A series of raids targeting a top cartel leader boss who masquerades as a self-defense group leader has pushed his gunmen to pressure state police officers into protecting them.
The incidents occurred in Tepalcatepec, a town in the Mexican state of Michoacan, on the border with Jalisco.
Breitbart News Foundation obtained an exclusive video that captured the moment when cartel gunmen masquerading as police officers argue with Michoacan State Police forces for not protecting them. In the heated discussion, the state officers can be heard arguing in Spanish, telling the gunmen that the forces coming in are from Jalisco (referring to Jalisco state police) and asking the cartel gunmen if they are willing to go themselves and clash with government vehicles. During the arguing, one state police officer mentions that a military commander is already aware of the situation.
In recent days, Jalisco state authorities and Mexican federal forces have been carrying out a series of raids in an attempt to capture Juan Jose “El Abuelo” Farias Alvarez, the leader of a criminal organization known as Cartel de Tepalcatepec, which is part of Carteles Unidos, one of the six criminal organizations designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government. Currently, the U.S. Department of Justice is offering a $10 million reward for El Abuelo.
As Breitbart Texas reported, the man known as El Abuelo had been living in Michoacan with complete impunity, and he and his gunmen have been masquerading as members of a self-defense group. Government officials in Michoacan have since turned El Abuelos group into a community police force, which gave them a badge and government protection while they worked to keep rival criminal organizations out of their turf.
El Tilin (Right in blue) stands with government officials after receiving uniforms for his community police force. Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles
The leader of the community police force in Tepalcatepec is Commander Juventino “El Tilin” Cisneros, a man who, while working as a police officer, is also known locally as the chief enforcer for El Abuelo.
Over the years, El Tilin has used his position as the top lawman in Tepalcatepec to hide his cartel work for El Abuelo. Locals have exposed him in the past and have blamed him for numerous disappearances that have been disguised as arrests. The victims are never heard from again.
Banner blaming El Tilin for the forced disappearances of locals. Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles
El Tilin is the main individual seen in the video arguing with the state police officers and demanding answers for not protecting them.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Jose Luis Lara from the Breitbart News Foundation Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report.
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