The Mexican Army, He Still Wanted to Serve His Country

thM E EXICAN DR uG WAR Spills Over United States Border

by Jennifer L. hesterman

When Gen. Mauro Enrique Tello Quinonez retired after decades of service with the Mexican army, he still wanted to serve his country. He therefore willingly accepted a posting as a security advisor and senior counter-drug official in Cancún. unfortunately, his first day on the job turned out to be his last: Tello was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and shot 11 times.

©istockphoto.com/mikadx CounterThe

26 The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 n February 3, 2009, was among those arrested for his direct his body, along with the involvement in the general’s assassination. mutilated and bullet- Almanza, who was a Mexican soldier thM E EXICAN ridden bodies of his driver himself from 1997 to 2004, was oand security officer, was found in a car stockpiling an impressive cache of ©istockphoto.com/BWBImages alongside a road in Cancún. weapons: officials seized 43 rifles and Tello was not the only high-ranking handguns, two grenade launchers, 23 army officer killed in the city, which grenades, a rocket launcher, and more than Imagine, for a DR uG WAR is best known for its lucrative tourist 12,000 rounds of ammunition. Almanza’s moment, that one of Spills Over United States Border industry. In 2006, lt. Col. Wilfrido brother ricardo was also implicated in the Flores Saucedo and his aide were gunned killings, but unfortunately, he remains at America’s elite special down on a Cancún street. The assailants large. Mexican officials have stated that operations units goes escaped and were never captured. ricardo was in belize at the time of his Luckily, in Tello’s case, the military brother’s arrest, trying to smuggle a 20-ton “rogue” and starts had several leads and quickly moved in shipment of cocaine into the country. using its specialized to assume control of the investigation. Through his involvement in the Tello Cancún’s police chief was removed from killing, Octavio Almanza was sending a skills, equipment, and his position and put under house arrest. clear, unequivocal message to the mexican training against the His detainment was quickly followed government, one repeated both across u.s. government... by the apprehension of seven men, all Mexico and along the country’s border members of the deadly and widely feared with the U.S.: The Zetas are unafraid and meet the los Zetas Los Zetas organization. battle ready. organization. A Los Zetas leader Octavio Almanza

The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 27 uNMASKING THE ZETAS its members receive specialized training Imagine, for a moment, that one in jungle, amphibious, urban, and high of America’s elite special operations mountain operations from the best units goes “rogue” and starts using its counterterrorism and counterinsurgency specialized skills, equipment, and training units in the world. In recent years, the against the U.S. government. The GAFE’s primary mission morphed from members of the unit participate in illegal providing protection to key officials activities such as drug trafficking, gun and buildings to one of assisting the the protracted running, and human smuggling. They country in dismantling drugs cartels. also serve as hit squads, willing to murder Therefore, with their inside knowledge and violent battle innocent victims in return for cash. The of the inner workings of cartels, along for control of unit does not fear, hide, or run from law with their counterintelligence, disguise, enforcement; rather, it engages. and insurgency training, the Zetas are a highly coveted Meet the Los Zetas organization. complex and lethal force. drug routes into With an estimated membership of Under the umbrella of the Gulf cartel, 2,000, the core of the Zetas is composed the Zetas act as hit squads to eliminate the united states of former members of the Grupo the “enemy,” which typically consists of is exacting a cost Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales, or members of law enforcement and the the GAFE. The GAFE is the special Mexican government. Zeta executions are like never before. forces arm of the Mexican army, and savage; they often set their targets on fire, decapitate them, and saturate their bodies with bullets. The Zetas also engage other cartels in the protracted battle for control of trafficking routes at theu .S.-mexico border. Although other paramilitary or “enforcement groups” are present in those cartels, such as the Los Zeros of the Alianza (also known as Juarez) cartel, the DEA has labeled the Zetas as “the most technologically advanced, sophisticated, and violent.”1 This group is clearly operating in the border region; in November 2008, for example, a Zeta leader named Jaime Gonzalez Duran was arrested just across the border from McAllen, Texas. Furthermore, the group may wield control over such u.S.-based gangs as the Mexican Mafia, the Texas Syndicate, mS-13, and the Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos.2

CHAOS AT THE bORdER Marisella Molinar was like many people who live in El Paso, Texas: Every day, she made the quick trip across the border to ©istockphoto.com/mikadx her workplace in Juarez, Mexico. Molinar

28 The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 2009 iNCiDENtS: was a secretary for a top lawyer in Juarez, and unfortunately, she was with him on CriSiS At thE borDEr December 3, 2008, when a cartel sought vengeance. Molinar and her employer Within the first few months of 2009, the situation were instantly killed when their vehicle was hit with a barrage of fire from AK- along the Mexican border has continued to 47s, with 85 rounds expended in all. worsen. Some examples and statistics that It was yet another ruthless killing and illustrate this trend are as follows: a message to law enforcement and the Mexican government from the cartels. The citizens of El Paso continue to face • The murder rate in Mexico is escalating. As of February 2009, 1,000 this menacing threat just across the river; people were dead; in 2008, that number wasn’t reached until late April. in fact, the violence in Juarez is escalating, • In early March, fighting between rival gangs in a Juarez prison leaves with 400 deaths already in 2009.3 20 people dead and seven injured. To help control the violence, 1,500 21 The protracted and violent battle for extra security forces are deployed to the city. control of highly coveted drug routes • In late February, gunmen attack a convoy carrying the governor of the into the United States is exacting a cost border state of Chihuahua. The attack results in the death of one of the 22 like never before. In 2005, the governors governor’s bodyguards. of Arizona and New mexico declared a • Also in February, gunmen in Juarez engage a military vehicle, firing state of emergency within their border over 100 rounds, killing the city's number-two law enforcement official 23 counties due to the escalating violence and three bodyguards. and threat to American citizens. The • The same week in Juarez, five city police officers and a jail guard Mexican government criticized this are killed. Signs soon appear in the city stating that an officer will action, although it sent officials to the die every 48 hours unless the police chief steps down. He promptly table to discuss how to best address this complies. issue with its American neighbors. Four • Around the same time, “narco banners” in Juarez threaten the mayor’s 24 years later, the situation is as dire as ever. family, including his relatives in the united States. Areas along the border are virtual war • In mid-February, a shootout between cartel members and police leaves zones, with towns on both sides caught in 10 dead in the border town of Reynosa, which is the home of many 25 the crossfire. For instance, border-related u.S.-owned factories. crime in Arizona is rapidly escalating, • In January, 11 people are killed and one is kidnapped within a 24– with increased numbers of kidnappings, hour period in Juarez.26 shootings, and home invasions by masked men wearing military battle dress uniforms.4 Incredibly, in 2008, Phoenix ranked second in the world in launched a manhunt for Maximo Garcia as the former head of the DEA’s El Paso kidnappings for ransom, just behind Carrillo, a suspected Zeta who owns a Intelligence Center once stated, “Drug 7 Mexico City.5 house in the Oak Cliff suburb of the city. traffickers kill for I-35.” A battle is also raging for control of Carrillo is believed to have killed Dallas More recently, the Zetas have Interstate 35, a highly desired route for police officer mark Nix.6 also become involved in the human drug traffickers. I-35 begins at the border After Dallas, I-35 has intermittent smuggling business, charging a 10- in Laredo, Texas, and it traverses major empty stretches of highway, but it percent commission for use of the border 8 cities like Dallas, where Zeta presence eventually passes through Oklahoma and the Interstate 35 corridor. If it seems has already been detected. In fact, a 2005 City, Kansas City, and Minneapolis. The incredible that the Zetas charge smugglers Justice Department memo indicated that interstate ends in Duluth, Minnesota, at to operate on U.S. real estate, consider the Zetas had been active in the Dallas the Canadian border. The importance of that Zeta commandos are now reportedly 9 area since 2003, and police there have this corridor to the cartels is significant; living north of the rio Grande.

The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 29 • GuLF CARTEL: Gulf cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas, a former state police officer in Mexico, was arrested and extradited to the u.S. in 2007. In his absence, the operational leadership of the Gulf cartel has been decentralized, with three major branches and leaders. based in matamoros, the cartel has a large presence in the border cities of reynosa, miguel Alemán, and Nuevo laredo. The Gulf cartel also has an extensive support system, among them the Zetas, who are the enforcement arm of the organization. more than 175 Gulf cartel operatives who were working in the U.S. were arrested last fall as part of the DEA’s ©istockphoto.com/LilliDay Project reckoning, which identified networks reaching from the Mexican The MAJor CArTels: border to Georgia, New York, North FLuSH WITH CASH ANd Carolina, and other states. Through this WEAPONS operation, the DEA seized $60 million in cash and over 40 tons of illegal drugs When it comes to the ongoing battle that belonged to the Gulf cartel.10 for control of the Mexican drug trade, a

