Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas and Coahuila to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “JA Espinoza” from Matamoros and by “AC del Angel” from Reynosa.
MATAMOROS, Tamaulipas — The criminal organization known as the Gulf Cartel continues to generate terror in this border city, however, in response to all of the attention it has created, they are trying to distance themselves from their recent waves of kidnappings and murders.
Through a series of banners that have been hung in this city, the Gulf Cartel is asking for the public’s help through anonymous tips where they promise rewards in exchange for information in a so-called attempts to end the wave of kidnappings and murders that have taken place in recent months.
In the message on the banners, the “Gulf Cartel from the Matamoros Plaza” aims to show a gentler side by claiming to not be responsible for the wave of crime and terror that residents live through. The message seems to point to a group from outside of Matamoros that entered the city with the intent to create instability and terror in the community. If true, the message would show that the Gulf Cartel itself does not have control of its plaza or operational region.
The message lacks credibility amid the wave of innocent people that have been kidnapped in this city. Just last a few days ago, the bodies of four previously kidnapping victims were found in the trunks of vehicles.
On December 18, authorities found a body in a trunk in the Abelardo Torre neighborhood which caused a massive mobilization by law enforcement. Next to the body, the kidnappers had left a message that sent red flags with authorities. “This is how people who don’t pay their kidnapping end up. Damn government of shit” Atte El Cherrys.
As previously reported by Breitbart Texas, the wave of terror that is lived in this city grew after the capture in October of Angel Eduardo “Ciclon 7” Prado Rodriguez, the former leader of the Gulf Cartel in Matamoros. His associate Odon “El Gordo Cherry” Azua Cruces took over the criminal organization and gave the go ahead to cartel members to kidnap and extort businessmen and other innocent victims as another way to make money.
In November, Matamoros Mayor Leticia Salazar publicly called out the kidnappings of businessmen and asked for help from the Tamaulipas state government in a formal meeting with Governor Egidio Torre Cantu.
The response by the government was the creation of a special anti-kidnapping unit made up of state and federal police officers sent to Matamoros. The group began to operate on November 9 and have since arrested various cartel members and freed various victims, however, the terror continues.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.