Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano
Encyclopedia
Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, (born 25 December 1974) is a Mexican
drug trafficker who heads the Mexican drug cartel known as Los Zetas
.
at age 17 and was later incorporated to the Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales
(GAFES), an elite Special Forces group dedicated to fight the war against drug cartels in Mexico. In 1998, drug lord Osiel Cárdenas
from the Gulf Cartel
bribed and recruited Lazcano and 30 other Special Forces soldiers as his gunmen or bodyguards, giving rise to Los Zetas
. Lazcano was placed as third in command (Z-3), and after the death of Arturo Guzmán Decena
(Z-1) and the capture of Rogelio González Pizaña in 2004, he became the commander.
Since February 2010, Lazcano engaged in a violent turf war against his former employer/partner, the Gulf Cartel, throughout northern border states like Tamaulipas
and Nuevo León
. The killing has been so rampant in areas that some border towns have been turned into "ghost town
s".
The Gulf Cartel, reinvigorated from a new alliance with the Sinaloa Cartel
, initially made gains against the Zetas in the turf war. The Gulf Cartel was able to retake the strategically important city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas
, forcing the Zetas to retreat to Monterrey
, Nuevo León
. Since then, Lazcano and his commanders have continued to fight against the forces of the Gulf Cartel, bringing violence to Central Mexican states like San Luis Potosi
that had previously been largely spared the bloodshed. In February 2011, dozens of large banners with a message directed to Lazcano appeared throughout Mexico. The message condemns Los Zetas targeting of civilians and challenges Lazcano to "fight like a man". The message is signed by the "United Cartels", a pseudonym for the Sinaloa-Gulf Cartel Alliance.
and Mexico on multiple murders and drug trafficking charges. A $5 million USD bounty is offered in the U.S. and $2 million USD bounty is offered in Mexico.
"Donated by Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, Lord, hear my prayer", reads the bronze-colored marker, which states the chapel was built in honor of Pope John Paul II
. The Rev. Juan Aguilar, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Tulancingo
, where the chapel is located, said it was built in 2009 as a community project and the money did not go through the church, which was unaware of who funded it. The revelation has the church distancing itself from the property while admitting it knows of other donations from drug traffickers. The Attorney General of Mexico is investigating the funding of the Tezontle chapel for possible criminal charges, including money laundering or "use of illicit funds." The diocese will decide whether to continue using the chapel, depending on the results of the federal investigation.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
drug trafficker who heads the Mexican drug cartel known as 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...
.
Biography
Lazcano enlisted in the Mexican ArmyMexican 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...
at age 17 and was later incorporated to the Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales
Grupo 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...
(GAFES), an elite Special Forces group dedicated to fight the war against drug cartels in Mexico. In 1998, drug lord Osiel Cárdenas
Osiel Cárdenas
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén was a Mexican drug lord and former leader of the Gulf Cartel . Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, where he was born, he entered the Gulf Cartel by helping Juan García Abrego, the capo at the time; when García was arrested in 1995, some infighting erupted within...
from 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...
bribed and recruited Lazcano and 30 other Special Forces soldiers as his gunmen or bodyguards, giving rise to 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...
. Lazcano was placed as third in command (Z-3), and after the death of Arturo Guzmán Decena
Arturo Guzmán Decena
Arturo Guzmán Decena, a.k.a.: Z-1 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...
(Z-1) and the capture of Rogelio González Pizaña in 2004, he became the commander.
Since February 2010, Lazcano engaged in a violent turf war against his former employer/partner, the Gulf Cartel, throughout northern border states like 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...
and Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
. The killing has been so rampant in areas that some border towns have been turned into "ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
s".
The Gulf Cartel, reinvigorated from a new alliance with the Sinaloa Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
, initially made gains against the Zetas in the turf war. The Gulf Cartel was able to retake the strategically important city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas
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...
, forcing the Zetas to retreat to Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
. Since then, Lazcano and his commanders have continued to fight against the forces of the Gulf Cartel, bringing violence to Central Mexican states like San Luis Potosi
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
that had previously been largely spared the bloodshed. In February 2011, dozens of large banners with a message directed to Lazcano appeared throughout Mexico. The message condemns Los Zetas targeting of civilians and challenges Lazcano to "fight like a man". The message is signed by the "United Cartels", a pseudonym for the Sinaloa-Gulf Cartel Alliance.
Bounty
Lazcano is wanted by the federal authorities of both the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico on multiple murders and drug trafficking charges. A $5 million USD bounty is offered in the U.S. and $2 million USD bounty is offered in Mexico.
Donations to build a church
On a wall of the chapel in the in village of Tezontle, Hidalgo, a plaque says it was donated by Heriberto Lazcano:"Donated by Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, Lord, hear my prayer", reads the bronze-colored marker, which states the chapel was built in honor of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. The Rev. Juan Aguilar, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Tulancingo
Tulancingo
Tulancingo is the second-largest city in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located in the southeastern part of the state and also forms one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, as well as the Archdiocese of Tulancingo...
, where the chapel is located, said it was built in 2009 as a community project and the money did not go through the church, which was unaware of who funded it. The revelation has the church distancing itself from the property while admitting it knows of other donations from drug traffickers. The Attorney General of Mexico is investigating the funding of the Tezontle chapel for possible criminal charges, including money laundering or "use of illicit funds." The diocese will decide whether to continue using the chapel, depending on the results of the federal investigation.
See also
- Mexican drug warMexican Drug WarThe Mexican Drug War is an ongoing armed conflict taking place among rival drug cartels who fight each other for regional control, and Mexican government forces who seek to combat drug trafficking. However, the government's principal goal has been to put down the drug-related violence that was...
- Mérida InitiativeMérida InitiativeThe Mérida Initiative is a security cooperation agreement between the United States and the government of Mexico and the countries of Central America, with the declared aim of combating the threats of drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and money laundering...
- List of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords