Arturo Guzmán Decena
Encyclopedia
Arturo Guzmán Decena, a.k.a.: Z-1 (January 13, 1976 − November 21, 2002) was a Mexican Army
soldier who defected to become a mercenary
and commander of the mercenary gang called Los Zetas
at the service of Osiel Cárdenas Guillen, the Gulf Cartel
's drug lord
. Los Zetas are considered by the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) as probably being the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and violent drug cartel
in Mexico.
(GAFE) originally trained in counter-insurgency
and locating and apprehending drug cartel
members. In 1997, Guzmán Decena defected from the Mexican army and was bribed by Osiel Cárdenas Guillen, the leader of the Gulf Cartel, to become his personal body guard. Guzmán Decena brought with him approximately 30 other GAFE deserters enticed by salaries substantially higher than those paid by the Mexican government. The role of Los Zetas was soon expanded, collecting debts, securing cocaine
supply and trafficking routes known as plazas and executing its foes, often with grotesque savagery.
The group's name Los Zetas is given after its first leader, Lieutenant Arturo Guzmán Decena, whose Federal Police radio code
was "Z1", a code given to high-ranking officers.
Guzmán Decena died during a confrontation in November 2002 in Matamoros
, Tamaulipas
; his second-in-command, Rogelio González Pizaña (a.k.a.: Z2) was captured in October 2004 and so Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano
(a.k.a.: Z3) ascended to the leadership of the paramilitary gang.
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
soldier who defected to become a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
and commander of the mercenary gang called Los Zetas
Los Zetas
Los Zetas is the second most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as the most violent drug cartel and paramilitary enforcement group in Mexico...
at the service of Osiel Cárdenas Guillen, the Gulf Cartel
Gulf Cartel
The Gulf Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico, and perhaps the oldest organized crime group in the country...
's drug lord
Drug lord
A drug lord, drug baron or kingpin is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the illegal drugs trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from...
. Los Zetas are considered by the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA) as probably being the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and violent drug cartel
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
in Mexico.
Background
Guzmán Decena trained with an elite Mexican military group called Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas EspecialesGrupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales
The Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales or more commonly known as Fuerzas Especiales/Special Forces is a special forces unit of the Mexican Army's Special Forces Corps, trained by the world's special forces. There are a total of nine battalions, one High Command GAFE unit and one other group...
(GAFE) originally trained in counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
and locating and apprehending drug cartel
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
members. In 1997, Guzmán Decena defected from the Mexican army and was bribed by Osiel Cárdenas Guillen, the leader of the Gulf Cartel, to become his personal body guard. Guzmán Decena brought with him approximately 30 other GAFE deserters enticed by salaries substantially higher than those paid by the Mexican government. The role of Los Zetas was soon expanded, collecting debts, securing cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
supply and trafficking routes known as plazas and executing its foes, often with grotesque savagery.
The group's name Los Zetas is given after its first leader, Lieutenant Arturo Guzmán Decena, whose Federal Police radio code
Radio code
Radio codes include:*ICAO spelling alphabet*Ten-code*Procedure word*Voice procedure*Q code*Morse codeAlso see encoding generally....
was "Z1", a code given to high-ranking officers.
Guzmán Decena died during a confrontation in November 2002 in Matamoros
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
, Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
; his second-in-command, Rogelio González Pizaña (a.k.a.: Z2) was captured in October 2004 and so Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano
Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano
Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, is a Mexican drug trafficker who heads the Mexican drug cartel known as Los Zetas.-Biography:...
(a.k.a.: Z3) ascended to the leadership of the paramilitary gang.