On August 9, members of SEDENA as well as local security forces from Jalisco and Guanajuato attempted to arrest a group of armed men traveling in a convoy of around 20 vehicles.
However, the security forces had unknowingly interrupted a meeting between two high-ranking commanders of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (C.J.N.G), Ricardo Ruiz โEl RRโ Velazco and Gerado Gonzales โEl Apaโ Ramirez.
The operation initially resulted in the capture of 12 vehicles, one makeshift armored vehicle (commonly referred to as a โMonstruoโ), and 34 firearms. Six CJNG members were arrested, and one member of the cartel was killed. After order in the area had been re-established, security forces had captured, in total, 40 firearms, 10 grenades, 14 vehiclesโ10 modified with makeshift armorโthree motorcycles, and one drone containing explosives.
The operation caused others within CJNG to believe both ranking cartel members had been captured, leading to the backlash seen in multiple cities in Baja California and Guanajuato in August, where CJNG unleashed flurries of violence, burning stores, and torching cars (creating barricades commonly referred to as โnarcobloqueosโ), damaging infrastructure and attacking security forces and civilians in an attempt to force authorities to release the captured commanders, a common tactic known as โheating up the plazaโ (โCalientando La Plazaโ).
Some locations where CJNG deployed narcobloqueos include San Isidro & Rio Blanco; San Isidro & Valle de San Isidro; San Isidro & La Grana; Saltillo & Chicharo Road.
While vehicles were stopped and set alight for blockades, stores were also attacked during the incident. They were as follows: 25 Oxxo stores in Guanajuato; 20 in Irapuato; three in Celaya; two in Leรณn.
No injuries were reported.
Ricardo Ruiz Velazco, โEl RRโ or โ El Tripa,โ is a high-ranking member within CJNG's command structure working under Juan Carlos โEl 03โ Gonzales, leader and founder of Grupo Elite, a CJNG cell initially formed to combat Cartel Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRDL), Los Viagras, and La Familia Michoacana. While operating as a leader within CJNG, El RR also worked as the head propagandist of CJNG, being responsible for communications released on behalf of the group.
Though it is unknown to what extent El RR had a direct hand in CJNG communications, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, Secretary of National Defense, confirmed that Gonzales had direct involvement in the production of the most well-knownย Grupo Elite communication.
While maintaining his role as a head propagandist, El RR also held a leadership position within the cell Grupo Elite, heading operations in Guanajuato and Zacatecas. El RR initially operated in Jalisco, and later moved to Michoacรกn after being connected to the 2013 assassination of Jalisco's Secretary of Tourism, Jose Gallegos Alvarez. On the 9th of March, 2013 Jose was assassinated by members of CJNG who intercepted him on his way home, as a consequence of allegedly laundering funds for Los Caballeros Templarios as communicated by CJNG.
Miren pendejos, el secretario de Turismo anda lavando dinero para los putos de Los Caballeros Templarios y el seรฑor, si llega al lunes, va a llegar de nรบmero uno a la Federal y ya ahรญ va a corromper a las autoridades y Los Templarios van a entrar a trabajar a nuestra casa como si nada y con la protecciรณn de todo el gobierno, asรญ que ese secretario no puede pasar de este fin de semana.
Look, assholes, the Secretary of Tourism is laundering money for the fucking Knights Templar and, sir, if he arrives on Monday, he's going to be number one at the Federal and there he's going to corrupt the authorities and the Templars are going to enterto work at our house as if nothing had happened and with the protection of the entire government, so that secretary cannot make it past this weekend.
The backlash started in Jalisco and eventually spread to Baja California on August 13th, 2022. An uncommon but severe escalation of violence for Baja California, CJNG initiated it in order to pressure the Mexican government to stop their advances against CJNG cells, such as Operation Code Black, the joint operation between the US and MX governments to combat CJNG.
As in the confrontations in Jalisco, members of Grupo Elite had formed a reported 24 narcobloqueos within Baja California: 14 in Tijuana; four in Ensenada; three Tecate; three in Playas de Rosarito; two in Mexicali.
While the violence was spread around Baja California, CJNG focused their efforts in Tijuana, withย multiple narcobloqueosย being set within the city as well as declaring a lockdown in aย narco-communicationย that had been disseminated not only in Tijuana but Parral, Chihuahua, and Colima via news reports and social media.
The communication stated:
Just to make you aware there will be a curfew this Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning on Friday at 10:00pm at night until Sunday 3:00 am. We're going to make chaos so the fucking government will free our people we're Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion we don't want to hurt good people, its best that you don't go outside we're going to pick up anybody we see during those days on the streets fully CJNG.
As a result of these events local, state, and federal forces convened to launch an operation focused on maintaining security in these areas and removing criminal forces on the ground. Jointly, 3,000 elements of SEDENA and GN (National Guard) as well as an additional 2,000 police members were deployed in Tijuana.
The resulting violence had majorly shut down Tijuana, with multiple businesses closing and the streets largely empty except for scenes of burning vehicles. Montserrat Caballero, Mayor of Tijuana, had urged citizens to continue their daily activities saying, โUs tijuanenses will continue, with a pacifist manner, our activities because no delinquent will come and cut our freedom and our peace.โ
As a result of the operation, 17 individuals were captured by members of SSPC (Secretaria de Seguridad y Proteccion Ciudadana), who were involved in the incidents occurring in Baja California. Seven were captured in Tijuana, four in Rosarito, four in Mexicali, and two in Ensenada. Three of the individuals were positively identified as CJNG operators with one confessing they were being paid $3,000 pesos for every vehicle burned ($149.72 at the moment of writing).
While this event was a successful show-of-force (which is what the tactic of โcalientando la plazaโ mainly is, in a sense), it seemed they did not have the power or resources to simultaneously counter the large deployment of security forces and cause enough initial violence to pressure the government into any consideration of a potential prison release. It appears CJNG strategically chose Tijuana and other locations around Baja California, as its closeness to the border along with the fact that the area is a well-known location would significantly increase the effectiveness of their operation. While the fiery scenes did succeed in getting both the eyes of Mexico and the US alike, the effort was not enough.
The idea that CJNG lacked enough resources to pull off the attempted coercion is due to two factors, one being that the group's resources and manpower are stretched incredibly thin by having a presence in 28 out of 32 states in the nation. Certain areas the group deems essential are receiving the most attention and resources while others fail to obtain essential manpower or equipment to properly enter areas. This has been reportedly backed by claims from Vocero, a CSRDL (Cartel Santa Rosa de Lima) member interviewed byย Grillonautas2, who claims when entering CJNG-controlled territory in Guanajuato the few members actually operating were too poorly equipped to actually hold and defend any real estate.
The second factor is the ever-increasing instability affecting the group both externally and internally: CJNG has faced fragmentation involving Los Pajaros de La Sierra and Cรกrtel Independiente de Colima (AKA Los Mezcales), while internally the group faces uncertainty due to Nemesio's failing health causing multiple members of the cartel's leadership to see opportunities to either seize control or make an exit. While a successor has been chosen by Nemesio, Julio Alberto Castillo Rodriguez, husband of Nemesio's daughter Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzales, other members of the organization are refusing to recognize him as a leader. This leaves the pressing question of what will occur once Nemesio passes away, and ultimately the long-term future of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion, largely unanswered.
Read the original article in its entirety at militantwire.com.
4 Comments
Whats theyre role of migrants & drugs into the US??
One has to wonder how much Biden and crew are paying them to do so. After all, all Biden and Holder heavily armed them.
Gun free zones at it’s finest
With open borders, coming to a country near you, ah, er, I mean, you’re in.