Cartels, Conspiracies, and Camarena

Episode 55 -- The (Other) Knights Templar

The Knights Templar cartel formed as from a split in leadership of La Familiar Michoacana, and it left a lasting impression from its short reign.  The Knights Templar history is filled with stories of their strict Code of Conduct, drug rehabilitation centers, and graphic violence.  It is even alleged that their induction ceremonies included extensive costumes and the eating of hearts.  
This Episode provides a historical recap of the Knights Templar and draws some parallels between their ultimate demise and the fall of other cartels.  

Episode 54: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of La Familia Michoacana

The short reign of La Familia Michoacana as a key Mexican cartel was distinguished by their rapid growth, violent nature, and "unique" leaders, including the bible carrying Nazario Moreno González, known as El Más Loco ("The Craziest One"), and José de Jesús Méndez Vargas alias El Chango ("The Monkey" or "The Ape").
La Familia long had a fractured power structure which, together with defections to the Knights Templar, precipitated the cartel's demise.
In recent years, a new La Familia Michoacana has announced its presence in parts of Mexico City and in Michoacan, where its methamphetamine business may be opposed by CJNG's aggressive growth in that state.
This episode explores the rise and fall of La Familia Michoacana, examines its leaders, and details the cartel's rebirth.  

Episode 53: The Indictments of Los Chapitos and What They Really Mean

The recent announcement by the Department of Justice of indictments in three federal courts of Los Chapitos and many of their associates was accompanied by significant detail on the Los Chapitos organization and the efforts of the DEA to infiltrate that organization.  
In this Episode, we look at the indictments themselves, the statements of the DOJ, and the materials presented by the DEA detailing the Los Chapitos organization.  We then look at what the indictments and the DEA investigations mean to many central figures in the drug trade, on both sides of the border.  

Episode 52 -- The Three ”Zs” and the Ironic Downfall of Los Zetas

Led primarily by two former members of the Mexican special forces, Arturo Guzmán Decena and Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, designated Z-1 and Z-3, respectively, the Zetas started as the military wing of the Gulf Cartel and became a fierce cartel, driven by military tactics and ruthless aggression.  This Episode explores how, despite their miliary elements, internal fractionalization and external threats arising from their merciless actions led to the rapid downfall of the once-feared cartel.  Today, Los Zetas are gone and all that remains are isolated factions and groups claiming, without much effect, to be its successors.   

Episode 51- Osiel Cardenas Guillen and the Power Move that Almost Brought Down the Gulf Cartel

As part of our series analyzing the older Mexican cartels and, in particular, understanding their leaders, today we discuss Osiel Cardenas Guillen, who rose from being a mechanic in Matamoros to leader of the Guld Cartel. 
While heading CDG, Cardenas Guillen was directly responsible for the creation of Los Zetas, as well as the territorial and operational growth of the Cartel.  He also made a curious display of power that drew the attention of law enforcement in Mexico and the United States, likely precipitating his arrest. 
Following Cardenas Guillen's arrest and eventual extradition to the U.S., the Zetas split from and battled with the Gulf Cartel.  Today, the Zetas essentially are no longer, and the Gulf Cartel is little more than several smaller, much less powerful factions. 

Episode 50: The Rise, Possible Betrayal, and Fall of Alfredo Beltran Leyva

The Beltran Leyva brothers rose to a prominent role in the Sinaloa Cartel together with their long-time "friend" El Chapo, then splintered from the CDS, formed an alliance with Los Zetas, only to be decimated by arrests and killings. 
In this Episode, we examine the life of Alfredo Beltran Leyva in order to understand the BLO and to identify the reasons behind their blood feud with El Chapo.  We also address the reasons for the BLO's ultimate fall, and, finally, we consider Alfredo's prosecution and imprisonment in the U.S., which finds him now residing at the Supermax facility in Florence, Colorado, alongside El Chapo himself. 

Episode 49: The Tragically Violent Life of El Chapo’s Former Friend and Partner El Guero Palma

Jesús Héctor Luis Palma Salazar, "El Guero" Palma, has led a tragic and violent life that has seen him rise from an impoverished childhood, to being a main cog in Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo's operation, to being a partner and friend of El Chapo Guzman.  Along the way, El Guero lost his wife and sons to the violent ways of cartels, he was responsible for numerous killings, and has spent decades in prison.  His tale is both a cautionary and a tragic one. 
His relationship with El Chapo also provides interesting clues about El Chapo's relationship with American agencies. 
Finally, El Guero is one of a dwindling few who may have knowledge or information significant to a true and more complete understanding the growth of the cartel system in Mexico and knowledge about cases of interest and import, including, but certainly not limited to, the tragic case of Agent Camarena.  

Episode 48 -- The CIA: Black Ops, Narcotics, and El Chapo

The mythos of CIA involvement in the Camarena case warrants additional consideration and a renewed rebuttal.  In this Episode, we set the stage for such reconsideration by reviewing CIA blacks ops, including public disclosures on black ops and a review of the CIA-backed Operation Gladio.  We then turn our attention to allegations of CIA involvement in drug trafficking around the globe, as well as assertions of a period of cooperation between the CDS and the CIA.  Finally, we look at interesting connections between recently convicted Genaro Garcia Luna and the CIA. Each of these elements provide a foundation a framework for a comprehensive assessment and (likely) rebuke of the allegations of CIA involvement in the Camarena case.  

Episode 47: A Perspective on the Evolution of Cartels in Mexico

The rise of cartels in Mexico has been the result of a number of factors, including anti-drug efforts by law enforcement around the world, the structure of the Mexican government, and the adaptive nature of the cartels and their leaders.  In this Episode, we use the "Organized Crime and Violence Special Report 2021" from the University of San Diego's Department of Political Science and International Relations to examine those factors, particularly in light of recent anti-cartel efforts on both sides of the border. 

Episode 46: The Curious Case of Dr. Humberto Alvarez Machain

Dr. Alvarez Machain was a Guadalajara doctor who often provided medical services to drug traffickers, including Rafael Caro Quintero.  Following the murder of Agent Camarena, a warrant was issued for his arrest and, in April 1990, Dr. Machain was "abducted" from Guadalajara, flown to El Paso, arrested, and charged with crimes connected to Agent Camarena's murder. 
Following Dr. Machain's arrest, his voluntary post-arrest interview and his trial as a defendant in Zuno II present a nuanced case study and call into question Dr. Machain's portrayals in dramatic programs and the statements made about Dr. Machain in "The Last Narc."