Authorities in Mexico identified a top leader of a terrorist cartel as the mastermind behind the murder of a farming activist who fought to stop the extortions on lime and avocado growers. The cartel leader is the same one who, in 2018, ordered a hit on a contributing writer for Breitbart’s Cartel Chronicles project.
Mexican federal authorities, along with the Michoacan Attorney General’s Office, revealed that Cesar Alejandro “El Boto or Botox” Sepulveda Arellano is considered to be the mastermind behind the murder of farming activist Bernardo Bravo. During a news conference, authorities revealed that they obtained warrants for his arrest, connecting him to murder, kidnapping, and extortion.
Michoacan AG Carlos Torres Pina revealed that Sepulveda ordered Bravo to his ranch to meet with him prior to the murder. Torres revealed that four other men are tied to the case, and they are currently investigating the man Bravo originally met with and who took him to El Boto’s ranch.
As Breitbart News Foundation first reported, Bravo was an outspoken activist and leader of a local produce association that fought to gain attention to the extortions and threats that cartels brought down on them. In October, Bravo traveled from the Michoacan capital of Morelia to the city of Apatzingan to a local citrus market, from where he was abducted and murdered. The murder drew widespread condemnation throughout Mexico. Just days after Bravo’s murder, cartel gunmen shot and killed Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Apatzingan. Manzo had also been widely outspoken against cartels and had called out not only the Michoacan government but also the Mexican federal government for their soft approach against cartels. The murders of both freedom fighters led to widespread protests and riots throughout the state, where Michoacan’s cartel-connected governor, Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla, was widely criticized. Breitbart Texas first published a series of documents that proved Bedolla is related by marriage to two convicted drug traffickers who are serving time in a U.S. federal prison.
Soon after Bravo’s murder, government officials revealed that the murder was tied to the Blancos de Troya faction of Los Viagras, a regional cartel that had most recently joined forces with Cartel Jalisco New Generation. As Breitbart Texas reported, Los Blancos de Troya is led by Cesar “El Boto” Sepulveda, a ruthless cartel leader who is responsible for a large part of the violence in Michoacan.
Targeting Breitbart Contributor
In 2018, El Boto attempted to place a hit on Jose Luis Lara, a contributing writer for Breitbart’s Cartel Chronicles project and a founding member of the self-defense militias in Michoacán. At the time, El Boto tried to offer $100,000 for Lara’s murder. However, less than 48 hours later, Breitbart Texas published exclusive photographs of Mexican military forces arresting El Boto at one of his ranches in Michoacan. The arrest followed an anonymous tip to military forces about his location.
Two years after his capture, on April 30, 2020, a Michoacán state judge ordered his release, saying prosecutors had not presented enough evidence to prove that El Boto was a criminal, Breitbart Texas reported at the time.
El Boto Under Pressure
Earlier this week, Breitbart News Foundation was able to confirm the death of Marin Sepulveda Arellano, a brother of El Boto. Law enforcement sources revealed that the victim’s body was shot in the back of the head and was found in the bathroom of his home. Marin was a known drug addict who had been consuming drugs for several days prior to his death. Over the weekend, authorities tried to examine the body at a funeral home; however, they were initially unable to when El Boto’s followers blocked the entrance and used protesters to run out the authorities.
Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles
Sources with direct knowledge of criminal activity in Michoacán revealed to Breitbart News Foundation that prior to his death, Marin and El Boto had been arguing. The source revealed that in an altered state, Marin had blamed El Boto for the arrest of various family members and the pressure being put on the family as Mexican authorities have begun to crack down on his criminal group. During the argument, Marin threatened to turn himself in and lead authorities to El Boto.
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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].
Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and other areas to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by Jose Luis Lara, a former leading member who helped start the Self-Defense Movement in Michoacán.
The Breitbart News Foundation is an independent non-profit. All content created by it is available for licensing without charge to any legitimate publisher with a large audience and that agrees to the licensing terms. For licensing information, please contact us.
