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UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
19 October 2011
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 1
F M S O Foreign Military Studies Office 731 McClellan Ave Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027
[email protected] 786-383-2296
Use of these articles does not
reflect official endorsement.
Reproduction for private use or
gain is subject to original
copyright restrictions.
This report is a compilation of
extract translations of Spanish
language open source
information and not evaluated
intelligence.
The complete articles in
Spanish are available from
FMSO.
This briefing is FOUO and
must be protected and
controlled in accordance with
U.S. standards.
Latin America Military and Security Watch
Table of Contents
MEXICO
SPECIAL INTEREST Mexican Drug Traffickers and Instability in Guatemala – 19 October
2011
CHIHUAHUA Hitmen Attack Police Officers and Kill One in Chihuahua, Chihuahua
– 17 October 2011 GUERRERO
Results of Operation „Guerrero Seguro‟ – 17 October 2011 Banner Signed by „La Sociedad Atterrada‟ Posted in Acapulco,
Guerrero – 17 October 2011 MEXICO STATE
Leader of La Barredora Criminal Group Arrested in Mexico State – 18
October 2011 SINALOA
Soldiers Dismantle Drug Lab and Seize 280 Kilograms of
Methamphetamine in Culiacan, Sinaloa – 14 October 2011 75 Kilograms of Cocaine Seized from Drug Lab in Mocorito, Sinaloa –
15 October 2011 NUEVO LEON
25 Individuals Murdered Over a Three Day Time Period in Vallecillo,
Nuevo Leon – 18 October 2011 Gunmen Attack Family along Agualeguas- Parás Highway in Nuevo
Leon – 18 October 2011
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Narco Messages Directed to President Calderon Posted in Areas
Throughout Monterrey, Nuevo Leon – 17 October 2011 COAHUILA
Unknown Assailants Murder Three Men in Torreon, Coahuila – 18
October 2011 CENTRAL AMERICA
National Police Seize 488 Kilograms of Cocaine in Panama City,
Panama – 18 October 2011 National Police Seize 39 Kilograms of Cocaine near Rio Mar Beach,
Panama – 18 October 2011 Authorities Dismantle Marijuana Green House in Heredia, Costa Rica
– 18 October 2011
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MEXICO
SPECIAL INTEREST Mexican Drug Traffickers and Instability in Guatemala – 19 October 2011
When Mexican drug traffickers arrived in Guatemala, what they found there was an abundance of
demobilized soldiers (many of which were already participating in criminal activities) and thousands of
Mara Salvatrucha gang members. In addition to an ample criminal base, they also discovered a large
market dedicated to illegal weapons trafficking, a prosperous industry dedicated to providing hitmen for
hire, and an advanced infrastructure that promoted violence.
All of these factors are believed to be directly related to internal institutional fragility coupled by budget
cuts within the Guatemalan military and police force. These cuts have left border regions surrounding
Guatemala without protection, while decades of war have effectively served to establish a culture based
on violence.
According to the Director of the Pro-Justice Movement in Guatemala, Carmen Aida Ibarra, criminal
groups from outside the country now constitute one of the most serious threats to internal security. These
groups are coming to the country not because they are untouchables, but instead, because Guatemala is
currently in a tenuous situation, and although the current state of affairs is not promising, Guatemala is
not a failed state. Instead, one of the problems lies in the fact that sufficient time has not been allocated to
create strong institutions. To add to this situation, groups of drug traffickers represent an additional
problem that must be dealt with by an already weak system.
In terms of Departments (States), Peten is just one of the regions within Guatemala without sufficient
governance due to restructuring and budget cuts within military and police forces. Following cuts, high
ranking military officials chose to allocate available funds to keep high-ranking Officers on board. As a
direct result, the Guatemalan military virtually converted itself into an army of Officers. These same
Officers were then given the responsibility to select the zones they wanted to work in and provide
services to. Those areas not chosen have been left without governance and are prime areas in which drug
traffickers and criminal groups choose to operate. Additionally, budget cuts did not allow for investments
in the Air Force or Navy; a factor that has left Guatemala without external defenses and border regions
without protection.