majority of the violence is perpetrated by SINALOA CARTEL: three groups, each of which has massive • The Sinaloas, also known as the cash assets and the weaponry of a small Federation, began to contest the army: the Gulf cartel (which is the Zeta’s Gulf cartel’s domination of the parent organization), the Sinaloa cartel, coveted southwest Texas corridor after and the Juarez cartel. Cárdenas’s arrest. Although it rapidly

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30 The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 Circle 307 on Reader Service Card grew in size and wealth, the Sinaloa the Golden Triangle Alliance, or La cartel was recently dealt a major blow Alianza Triángulo de Oro, because its via the DeA’s operation Xcellerator, leadership is located in three Mexican which dismantled much of the cartel’s states. At its height in the late 1990s, operation in the United States. The when pushing 50 percent of the agency announced in February 2009 cocaine into the U.S., the Juarez cartel that over the last two years, they were was considered the most powerful in able to pinpoint 70 drug distribution the world, exacting a $200 million centers in 26 u.S. states; in all, agents profit per week. The organization is still arrested 750 traffickers and confiscated powerful, and it is currently fighting 23 tons of cocaine. Notably, many of with the Zetas for control of the Nuevo the Sinaloa’s drug hubs were not in Laredo area. major metropolitan areas. For example, one distribution center was located THE MExICAN ARMy: in Stow, ohio, a quiet community of ENGAGEd IN LOW 35,000. The inaloasS were sending INTENSITy CONFLICT cocaine through the local airport, Mexican president Felipe de Jesús shipping the drug from California to ©istockphoto.com/wsfurlan Calderón Hinojosa’s primary goals when Stow on a regular basis.11 entering office in 2006 were to grow his country’s economy by creating jobs and JuArez CArTel: • to reduce poverty. Unfortunately, the The Juarez cartel now calls itself battle for control with the drug cartels

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Circle 119 on Reader Service Card The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 31 has proved a major item on Calderón’s are able to meet confrontation head on. secure ports of entry, and strictly enforce agenda. Mexico’s murder rate is escalating Unfortunately, illegal drug operations immigration laws. The government also dramatically, from 3,000 in 2007 to over and corruption go hand-in-hand, so it is placed National Guard troops at the 6,000 in 2008. There were 1,000 murders difficult to know who you can trust on southwestern border under Operation in January 2009 alone, provoking the the streets. For instance, last year, four Jump Start, where they are assisting U.S. U.S. State Department to announce a policemen from Nuevo laredo were Customs and border Protection. travel advisory for American citizens arrested for conspiring with the Zetas, beyond these efforts, the united planning to vacation in Mexico over using police frequencies to pass them States is aiding Mexico’s fight against the 2009 spring holiday.12 This type of critical information. the cartels under the provisions of the announcement certainly doesn’t bode well merida Initiative, a multiyear $1.4 billion for one of Mexico’s primary industries: THE u.S. RESPONSE anti-narcotics package that increases tourism. Clearly concerned with escalating law enforcement cooperation and Calderón, who has compared Los Zetas bloodshed at America’s southern border, intelligence sharing between the U.S. and to al-Qaeda, has made combating the the previous director of the CIA surprised Mexico. This initiative includes aircraft, drug cartels his highest law enforcement many when he stated that the violence in software, hardware, communications goal. He is employing Mexico’s military mexico presents the number-two threat technology, training to strengthen the to enforce compliance with his objectives, to U.S. national security, just behind Mexican judicial system, intelligence using 45,000 soldiers to meet the threat al-Qaeda. Accordingly, federal and state instruction, and advice on vetting new and join the 5,000 federal police already governments have recently unveiled law enforcement personnel to prevent detailed to the issue. The Mexican Army new plans to bolster u.S.-mexico and identify corruption.13 is engaging in small-scale combat with border security. For example, the federal In addition, the state of Texas recently the cartels, particularly the paramilitary government has launched the Secure launched operation rio Grande to factions like the Zetas—who have the border Initiative, which includes plans increase border security. The efforts exact same weapons in their arsenal and for more agents to patrol the border, consisted of short-duration, regional

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Circle 319 on Reader Service Card 32 The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 operations that integrated local, state, and Thus, the future is now a harsh reality. stop the southward flow of weapons into federal agencies.14 However, the spike in Although it appears that tactical-level the hands of the cartels? violence and necessary response to protect needs are being addressed, larger national Furthermore, how can the U.S. citizens is sapping the already resource- security questions will require additional better secure long, unattended, open constrained state; in fact, Texas governor action to turn the tide on the growing stretches of its northern border now that Rick Perry recently requested another instability in the region and the entire Mexican gangs have infiltrated Canada? $135 million to go toward the border hemisphere. For instance, can national The Sinaloa and Gulf cartels have been security of his state.15 assets be used for domestic security when strengthening their drug trafficking it is threatened by criminal terrorists operations in Canada, and they are Strategic such as the Zetas? Also, with $12 billion contributing to escalating gang and drug- 19 implicationS to $15 billion per year flowing from related violence in that country. the United States to Mexican drug It’s also critical to note that Hezbollah, Since 2005, the DEA has continually traffickers,17 how can we reduce demand Hamas, and possibly al-Qaeda are already warned that drug-related violence will or discourage use? operating in South America. Therefore, spill over the Mexican border into the Michael Sullivan, former acting policymakers and operators alike must United States. More recently, an October director of the ATF, recently stated that ask the following question and confront 21, 2008, FBI intelligence report painted investigators have traced large numbers the inevitable answer: Would the Zetas a particularly grim picture. It advised that of the illegal weapons found in Mexico partner with these groups and provide a the Zetas were reinforcing their ranks to the United States.18 The U.S. is new, asymmetric challenge to the U.S.? and stockpiling weapons in safe houses addressing the issue with gun dealers in In the face of the escalating threats at in the U.S. in response to crackdowns; our country and at the border through the U.S. border, perhaps it is time to take moreover, the report predicted an the ATF’s Project Gunrunner, but how a harder line to protect our security. One escalation of violence on both sides of can Mexico tighten its border security to option is to officially designate Los Zetas border in the months to come.16

9450 NW 58st - Unit 105 • Doral, Florida 33178 • Phone: 305.471.4733 • Fax: 305.471.4831 Circle 335 on Reader Service Card The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 35 It’s also critical to note as a terrorist group. The Zetas meet the list (November 17 and Aum Shinriyko/ that hezbollah, hamas, State Department’s threshold as a foreign Aleph, for example). The Zetas also have and possibly al-Qaeda organization that threatens our national the weaponry to operate as irregular security, and they certainly pose more of forces, with fire teams capable of carrying are already operating a danger to our national security than out autonomous operations with tactical in south America. several dormant groups that reside on the flexibility. It is time to recognize that some transnational criminal groups aren’t just in the money-making business—they also use terror as a tactic and act in a I�� P�� S�� subversive manner toward governments at e Center for Rural Development and law enforcement institutions. I�� P�� S�� If the murder statistics and the fact that the Mexican Army is engaged in at e Center for Rural Development Homeland Security conflict with its own citizens aren’t CERTIFICATE PROGRAM convincing enough, consider that 53 percent of Mexicans believing the drug 20 Courses for Public Safety Practitioners cartels are winning the ongoing battle. Courses include: In the words of former U.S. drug czar  Law Enforcement Professionals Gen. barry mcCaffrey, “This is the most Available Now! alarming situation I’ve seen in Mexico in  Fire Service Professionals 15 years. our own interests are at stake. Coming Soon! We must stand with these people; they’re  Emergency Management literally fighting for their lives.” Professionals And, it appears, so are we. Coming Soon! • ENdNOTES Enroll in a course today. 1 2008 National Drug Assessment http:// Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium No fees! No cost! www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs25/25921/25921p.pdf 2 DISCLAIMER: This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 2006-GD-T6-K001 administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA, Training and Exercises Integration http://www.fpri.org/enotes/200805. Secretariat. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not represent the oﬃcial position or policies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. grayson.loszetas.html#note12 For more information please visit 3 http://www.cnn.com/2009/WorlD/ www.preventivestrategies.net or www.ruraltraining.org americas/02/27/juarez.mexico.violence/index.

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38 The Counter Terrorist ~ June/July 2009 Circle 309 on Reader Service Card