“Bring the Heat”: Inside the Interrogation That Exposed Mayito Flaco’s War Tactics

A still image from the interrogation video shows a young man with short black hair and a neatly trimmed beard, sitting on a light-colored, cushioned chair. He wears a black T-shirt bearing a Nike swoosh, while a black-and-green cloth covers his eyes in a makeshift blindfold. The picture is clear and well-lit—its quality stark enough to highlight his tense posture and the apprehension in his lowered face.

Off-camera, an interrogator peppers him with questions. In measured tones, the captive describes how he helped orchestrate a deadly explosive attack in Limita de Itaje under the direction of two men: El 18 and Changuito Ántrax, loyalists of Mayito Flaco. He says the operation’s purpose was to “draw law enforcement attention”—a strategy better known as heating up the plaza.

Below is the translated exchange, provided by Sol Prendido:

Sicario: Why are you here?

Captive: Because I was helping out the MF mob.

Sicario: What all did you do for them?

Captive: They had said that by drawing law enforcement attention to the area we would come out victorious. I was with the mob on the 18th when word came over the radio that we should attack the soldiers in the neighborhood of La Limita de Itaje. The order was given by El 18. And El Changuito said that we should proceed with that green light.

Sicario: Why did you guys do this?

Captive: It was done because the house belonged to El 18. The Chapiza mob had relinquished it because they knew gunmen and soldiers gathered at that house in the neighborhood of La Limita de Itaje.

In the days prior, a drone-laden explosive injured multiple soldiers near a residential property in Limita de Itaje. If the captive’s words are true, El 18 and Changuito Ántrax authorized that strike as part of a scheme to provoke military deployment and disrupt competing interests—classic calentar la plaza. By instigating chaos, a faction can move unimpeded elsewhere or force unfavorable pressure onto an opponent.

For local residents, the aftermath is unmistakable. More army patrols descend on the area; everyday routines get upended. Yet this very turbulence seems to be the underlying goal. Whether or not this man’s confession was coerced, it offers a window into how certain crime groups leverage high-profile acts of violence to unbalance the state’s security apparatus in contested zones.

Mica’s Analysis

Let’s be clear: heating up the plaza is done out of spite for the community’s safety. It’s a bitch move that exposes the real intentions behind the act. Sure, both sides are at war. But only one side is heating up the plaza right now. Mayito Flaco, you have destroyed the daily lives of thousands in Sinaloa, and for what? To avenge your father’s legacy? I don’t buy it. This is about expanding drug routes and money. People aren’t fooled by your bullshit after 225 days. You started a war you can’t finish tomorrow—or even five years from now. Pathetic! Stop being delusional. You’re not capable as a general, and you’ll never wipe out your enemies. If you could, you’d have done it already.

Just like your father scolded you from a U.S. prison, urging you not to be an idiot and start this war—how many nights do you think he spends wishing he’d disciplined you harder? From his tiny cell in the States, he must see the futility of your ambition. And so does everyone in Sinaloa whose life you’ve thrown into chaos. Enough is enough.