Los Negros
Encyclopedia
Los Negros was a criminal organization that was once the armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel
and after a switch of alliances, became the armed wing of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. On 2010 it went independent and had been contesting the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. It was then the criminal paramilitary
unit of Édgar Valdez Villarreal (a.k.a. "La Barbie") in Mexico
. Valdez was arrested on August 30, 2010 near Mexico City.
gang and government security forces. Los Negros used to work with the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel
but following Arturo Beltrán Leyva's death in December 2009 during a shootout with Mexican Marines, infighting broke out for the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. One faction was led by lieutenants Édgar Valdez Villarreal and Gerardo Alvarez-Vazquez
, while the other is led by the current cartel leader Héctor Beltrán Leyva
and his 'enforcer' lieutenant, Sergio Villarreal Barragán
. Los Negros then worked with Edgar Valdez Villarreal's organization until his arrest on August 30, 2010, then the gang collapsed.
Los Negros have been known to employ gangs such as Mexican Mafia
and MS-13 to carry out murders and other illegal activities. The group was involved in fighting other cartels in the Nuevo Laredo region for control of the drug trafficking corridor.
Its operational area was originally Tamaulipas
, and later extended its influence to Nuevo León
and Coahuila
states. They also had operations in San Luis Potosí
, Veracruz
, Michoacán
, Guerrero
, Zacatecas
and Sonora
.
, Tamaulipas
, was at the center of a war between the Gulf Cartel's Los Zetas and the Sinaloa Cartel's Los Negros. Following the 2003 arrest of Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas
, it is believed the Sinaloa Cartel moved 200 men into the region to battle the Gulf Cartel for control. The Nuevo Laredo region is an important drug trafficking corridor as 40% of all Mexican exports, a total of 9,000 trucks, pass through the region into the United States.
Following the 2002 assassination of journalist Roberto Javier Mora Garcia from El Mañana
newspaper, much of the local media was silenced over the fighting. The cartels intimidated the media and sometimes use it to send messages to the general population. In 2008, Édgar Valdéz placed an ad in the local paper accusing Los Zetas of being "narco-kidnappers" and purchasing protection from state officials and the attorney general's office.
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
and after a switch of alliances, became the armed wing of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. On 2010 it went independent and had been contesting the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. It was then the criminal paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
unit of Édgar Valdez Villarreal (a.k.a. "La Barbie") in Mexico
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...
. Valdez was arrested on August 30, 2010 near Mexico City.
Background
The group was originally formed to counter Los ZetasLos Zetas
Los Zetas is the second most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as the most violent drug cartel and paramilitary enforcement group in Mexico...
gang and government security forces. Los Negros used to work with the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel
Beltrán-Leyva Cartel
The Beltrán-Leyva Cartel was a Mexican drug cartel and organized crime syndicate founded by the four Beltrán Leyva brothers: Marcos Arturo, Carlos, Alfredo and Héctor....
but following Arturo Beltrán Leyva's death in December 2009 during a shootout with Mexican Marines, infighting broke out for the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. One faction was led by lieutenants Édgar Valdez Villarreal and Gerardo Alvarez-Vazquez
Gerardo Alvarez-Vazquez
José Gerardo Álvarez-Vázquez is a Mexican drug trafficker who worked for the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel and then for Édgar Valdez Villarreal's criminal organization known as Los Negros...
, while the other is led by the current cartel leader Héctor Beltrán Leyva
Héctor Beltrán Leyva
Héctor Beltrán Leyva is a Mexican drug lord and leader of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel.Héctor Beltrán Leyva is the brother of Arturo Beltrán Leyva , former leader of the cartel...
and his 'enforcer' lieutenant, Sergio Villarreal Barragán
Sergio Villarreal Barragán
Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán a.k.a. El Grande, , is a former Mexican federal police officer who then worked as a lieutenant for Héctor Beltrán Leyva of the criminal organisation called the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. He got his name El Grande because he is tall.-Biography:In 1990 at age 20, he was...
. Los Negros then worked with Edgar Valdez Villarreal's organization until his arrest on August 30, 2010, then the gang collapsed.
Los Negros have been known to employ gangs such as Mexican Mafia
Mexican Mafia
The Mexican Mafia , also known as La Eme , 13 is a Mexican American criminal organization, and is one of the oldest and most powerful prison gangs in the United States.-Foundation:...
and MS-13 to carry out murders and other illegal activities. The group was involved in fighting other cartels in the Nuevo Laredo region for control of the drug trafficking corridor.
Its operational area was originally Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
, and later extended its influence to Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
and Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
states. They also had operations in San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
, Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, 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...
, Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
, Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
and Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
.
Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo LaredoNuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo is a city located in the Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The city lies on the banks of the Río Grande, across from the United States city of Laredo, Texas. The 2010 census population of the city was 373,725. Nuevo Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo...
, Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
, was at the center of a war between the Gulf Cartel's Los Zetas and the Sinaloa Cartel's Los Negros. Following the 2003 arrest of Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas
Osiel Cárdenas
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén was a Mexican drug lord and former leader of the Gulf Cartel . Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, where he was born, he entered the Gulf Cartel by helping Juan García Abrego, the capo at the time; when García was arrested in 1995, some infighting erupted within...
, it is believed the Sinaloa Cartel moved 200 men into the region to battle the Gulf Cartel for control. The Nuevo Laredo region is an important drug trafficking corridor as 40% of all Mexican exports, a total of 9,000 trucks, pass through the region into the United States.
Following the 2002 assassination of journalist Roberto Javier Mora Garcia from El Mañana
El Mañana (Nuevo Laredo)
El Mañana is a Spanish language newspaper published in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The newspaper was founded in 1924 by Heriberto Deandar Amador, it is Nuevo Laredo's oldest newspaper currently still published. El Mañana uses the slogan "La verdad sin fronteras"...
newspaper, much of the local media was silenced over the fighting. The cartels intimidated the media and sometimes use it to send messages to the general population. In 2008, Édgar Valdéz placed an ad in the local paper accusing Los Zetas of being "narco-kidnappers" and purchasing protection from state officials and the attorney general's office.
Printed Material
- Veledíaz, Juan (2004). «ABC de los Zetas, Génesis de los sicarios». La Revista (37). "ABC of the Zetas, Genesis of hitmen." Magazine (37). p. 25.
- Resa Nestares, Carlos (2004). Resa Nestares, Carlos (2004). «El mito de los Zetas». "The myth of the Zetas." Magazine (37). p. 32.
- Montemayor, Carlos (2004). «Ejércitos Privados». La Jornada (Marzo, 6). [1] . "Private armies". La Jornada (March 6). [1].
- Medellín, Jorge. ↑ Medellin Jorge. « Desertan 1,382 militares de elite », El Universal , 28 de marzo de 2004. " 1.382 military elite Desert," El Universal, March 28, 2004. Retrieved on 2008-09-23.
- Martínez Rodríguez, Marco A.. « El poder de los "Zetas" » (en spanish) . "The power of the" Zetas "(in Spanish). Monographs. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.