Cartels, Conspiracies, and Camarena

Episode 39 -- Who Is El Mayo and How Has He Survived So Long?

Ismael Zambada Garcia, or "El Mayo," has been a key leader of the Sinaloa Cartel since 1989, overseeing the Cartel's rise to being one of the most influential drug trafficking, criminal organizations in the world.  Despite his prominence, El Mayo has stayed in power for more than 3 decades by being a strategic thinker who has kept those in his organization happy and has given value to avoiding the spotlight and instead going unnoticed.  In this Episode, we examine El Mayo's life, his leadership of CDS, and the future of CDS given El Mayo's age and health concerns.
 

Episode 38: Who Really is El Mencho and Why Hasn’t He Been Captured?

CJNG has exploded into one of the largest and most successful Cartels in Mexico and is responsible for a significant portion of the drugs trafficked from Mexico into the US.  CJNG's rise to power, it's almost unmatched brutality, and its economic prowess all can be attributed to its unquestioned leader El Mencho.  Shockingly, the public information on El Mencho is minimal and filled with urban legend, gossip, and innuendo.  In this Episode, we look at what really is known about El Mencho and discuss his confounding ability to evade arrest.  

Episode 37 -- Hidden ”Gems” in Congressional Report on Mexican Cartels

In June, the Congressional Research Service issued a report titled "Mexico: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Organizations."  In this episode, we look at the key elements of the report, including its analysis of current Mexican cartels, their illicit activities, and their leadership.  We also discuss some of the drawbacks to or flaws in the report and how they affect policy considerations in both the U.S. and Mexico.  

Episode 36 -- An Inside Look into the Arellano Felix Organization (Mexico’s Tijuana Cartel)

Steve Duncan is a retired Special Agent with the California Department of Justice where he spent years investigating the AFO on both sides of the border.  In this Episode, Steve shares his extensive knowledge and unique perspectives on the AFO, dispels oft repeated misinformation, and provides critical insight into this brutally prolific cartel and its leaders.

Episode 35 (Rev) -- Mexican Cartels: Your Questions Answered

After a few reports of issues, here is a new version of Episode 35.

Episode 35 -- Mexican Cartels: Your Questions Answered

Over the last few months, many listeners have asked questions about Mexican cartels today, the Camarena case, and the traffickers in Guadalajara at the time of Agent Camarena's abduction. 
In this episode, I answer some of the most popular questions, discussing the current turf battles in Mexico and the leadership of the cartels.  We also examine Agent Camarena's abduction and some of the key circumstances surrounding his interrogations.

Episode 34 -- El Mayo, El Mencho, and a Brief History of Mexican Cartels

As our discussions move beyond just the Camarena case, listeners may not be familiar with the significant Mexican cartels or their most notorious leaders.  This Episode provides a high-level history of the cartel-system in Mexico, identifies the prominent cartels and their areas of influence in the U.S., and discusses the two most known and infamous leaders of Mexican cartels today -- El Mencho and El Mayo.   

Episode 33 -- The SEDENA Hacks: Extradition and Caro Quintero’s Return to Power

The SEDENA hacked documents reviewed thus far have provided new insights into the extradition process between Mexico and the United States, including U.S. efforts to increase the number of extraditions from Mexico, and, specifically, its strong desire to have Caro Quintero extradited.  Also, the hacks provide clear evidence of Caro's involvement in drug trafficking following his release in 2013, including his assumption of control of the Beltran Leyva Organization in 2017. 
In this episode, we look at these revelations from the SEDENA documents and speculate on what they may mean in relation to the possible extradition of Caro Quintero and its timing.  

Episode 32 -- Testimony v. Facts: Las Americas Hotel and Manuel Bartlett Diaz

As time goes by, finding concrete facts relating to the Camarena case becomes more and more difficult.  In this episode, though, we look at testimony and statements from Godoy and Lopez regarding an alleged meeting at the Las Americas Hotel and a February 7 meeting where it is claimed Manuel Bartlett Diaz was present.  In contrast to the uncorroborated statements of Godoy and Lopez, we look for verifiable facts -- statements, affidavits, pictures, and contemporaneous press reports to question the veracity of those claims.  

Episode 31 -- Analyzing Agent Berrellez’s ”Assertions”

In a recent telephone conversation, Agent Berrellez made several assertions and asked me to look at them with an open mind, to which I agreed. 
In this episode, we analyze those assertions seeking factual support and consistency.  In the end, our review leaves us questioning many of the contentions aired in "The Last Narc" and doubting the veracity of the witnesses relied upon by the prosecution, Agent Berrellez, and the filmmakers.