered, which are atypical for a family dispute, as the governor claims.

Juan Carlos Valdés, “Nato,” received eight gunshot wounds, including a coup de grâce to the head, a hallmark of gangland executions.

Juan Carlos, along with his father Donato Valdés, alias “Don Nato,” is linked to the Caborca ​​Cartel, which operates in the Bacalar and Chetumal area.

They are identified as the masterminds behind the disappearance of rival groups, especially the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and were wanted in Quintana Roo. However, months ago they had acquired property in Dzilam González, where “Nato” was executed.

The massacre brought back memories of the insecurity experienced in 2008, during the first year of Ivonne Ortega’s administration, with the 11 decapitated victims in Chichí Suárez, which was also a gangland execution.

Unofficially, it is known that there is one person in custody, who was allegedly apprehended at the Villareal Hotel in Ticul; however, the State Public Security Secretariat or the Attorney General’s Office haven’t officially confirmed the arrest.

Meanwhile, the government stubbornly denies what is a sad reality in Yucatán, where the security of yesteryear is no longer enjoyed, where cells of criminal groups operate, and where criminals have found a refuge to live.

Source: La Opinión de México