In terms of improving the situation in Guatemala, the only option is to strengthen State governance and
those institutions that oversee security measures. There are no other choices. If this does not happen, the
probability is that the country could convert into a prime setting for a mass chaos.
FMSO Commentary:
Gangs to include Las Mara Salvatruchas, unsecured borders, ungoverned regions, thousands of
demobilized soldiers without jobs, and decades of violence within Guatemala pose serious security risks
to the country. When discussing drug trafficking violence, Mexico is the country that comes to mind, and
indeed, Mexico has experienced unprecedented levels of violence directly related to drug trafficking
activity since the end of 2006. Current figures estimate that at least 50,000 individuals have been killed
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19 October 2011
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as a direct result of this violence. At the same time, increased pressure by the Mexican government on
organized crime factions has pushed groups to include the Sinaloa Cartel and Los Zetas into ungoverned
territories along the Guatemalan border.
Within Guatemala, Mexican Cartels have found a haven of sorts. In terms of weapons and personnel
availability, there are an estimated 4.5 million weapons in circulation. In terms of personnel, there are at
least 900 Mara Salvatrucha gang members in addition to an undetermined number of demobilized
soldiers who fought in civil wars that plagued Guatemala for 36 years who are willing and ready to work
at the service of drug trafficking organizations. Finally, throughout Central America, there are an
estimated 70,000 Mara Salvatrucha gang members that could provide additional forces if necessary.
Apart from providing ungoverned territories, Guatemala is also a popular pick for organized crime
groups because it is a transit nation for the estimated 560 metric tons of cocaine that pass through
Central America on a yearly basis. Of this quantity, it is a certainty that large amounts pass through
Guatemala before being sent to the United States or areas in Mexico. These 560 metric tons of cocaine
represent earnings for cartels in the billions; an idea that is evidenced by that fact that organized crime
activity alone represented 10.1% of the Guatemalan GPD in 2008.
This number represents stark differences when comparing the resources available to the forces
contracted to counteract drug trafficking. The current military budget in Guatemala is 33% of the GPD;
a number that has been fixed very firmly since 1997. To further add complications to a lacking budget in
the face of the bottomless budget afforded to drug trafficking organizations, impunity allows for question
free operations for these same groups in many sectors of the country.
Putting all the pieces together, the problems that are brewing in Guatemala are not the result of a
singular phenomenon. Instead, there is currently a large workforce to include demobilized soldiers and
gang members who are willing and ready to work at the service of organized crime groups from Mexico
at a moment’s notice. Secondly, large quantities of weapons circulating throughout the country facilitate
violence. Finally, military budget stagnation combined with impunity and the allowance of operations in
ungoverned areas stand to pose enormous security problems in Guatemala if changes are not taken to
combat criminality and weak institutions immediately.
Spanish Source: Jaramillo, Velia. “Centroamerica, propensa y contaminada”. Proceso, 05 June 2011.
CHIHUAHUA
Hitmen Attack Police Officers and Kill One in Chihuahua, Chihuahua – 17 October 2011
Early on 17 October 2011, a group of hitmen attacked three
state police officers while they were traveling in police patrol
car 299 along Nogales Avenue [28.736356,-106.097095] in
Ciudad Chihuahua, Chihuahua. Killed during this attack was
an officer identified as Jose Juan Vargas Ramirez. The other
two officers were wounded, but survived the attack.
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Spanish Source: http://www.milenio.com/cdb/doc/noticias2011/a651c69e0f2e1c7955fbbca5a876c210
Top of the Document
GUERRERO
Results of Operation ‘Guerrero Seguro’ – 17 October 2011
Results generated during the first 10 days of Operation Guerrero Seguro were reported as follows:
Recovered 49 stolen vehicles
Rescued 7 kidnapping victims
Arrested 23 individuals
Seized:
o 3 shotguns
o 50 rounds of ammunition
o 2 magazines
o 1 grenade
o 62 baggies of cocaine
o 9.7 kilograms of marijuana
o 1 radio
o 4 sets of vehicles plates
Comment: Operation Guerrero Seguro started on 10 October 2011 and is supported by more than 2,000
federal police officers, 1,500 municipal police officers, and 600 state police officers.
Spanish Source: http://www.milenio.com/cdb/doc/noticias2011/a651c69e0f2e1c7955fbbca5a865f80c
Banner Signed by ‘La Sociedad Atterrada’ Posted in Acapulco, Guerrero – 17 October 2011
On 15 October 2011, a banner signed by „La Sociedad Atterrada‟ (The Terrified Society) was posted on
the Bicentenario Bridge along Cuauhtemoc Avenue [16.864882,-99.879241] in the Marroquin
neighborhood of Acapulco, Guerrero. The message contained in the banner read as follows: “Warning to
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SEMAR and SEDENA: If you want to bring a stop to this war, you need to start by investigating
preventive police officers working at the service of the CIDA cartel. These individuals include
Commanders Victor Hugo Laina Pino, Victor Araiza, Juan Cervin Cazares, Juan Avila Dominguez,
known as El Calucha, and Francisco Ramirez Ruiz, known as El Pancho. These officers work as
lookouts, and take advantage of their position to kidnap innocent people for Victor Aguirre. Okay, do
something about this information”.
Spanish Source: http://www.blogdelnarco.com/2011/10/dejan-narcomanta-en-acapulco.html?m=1
Top of the Document
MEXICO STATE
Leader of La Barredora Criminal Group Arrested in Mexico State – 18 October 2011
An operation conducted by federal police
led to the arrest of four individuals to
include the leader of La Barredora criminal
group, Christian Arturo HERNANDEZ
Tarin, aka El Cris, in Mexico State
[19.502842,-99.717407]. The three other
individuals arrested during this operation
were identified as:
Jose Carlos Espinoza Moreno
Jorge Humberto Silva Gonzalez
Jose David Sanchez Delgado
At the time of their arrests, these men were in possession of one vehicle, five weapons, six magazines,
and communication equipment.
Additional information regarding Christian Arturo Hernandez Tarin and La Barredora criminal group was
reported as follows in this article:
The leaders of La Barredora group are Christian Arturo Hernandez Tarin and Eder Jair Sosa
Carbajal, aka El Cremas.
La Barredora utilizes Acapulco, Guerrero, as its principal base of operations, and is known to
have presence within areas of the city to include Punta Diamante, Puerto Márquez, Bonfil, Barra
Vieja, El Cayaco, Tres Palos, La Sábana, Llano Largo, El Coloso and Colosio.
La Barredora is battling the CIDA Cartel for control of the Acapulco Plaza.
Hernandez Tarin is the son of Arturo Hernandez Gonzalez, aka El Chaky. This individual has
been identified as a former Lieutenant for Amado and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes. Arturo
Hernandez is currently serving a sentence at a maximum security prison in Mexico.
Hernandez Tarin began working for Arturo Beltran Leyva, aka El Barbas, in 2005. After the
death of El Barbas, Hernandez Tarin began working as a security guard for Gamaliel Aguirre
Tabira, aka El Guero Huetamo, until Aguirre was arrested in July 2010.
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After the arrest of Edgar Valdez Villarreal, aka La Barbie, La Barredora split, and Carlos
Montemayor Gonzalez, aka El Charro, assumed leadership of the group. A direct result of this
split is the increased violence in Acapulco.
At least 100 individuals work within the ranks of Hernandez Tarin‟s group.
Spanish Source: http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/669829.cae-presunto-lider-de-la-
barredora.html
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SINALOA
Soldiers Dismantle Drug Lab and Seize 280 Kilograms of Methamphetamine in Culiacan, Sinaloa –
14 October 2011
Soldiers assigned to the III Military Region and 9th
Military Zone dismantled a drug lab while conducting
land reconnaissance in La Higuera village of Culiacan [24.807928,-107.431183], Sinaloa. Items seized
from this drug lab included:
280 kilograms of solid methamphetamine
65 liters of liquid methamphetamine
100 kilograms of tartaric acid
20 liters of an unknown liquid substance
5 kilograms of ammonium chloride
2 organic rectors
No arrests were made in conjunction with the dismantling of this drug lab.
Spanish Source: http://www.sedena.gob.mx/index.php/sala-de-prensa/comunicados-de-prensa-de-los-
mandos-territoriales/7862-15-de-octubre-de-2011-culiacan-sin
Top of the Document
75 Kilograms of Cocaine Seized from Drug Lab in Mocorito, Sinaloa – 15 October 2011
On 14 October 2011, soldiers from the III Military Region and 9th
Military Zone discovered a synthetic
drug lab in the Bacamori village of Mocorito [25.483803,-107.916384], Sinaloa. While searching this
lab, soldiers seized 75 kilograms of cocaine and 125 kilograms of caustic soda. No arrests were made in
conjunction with the dismantling of this drug lab.
Spanish Source: http://www.sedena.gob.mx/index.php/sala-de-prensa/comunicados-de-prensa-de-los-
mandos-territoriales/7863-15-de-octubre-del-2011-culiacan-sin
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NUEVO LEON
25 Individuals Murdered Over a Three Day Time Period in Vallecillo, Nuevo Leon – 18 October
2011
From 14-16 October 2011, at least six confrontations led to
the deaths of 25 individuals in Vallecillo, Nuevo Leon. Of
those individuals killed, one was identified as a soldier, while
two others were identified as federal police officers. It is
highly likely that the recent confrontations stemmed from the
arrest of La Rana (on 14 October), a prominent Los Zetas
leader, and the arrests of nine other Los Zetas operators on
16 October.
In response to these confrontations, City Clerk Amado Mata
is requesting an additional 10 State Police officers to provide security in the area due to the fact that
following these violent incident, all but six municipal police officers have resigned from their positions.
Mata also clarified that the violence in the entity is generated by outside organized crime groups primarily
from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. These same individuals utilize ranches surrounding Vallecillo as safe
havens.
Comment: Vallencillo is a small community comprised of approximately 2,500 residents, and is located
180 kilometers north of Monterrey.
Spanish Source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/estados/82600.html
Top of the Document
Gunmen Attack Family along Agualeguas- Parás Highway in Nuevo Leon – 18 October 2011
Authorities in Nuevo Leon reported that a group of unknown gunmen
attacked the Garza García family at the 11 kilometer mark along the
[approximate location 26.413011,-99.530382] Agualeguas-Parás
Highway in Nuevo Leon. At the time of the attack, the family was
returning to their residence in Parás after having attended a party in
Agualeguas.
Killed as a consequence of this attack were both parents and a six-year-
old girl. Two other siblings (ages two and three) survived the attack as
they were riding in the luggage compartment of the SUV. The young
children who managed to survive this attack were in the vehicle for five
hours before authorities responded to this incident.
Spanish Source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/estados/82609.html
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Top of the Document
Narco Messages Directed to President Calderon Posted in Areas Throughout Monterrey, Nuevo
Leon – 17 October 2011
On 17 October 2011, multiple narco banners directed to President Calderon were posted on pedestrian
bridges throughout Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. At 0900 hours, banners were left at the intersections of
Padre Mier and Constitución [25.666362,-100.303062] Streets and on Garza Sada and Luis Elizondo
Streets [25.647842,-100.290112]. The messages in these banners read as follows: “Mr. President Felipe
Calderón Hinojosa: Carlos Oliva Castillo, aka La Rana, is the individual who provided Los Zetas with
money in San Fernando, Méndez, and Ciudad Victoria. If this is the case, who is responsible for the
massacre in San Fernando? Tamaulipas wants to know who it is. You have it (the answer) in your hands.”
Spanish Source: http://www.blogdelnarco.com/2011/10/dejan-narcomantas-para-felipe-
calderon.html#more
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COAHUILA Unknown Assailants Murder Three Men in Torreon, Coahuila – 18 October 2011
During the afternoon hours on 17 October 2011, gunmen opened fire on three
men who were talking on a street corner in the Magdalenas neighborhood
[25.564975,-103.417912] of Torreon, Coahuila. A young boy in the area
was also shot and killed as he ran for cover.
Spanish Source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/estados/82609.html
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CENTRAL AMERICA
National Police Seize 488 Kilograms of Cocaine in Panama City, Panama – 18 October 2011
On 17 October 2011, a joint operation between National Police DIP agents and the Drug Prosecutor‟s
Officer resulted in the seizure of 488 kilograms of cocaine along the coast of Panama Viejo [9.005766,-
79.489238] in the Parque Lefevre sector of Panama City, Panama. The cocaine in question was seized
from a boat as it arrived on shore, and following the seizure, was identified as having belonged to the 57th
FARC Front.
Arrested in conjunction with the seizure were three Colombian nationals and three Panamanian nationals.
One of the suspects detained was identified as the head of the criminal organization responsible for
trafficking drugs into Central America, then through the land bridge up through Mexico and into the
United States.
It is also suspected that “tumbadores (individuals dedicated to stealing drug shipments)” operating in
Panama have made pacts with FARC operators and their collaborators to move their shipments along
Panamanian coasts. These groups are known to operate in areas within Panama City to include Juan
Díaz, Pacora, Panamá Viejo, Boca La Caja, Río Abajo, and Panamá Oeste. The principal roles of these
tumbadores include providing security and transporting shipments inbound from Colombia. It is also a
possibility that these same groups are aided by authorities operating within the above-mentioned sectors
in Panama City.
Comment: Javier Carabello, Panama‟s lead drug prosecutor, reported that Panamanian nationals are
taking a more active role in supporting criminal organizations in providing support in moving drugs
shipments.
Spanish Source: http://www.critica.com.pa/hoy/sucesos-
interna.php?edition_id=20111018&external_link=interceptan_cargamento_de_las_farc
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National Police Seize 39 Kilograms of Cocaine near Rio Mar Beach, Panama – 18 October 2011
During the early morning hours on 17 October 2011, National Police operating in La Chorrera arrested a
male suspect after he was caught transporting 39 kilograms of cocaine near Rio Mar Beach [8.455393,-
79.970126] in Panama. This location is in the Panama province. The shipment in question was seized
from the trunk of a vehicle, and had been placed inside of sacks and within the interior of a plastic
gasoline container. The packages of cocaine contained traces of sand and wet soil consistent with that in
the San Carlos district. For this reason, authorities presume that the shipment was unloaded moments
before it was seized.
Spanish Source: http://www.critica.com.pa/hoy/sucesos-
interna.php?edition_id=20111018&external_link=detienen_a_un_sujeto_que_llevaba_39_kilos_de_cocai
na
Top of the Document
Authorities Dismantle Marijuana Green House in Heredia, Costa Rica – 18 October 2011
A joint operation between OIJ officers and public force
officers led to the dismantling of a marijuana green house
located inside a rental property in La Asuncion de Belen
community of Heredia [10.475659,-84.012451], Costa Rica.
Items seized from the green house included:
174 marijuana plants
6 air conditioners
½ kilogram of processed marijuana
Various lamps and other items
According to a preliminary report, the green house was equipped with an irrigation system. Regarding the
home, the owner was identified as a Costa Rican national while the renter was identified as U.S. citizen
(no names provided). At this point, no arrests have been made in conjunction with the dismantled green
house.
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Spanish Source: http://www.nacion.com/2011-10-18/Sucesos/policia-desmantela-laboratorio-de-
droga.aspx
Top of the Document