On Monday, April 27, federal authorities detained Audias Flores Silva—known as “El Jardinero”—and, hours later, César Alejandro “N”—known as “El Güero Conta”—both key figures within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). But… what is the connection between these two individuals?
“I am El Güero Conta; I introduce myself with pleasure. I fear nothing, and I’m not hiding from anyone. I keep a low profile—why go around showing off?—but wherever I go, I’ve earned my respect. Sometimes I dress sharp, or maybe just in sandals, but I’m always the same person; I don’t consider myself better than anyone else,” goes the lyric in a *corrido tumbado* (trap-style ballad) by Chicho Castro y Sus Alia2. This song not only references this alleged CJNG member but also reveals his connection to the cartel’s second-in-command.
Who is El Güero Conta?
In late April, Omar García Harfuch—head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC)—announced the arrest of El Güero Conta. Who is he? One of the alleged financial operators for the CJNG.
“El Güero Conta is accused of laundering funds derived from illicit activities through various companies and frontmen, as well as acquiring aircraft, boats, homes, and ranches, and investing in tequila production companies,” the public official detailed on his social media channels.
He was one of the right-hand men to the liaison between the CJNG and the “Chapitos” faction. He was a criminal about whom little had been said publicly, yet within the music industry, there was even a song dedicated to him.
In the *corrido* titled “El Güero Conta,” singer Chicho Castro notes that the financial operator entered the drug trade at the age of 14 and that, over time, he worked his way up within the organization that—until just weeks ago—was led by Nemesio Oseguera, alias “El Mencho.” “I won’t forget those days of the past—at fourteen, I stepped into the ring… Azaña did even more; alongside my father, he watched me cut my teeth out there on the border. I miss my old man, and I carry his two pieces of advice with me—but my little Diego gives me strength.”
In the song, it appears that El Güero Conta is expressing his gratitude to a high-ranking drug trafficker for having placed his trust in him—though it remains unclear whether he is referring to El Jardinero or El Mencho.
“My life changed—thanks be to the Lord—because up above, they know we’re running at full throttle. I’m moving forward, strong in my work, raking in the cash; I couldn’t be happier. Everything is different—who would have thought it? Though even as a kid, I always envisioned myself succeeding.”
Throughout the song, one can learn more about this drug trafficker—from his personality to specific episodes of his life. One might well wonder if César Alejandro ‘N’ has a son named Diego, or if, at one point, he operated near the U.S. border.
However, one aspect that warrants discussion is the capo’s lifestyle. Although the song makes it clear that he is a low-profile individual, it also highlights his fondness for acquiring luxury cars and carrying around large sums of cash.
“El Güero Conta” was not a *sicario* (hitman), but rather a financial operator—better known in the criminal underworld as a “broker.” His role within the CJNG was to launder the organization’s illicit assets, thereby integrating them into the legitimate economy.
According to information released by Omar García Harfuch, one of the most notable methods he employed to launder money was investing in tequila production companies—though the specific region of the country involved was not disclosed. It is worth noting that this is not the first time a link between the CJNG and certain tequila distilleries has come to light.
“I always believed in myself; I never lost faith that, one day, my people would be living the good life. It became reality—just look at us now! I may not be a billionaire, but I certainly have money to spend. You see me celebrating, driving brand-new cars—yet I remain humble above all else; I don’t go around flaunting my status.”
Connection to “El Jardinero”
El Güero Conta was arrested on Monday, April 27, in Zapopan, Jalisco. Special forces from the Mexican Army and the National Guard located and apprehended him following the capture of “El Jardinero.” Within the music industry, there was a specific reference alluding to the relationship between “El Güero Conta,” “El Jardinero,” and the CJNG dating back to 2022.
“Backed—and more—by a truly great man, to whom I owe who I am today. With El Jardinero—adorned with flowers—we are four letters; hey, take note.”
Just in case there was any doubt… yes, the song had already revealed that El Güero Conta was a member of the CJNG—or, as Chicho Castro calls it, “the cartel of the four letters.”
Another detail mentioned in the song is that El Güero Conta lived—or at least owned a home—in Nayarit, the state where El Jardinero maintained his primary center of operations. However, it is worth noting that in the case of the former, he was ultimately arrested in Jalisco.
In an interview with *MILENIO*, Víctor Manuel Sánchez Valdez—a researcher at the Autonomous University of Coahuila and a columnist for this publication—explained that while Jalisco remains the CJNG’s primary stronghold, the criminal group maintains a strong presence in several other states across the country.
“The next state where they focused their objectives was Michoacán. One could say that the CJNG is currently the most powerful organization in Michoacán, albeit without exercising total control over the entire state in the way it does in Jalisco (…) Subsequently, the next states involved in their expansion process were Colima, Nayarit, and finally, Guanajuato,” the interviewee stated.
Regarding Nayarit, the expert explained that it serves as a neutral zone between cartels, yet it has become a territory of interest to the CJNG due to the tourism development spurred by its proximity to Puerto Vallarta. Given this context, it comes as no surprise that the cartel’s financial operator was captured in the “land of tequila.”
Víctor Manuel Sánchez emphasized that, thanks to the state’s robust tourism activity, Nayarit has evolved into an ideal location for the CJNG to launder money.
For his part, García Harfuch himself confirmed the link between “El Jardinero” and “El Güero Conta”—a connection that Chicho Castro has alluded to in his music since 2022, employing a metaphor that leaves much to the imagination: “painted with flowers.”
An investigation by Óscar Balderas revealed that Audias Flores Silva has gone by various aliases within the criminal underworld—including “El Audi,” “El Comandante,” “El Brado,” and “El Matajefes”—though his most famous moniker remains “El Jardinero.”
The nickname that propelled him to notoriety stems from a macabre inside joke within the criminal world: “They say he has murdered so many people—turning their remains into fertilizer—that any ground he walks upon effectively becomes his garden,” details the journalist’s article in *MILENIO*.
The kingpin, a native of Huetamo, Michoacán, was active for over 30 years. Yet, he was far from being a mere run-of-the-mill capo. According to the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), his duties within the CJNG ranged from overseeing the construction of private hospitals—designed to provide discreet medical care for “El Mencho”—to procuring heavy weaponry from suppliers across the United States and Europe.
The *corrido* of “El Güero Conta” concludes as follows: “I am El Güero Conta; I introduce myself with pleasure. I fear nothing, and I hide from no one… I keep a low profile—why go around showing off?—yet wherever I go, I have earned my respect. Sometimes I dress sharp, or perhaps I wear sandals, but I remain the same man always; I never act as if I am better than anyone else.”
The Importance of Financial Operators to the CJNG
Víctor Manuel Sánchez Valdez explained that the CJNG has always possessed a highly sophisticated money-laundering structure.
“The CJNG is often perceived as a highly violent organization—which is certainly true—but they have also established a very sophisticated money-laundering apparatus, a factor to which perhaps insufficient attention has been paid.”
The expert on drug trafficking matters noted that this financial framework appears to be a legacy left behind by “Los Cuinis,” driven primarily by kingpins such as Abigael González Valencia and Juan Carlos González Valencia.
In this regard, every regional leader within the CJNG relies on a trusted associate to assist them in laundering money. In the case of “El Jardinero,” that associate was “El Güero Conta.”
According to the researcher from the UAdeC, it should come as no surprise that both drug traffickers were arrested on the very same day, albeit in different states: “El Jardinero” in Nayarit, and “El Güero Conta” in Zapopan, Jalisco.
“These were two distinct operations—two coordinated operations—which opens the door to two hypotheses: the first is that the intelligence surveillance was effective—meaning they had been keeping ‘El Jardinero’ under surveillance for 19 months, just as Omar García Harfuch stated; however, there is also the possibility that someone provided information regarding both individuals.”
Source: Milenio
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