Guerreros Unidos
| Founded | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Founded by | An alliance in 2010 signed by La Familia Michoacana remnants with Beltrán-Leyva Organization, Tijuana Cartel, Juárez Cartel, and Los Zetas |
| Founding location | Guerrero |
| Years active | 2010-present |
| Territory | Mexico: Guerrero, Oaxaca, Edomex, Morelos, Distrito Federal, Puebla United States: New York State, Miami |
| Ethnicity | Mexican |
| Allies | La Familia Michoacana Beltrán-Leyva Organization Los Zetas Juárez Cartel Tijuana Cartel La Barredora CIDA Los Talibanes Cartel CJNG |
| Rivals | Gulf Cartel Knights Templar Cartel Sinaloa cartel Los Rojos La Nueva Familia Michoacana |
The Guerreros Unidos Cartel o Cártel de Los Guerreros Unidos is a Mexican criminal syndicate in the states of Southern Mexico. It most notably known for the kidnapping of 43 students from Ayotzinapa College in Iguala, Guerrero on September 26, 2014. It was alleged the mayor of the town and his wife cooperated with the Mexican Army and Iguala Municipal Police to kidnap the students.[1]
History
The Guerreros Unidos Cartel was founded in 2010 as two factions from La Familia Michoacana merged an alliance with different cartels. One faction chose sides with the Tijuana, Beltrán Leyva, Juarez, and Los Zetas cartels. Another chose alliances with the Gulf and Sinaloa Cartels. The faction that chose sides with the Sinaloa and Gulf cartels rivals formed Guerreros Unidos with the remains of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. Before the kidnapping of the 43 students, it was suspected of attacking a bus of Ayotzinapa activists on December 11, 2011 with Guerrero state militia and police.[2]
2014 Iguala Kidnapping
On September 26, 2014 students from Ayotzinapa College were assisting a protest in Mexico City to commemorate the 46th anniversary of the tlatelolco massacre. Under orders from the mayor, Iguala Municipal Police, Federal Ministerial Police, Mexican Federal Police, various members from SEDENA, and Guerrero State Police carjacked a bus carrying them to Mexico City. They shot the bus windows killing six students. Witnesses that survived the ordeal described they were taken to the Mexican army base in town, and then the commander decided who would be killed or left alive. The mayor was then later arrested a few months later on November 4, 2014 by PGR and SEIDO agents.[3]
- ^ "Mexican president confirms witness implicated soldiers in kidnapping of 43 college students". www.nbcnews.com.
- ^ "Comisión Nacional de los derechos Humanos México" (PDF). www.cndh.org.
- ^ "Detienen a José Luis Abarca, ex edil de Iguala, y su esposa, en Iztapalapa, DF". www.aristeguinoticias.com.