José de Jesús Méndez Vargas
Encyclopedia
José de Jesús Méndez Vargas (a.k.a. El Chango (Spanish
: The Monkey)) (born 28 February 1974) is a Mexican
drug lord
and leader of the La Familia drug cartel
, headquartered in the state of Michoacán
.
Méndez took control of the cartel after its former leader, Nazario Moreno
, was killed in a shootout with Mexican Federal Police on December 9, 2010. His protection was the responsibility of twelve gunmen he called the "Twelve Apostles.
Méndez was captured at a road checkpoint on 21 June 2011 by Mexican Federal police in the state of Aguascalientes
. The Mexican government had offered a $30 million pesos ($2.1 million USD) bounty for information leading to Méndez's capture.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: The Monkey)) (born 28 February 1974) is a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
drug lord
Drug lord
A drug lord, drug baron or kingpin is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the illegal drugs trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from...
and leader of the La Familia drug cartel
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
, headquartered in the state of Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
.
Méndez took control of the cartel after its former leader, Nazario Moreno
Nazario Moreno González
Nazario Moreno González was a Mexican drug lord of the La Familia drug cartel, headquartered in the state of Michoacán.-Biography:...
, was killed in a shootout with Mexican Federal Police on December 9, 2010. His protection was the responsibility of twelve gunmen he called the "Twelve Apostles.
Méndez was captured at a road checkpoint on 21 June 2011 by Mexican Federal police in the state of Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 11 municipalities and its capital city is Aguascalientes....
. The Mexican government had offered a $30 million pesos ($2.1 million USD) bounty for information leading to Méndez's capture.
See also
- Drug war
- Mexican drug warMexican Drug WarThe Mexican Drug War is an ongoing armed conflict taking place among rival drug cartels who fight each other for regional control, and Mexican government forces who seek to combat drug trafficking. However, the government's principal goal has been to put down the drug-related violence that was...
- Merida InitiativeMérida InitiativeThe Mérida Initiative is a security cooperation agreement between the United States and the government of Mexico and the countries of Central America, with the declared aim of combating the threats of drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and money laundering...
- List of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords