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Monday, June 28, 2021

Suspected Gulf Cartel Faction Boss 'La Vaca' Arrested In Reynosa Killing Spree Investigation

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

Iván Alejandro Resendez Cárdenas and/or Jorge Iván Cardenas Martínez, alias La Vaca (The Cow).
Jorge Ivan Cardenas Martinez, alias La Vaca (The Cow), a suspected high-ranking member of the Gulf Cartel, was arrested over the weekend for his alleged involvement in the recent killing spree in Reynosa that claimed 19 lives, including a taxi driver, a nursing student, and a group of bricklayers.

The Special Operations Group (Grupo de Operaciones Especiales, GOPES), the elite unit of the Tamaulipas State Police, confirmed that they arrested La Vaca in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, which borders the city of Reynosa, on Saturday, 26 June 2021.

At the moment of his arrest, La Vaca was accompanied by six of his associates, who were also arrested. Over 25 people have been arrested in connection to the massacre.

Authorities say that La Vaca was a top Gulf Cartel member in Rio Bravo.

"[La Vaca] is identified as a main generator of violence in the Reynosa, Río Bravo, Matamoros region," the Tamaulipas state government said in a statement.

He had an arrest warrant issued against him since 2019 for various crimes and had a MXN$2 million (about US$100,945) bounty.

During his capture, authorities seized eight vehicles, 16 firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition, bulletproof vests, and other equipment used by cartel gunmen.

Background
The Gulf Cartel, historically based in the state of Tamaulipas, has suffered splintering over the years after the arrest and death of many of its top members.

The massacre in Reynosa was reportedly ordered by Los Ciclones, a cartel faction based in Matamoros and headed by local kingpin Jose Alfredo Cardenas Martinez (alias "El Contador"). He is one of the nephews of legendary Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas leader Osiel Cardenas Guillen.

Citizen journalists in Tamaulipas also accuse Oscar Antonio Lopez Sandoval (alias "La Droga", "Ciclon 89") and Edgar Valladares Hernandez * (alias "El Maestrin"), both based in Rio Bravo, of masterminding the attack along with El Contador.

Left to right: Oscar Antonio Lopez Sandoval (alias "La Droga", "Ciclon 89") and Edgar Valladares Hernandez (alias "El Maestrin"). Both are part of Grupo Tiburones, a faction in Rio Bravo.
Reynosa, on the other hand, is headed by Los Metros faction. The suspected leaders of Los Metros are Carlos Humerto Acuña de los Santos (alias "El Mono", M-28") and Carlos Morfin Morfin (alias "El Primito"), among others.

Reactions
On Sunday, Pope Francis prayed for the victims in Reynosa and sent his condolences to the families through a letter to the Dioceses of Matamoros.

"Upon hearing the sad news of the terrible murders that took place in Reynosa, and in which numerous innocent people lost their lives, the Holy Father reiterates his firm disapproval for this episode of unjustifiable violence," read the letter from the Vatican addressed to the Bishop of Matamoros, Eugenio Andrés Lira Rugarcía and signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican.

The Governor of Nuevo Leon, Jaime Rodríguez Calderón, nicknamed "El Bronco", issued a travel alert for the neighboring state of Tamaulipas following the missing person reports in Nuevo Laredo and the killings in Reynosa. The US government also issued a travel warning and restricted movement of personnel in the area.


Background sources: Valor Tamaulipeco (1); (2); (3); Borderland Beat archives; Anonymous sources

Reactions sources: Aristegui Noticias; La Razon; MND; Borderland Beat archives

Note (*): Several sources have confused Edgar Valladares Hernandez (alias "El Maestrin") with Juan Miguel Lizardi Castro (alias "El Miguelito").

54 comments:

  1. everything Gulf cartel is confusing if you stop keeping up with them for a few months. Lots of bosses, factions, betrayals. I've been lost since 2013 or so but started to get the hang of things again when BB covered the Frontera Chica a lot last year and early this year... Reynosa, Matamoros, we are talking about 15 top guys or more if I'm not mistaken. crazy stuff. greetings from McAllen, Tx.

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    1. Hey mcallen tx im sure alot of cdg family members live there from past to present

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    2. 8:53 - oh yeah. old Gulf / Zetas families from the 90s, 2000s, 2010s. Most of the children have US citizen or are loaded with money that US turns a blind eye …

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    3. Many Reynosa, Rio Bravo, and La Frontera Chica narco families live in McAllen. Brownsville has more from Matamoros, Valle Hermoso, and even Tampico. A lot of drug money flows in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) and it’s been like that for many years. When the drug war started many rich families fled to the RGV from Tamaulipas, invested in real estate, opened up businesses, restaurants. US welcomed them with open arms.

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    4. 9:01 those are probably some of the douchey kind you see out there rolling in a new model vehicle, going out every weekend partying even on some weekdays. Loaded with money from their families dirty past.

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  2. Why this sudden Matamoros versus Reynosa hit? Could it be political too? Change in mayors, etc. A hit on Reynosa hurts Cabeza de Vaca.

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    1. fight for Power

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    2. That’s a theory. More on it here:

      https://www.sinembargo.mx/21-06-2021/3990942

      I’m working on another story about the Reynosa investigation. More to come tomorrow. I’ll include details from the report above as well.

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  3. I thought Ciclón 89 was killed a few years back during a large push into Reynosa to fight the Metros, was this a fabrication of their own making?

    I remember it was back before El Contador was arrested and was in the midst of attempting to unify criminal groups in the Northeast. (or so it appeared, since Cero-1 seemed to have alliances with VEZ and some CDN seemed to be working in tandem with some CDG against Primito and other Metros cells in a limited capacity.)

    Anyways, there was a post of C89's supposed body and shot out vehicles marked with his clave in the Current Events thread before the forum was taken down the first time, idk if anyone else remembers this. Some songs were also released commemorating him.

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    1. Not sure yet but his name has surfaced since El Vaquero was captured. But I do remember his supposed death. Chuy Lavadas did the same thing (fabricating his death), and popped up years later.

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    2. Ciclón 89 was not a sicario a few years ago so highly doubt he went into battle and got killed. If I’m not mistaken he was based in the Nuevo Progreso plaza before from what I read at BB a while back. Nuevo Progreso is a relatively easy plaza and a stepping stone for Rio Bravo. He is friends with Negro Flores Borrego and that got him to higher places.

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    3. Ah, I see I see! My understanding was that he was in charge of various estacas for Grupo Tiburones and due to the scope of the assault on Reynosa at the time (I do believe it was several hundred trucks iirc) he was leading in person hence the rumour of his death.

      If he's friends with Gama 3 then it's no real surprise of what you say. I also recall he was regarded as a close operator to El Contador too.

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    4. I heard the same thing that he died from sickness. I believe there was a corrido as well dedicated to him.

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  4. M3 brother el negrito/gama 3 wants revenge and is with matamoros/contador. Fuxk x20 and m42

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    1. He’s based out of Valle Hermoso, correct? Any word on whether Escorpión 2 decided to finally work with El Contador? Word in Tamaulipas is that with El Vaquero gone maybe they decided to finally put the differences aside.

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    2. No wonder he is with matamoros faction. Most metros betrayed M3.

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    3. Metros are usually betraying each other it seems. El Tachas being shot through the balls for trying to give Toro up to the military is one that always comes to mind.

      The Matamoros and Tampico affiliated groups seem to be a little more unified and business minded in their approach to things. Metros sometimes comes off as very power hungry on individual levels and this leads to a great deal of infighting I think.

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    4. 9:40 - Correct. From my understanding, Comandante Alemán is working with Primito and Mono, and turned against Metro 21 (El Nabor), Metro 22 (La Mierda) and Metro 1 (El Mimi). These last 3 have been with Matamoros along with Maestrin.

      Remember that beer warehouse massacre in Reynosa last year where 7 were killed? That was a Matamoros-backed hit.

      Still trying to wrap my head around El Contador and Escorpión 2. The two didn’t get along before Vaquero’s capture. But maybe things changed since Kike was killed?

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    5. This Mono M-28 has the same clave as Pelochas and the same name as M-76 which is a bit confusing lol! But that's not surprising to hear they're turning on one another.

      iirc La Mierda and Mimi are related to Chiricuas in some way, right? Cousins or something, similar to Boludo who I think was also related to Chiricuas somehow.

      Ah yeah, I do remember that. Video was a bit gruesome how non-chalant the guy was that shot them. I'm not super familiar with the Contador/Escorpión 2 situation, what's the deal there?

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    6. El contador is the boss el escorpion 2 had to put up with it or leave town

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    7. Según en palabras de la propia Vaca es hijo de Tormenta, esos pequeños bastardos que tuvo.

      Creo que Matamoros jugo mal sus fichas e hizo su golpe demasiado pronto y para rematar muy atroz e indebido.

      Lo único bueno para ellos es que Los Metros nunca les va a regresar el golpe pues están muy diesmados y la facción de Primito esta muy ocupada con el CDN

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  5. CONTADOR TE QUEDO GRANDE LA SILLA DESDE EL COMANDANTE 7 ASTA LA VACA EL JEFE VAQUERO TE ENTREGO TODO AL 100 Y MIRA LO QUE HAS HECHO MATASTES A 82 Y ENTREGASTAS A VARIOS MAS LO UNICO QUE NO SABES ES QUE YA NO QUEREMOS SABER NADA DE LOS SAPOS DE LOS CARDENAS EMPEZANDO CON TIGO Y TU EJERCITO MEXICANO Y AHORA LE PAGAS AL GOPES PARA LIMPIAR CAGADAS QUE MANDASTES HACER AL GRUPO DEL TIGERE Y 19 JUNTO AL 89 ESTAMOS ARTOS DE TANTAS TRAICIONES POR TU AMBICION POR EL $$$$$ Y POR APODERARTE DEVARIAS MUJERES DE COMANDANTES Y DE TU MISMA FAMILIA EL ULTIMO FUE KIKE TUS CELOS Y TU MIEDO COBARDE TE HACE SENTIR PUTO YA NO QUEREMOS A NADEN DE LOS PUTOS CARDENAS SE ACAVO ESTA PUTA FAMMILIA DE COBARDES NO SON NADA DE AQUI EN ADELANTE YA ESTAMOS BUSCANDO GENTE QUE EN VERDADAD SEA LEAL AL LOS HOMBRES QUE EN VERDAD SE LA RIFAN PARA QUE UN PENDEJO COMO TU SE DIJA JEFE BASTA DE TRAICIONES ALFREDO CARDENAS MEJOR CONOCIDO COMO EL TRAIDOR DE MATAMOROS Y MAS DEL CARTEL DEL GOLFO

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    1. Google translate with some minor editing:

      CONTADOR THE CHAIR IS BIG FOR YOU FROM THE COMMANDER 7 TO LA VACA EL VAQUERO GAVE YOU EVERYTHING AT 100 AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE YOU KILLED 82 AND MORE THE ONLY THING YOU DON'T KNOW IS THAT WE NO LONGER WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE TOADS FROM THE CARDENAS BEGINNING WITH YOU AND YOUR MEXICAN ARMY AND NOW YOU PAY THE GOPES TO CLEAN UP SHITS THAT YOU COMMAND TO THE TIGERE GROUP AND 19 TOGETHER TO 89 WE ARE TIRED OF SO MANY BETRAYALS FOR YOUR AMBITION FOR THE $$$$$ AND FOR TAKING WOMEN FROM COMMANDERS AND YOUR SAME FAMILY THE LAST WAS KIKE YOUR JEALOUS AND YOUR COWARD FEAR MAKES YOU FEEL FUCKED NO LONGER WE DO NOT WANT ANYONE FROM THE FUCKING CARDENAS, THIS FAMILY OF COWARDS WAS LOOKING FORWARD AND THERE ARE NOTHING ABOVE HERE TRULY BE LOYAL TO THE MEN WHO TRULY FIGHT YOU SO THAT A PENDEJO LIKE YOU SAID ENOUGH CHIEF OF BETRAYALS ALFREDO CARDENAS BETTER KNOWN AS THE TRAITOR OF KILLINGS AND MORE OF THE GULF CARTEL

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    2. Sorry I don't read comments with all capitals, try typing normal.

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    3. Damnnn, so the rumblings that Contador was behind the killing of Old school CDG boss Rafita 82 are true. 82 was the head honcho in SLP for the CDG for years. He had high support in Matamoros, Tampico, Victoria, and NL state, SLP, and Veracruz. He was also instrumental in bringing the four letters to SLP to combat the last letters southern expansion. Rafita 82 also had Tamps Governor CDV in his pocket. Dude was bigger then most even realize.

      - La Plata - Miss the BB Forums. Please come back!

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    4. 8:49 you loss then

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  6. I don't know what that comment above says, but it looks very serious.

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  7. This is why I love this web-site. News not reported, inside stories in the going-ons. Now, CAPSLOCK has posted one of these encrypted messages in Mexijocono. Copied it and put into Google Translate, follows:


    COUNTER THE CHAIR IS BIG FOR YOU FROM THE COMMANDER 7 TO THE COW THE COWBOY CHIEF GIVES YOU EVERYTHING AT 100 AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE MATASTES TO 82 AND YOU DELIVER TO SEVERAL MORE THE ONLY THING YOU DON'T KNOW IS THAT WE NO LONGER WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE TOADS FROM THE CARDENAS BEGINNING WITH TIGO AND YOUR MEXICAN ARMY AND NOW YOU PAY THE GOPES TO CLEAN UP SHITS THAT YOU COMMAND TO THE TIGERE GROUP AND 19 TOGETHER AT 89 WE ARE AROS OF SO MANY BETRAYALS FOR YOUR AMBITION FOR THE $$$$$ AND FOR SUPPORTING YOU DEVARIAS WOMEN OF COMMANDERS AND YOUR SAME FAMILY THE LAST WAS KIKE YOUR JEALOUS AND YOUR COWARD FEAR MAKES YOU FEEL FUCKED NO LONGER WE WANT ANYONE FROM THE FUCKING CARDENAS THIS FAMMILY FAMILY WAS LOOKING FOR COBARDS AND THERE ARE NOTHING ABOVE HERE TRULY, BE LOYAL TO THE MEN WHO TRULY RIFLE YOU SO THAT A PENDEJO LIKE YOU SAID ENOUGH CHIEF OF BETRAYALS ALFREDO CARDENAS BETTER KNOWN AS THE TRAITOR OF KILLINGS AND MORE OF THE GULF POSTER

    The translation is in CAPS also. Obvious CAPS is a troller for whoever. What a f**k*n way to imply someone. Go to Facebook or Redditt. At least we can put it into context. Education should be required in Mexico through their senior year of high school. Observe the narcomantes . . am ready for whatever you want to say about the spelling

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    1. I'll tell you one thing. If I were in the drug business, I'd avoid Mexican soil entirely. Far too much violence and uncertainty. What is the value ad from dealing with Mexico? Guess it's true that Americans can't produce much of anything domestically (not that cooking up meth or fent is something to be proud of). Maybe it is be very hard to run a clandestine lab in the U.S? I'm rambling, but my point is, why is Mexico necessary in trafficking? Is there something I'm missing?

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    2. China ships the raw material for fentanyl production in bulk, directly into Mexican ports controlled by the cartels.

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    3. I am sorry I don't read comments with all capitals. Shows immaturity.

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  8. I’ve always said that if Matamoros indeed has some support from Zetas Vieja Escuela, Reynosa Metros are done. Matamoros was close to the Zetas for a long time. Not a crazy idea.

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    1. I believe Cero 1, who is affiliated (or was affiliated) to the Matamoros faction has had a working relationship with Vieja Escuela Zetas for years now.

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    2. Matamoros cdg has a some sort of arrangement with zetas old school more than a year but it has not helped the matamoros faction take reynosa in any way. Matamoros took rio bravo and progreso so the matamoros cdg territory is all the way close to reynosa. The zetas old school are not nealry as powerfull as they were when they were first formed as their leaders keep getting arrested or even killed. A lot of the ppl that got their schooling from the original zetas are long gone.

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    3. What ever happened to the real Cero 1 the one and only Comandante Cortez? Before Contador started using both monikers to throw confusion. C1 was gente del M3 and started gunning for Los Metros when they killed his son C2 Jr Cortez in Nosa. He had serious power and backing then all of a sudden he was gone. Obviously killed went the way of R1...pooof they gone 24d.

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    4. Good question is Cero 1 Cortez actually El contador or not and if not why so little information on el senor cortez?

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    5. @9:08 & @1:21 the real C1 was betrayed from both sides of CDG. He left to the states & never to been seen since then.

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  9. Some slang dont translate well huh. So rumor is after his mistake Alfredo Cardenas el contador had this guy comandante vaca arrested by mexican authorities. Weather true or not seems like some or may be a large part of the lower members of the Matamoros cdg faction are not happy with their boss. They even brought up the fact that he kills his cell leaders and his own cousin so he can take their women. And mentions how everybody is tired of the cardenas clan. It has to be said that the whole reynosa shootout of innocents was one of the most boneheaded moves that he cld of made. Its starting to cost him and it may cost him the boss position and killing or having ppl arrested to take their women is so fucking desperate. One thing mexico had and still have is beautiful women. No need to try to fuck your underlings or your families girfriends or wives. Matamoros had gorgeous women from all over mexico coming to work in the border if the cartels didnt fuck mexico up the way it is it wld still be like that today.

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    1. Contador “betrayed” Kike his cousin but that’s because the Cardenas ostracized him for so long. This reynosa hit was not a betrayal since it’s another faction. Contador is just going for Reynosa. Maybe he’s being overconfident or maybe he has an alliance or backing we don’t know about yet. My guess is he got his shit together in Matamoros and finally went for it.

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    2. Ostracized? He killed him over a woman thats well known plus alfredo cardenas has had a high position withing the cartel for a long time higher than his cousin. This guy vaca does not belong to the reynosa faction hes from the matamoros faction and used operate around rio bravo. Rio bravo is close to reynosa bit the cdg operating there belongs to matamoros. Look it up in valor por tamaulipas the 8:45 comment above is a comment posted on there by a cdg member.

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    3. 12:34 - just, contador was ostracized by most of the Cardenas family (Betillo, Cuate, etc.). that part of the family didn't him as boss because they wanted the throne. keep in mind contador was in prison several times. during that time the rest of the crew wanted to consolidate power without him. he came back and regrouped with Vaquero and went after them. This woman/romance story could be true but its more complicated than that.

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  10. With how corrupt Mexico I feel like when they arrest people for certain crime they just arrest people and blame them

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    1. Why are people so Alarmed, this happens everyday in Mexico 🇲🇽. U think Amlo cares!!!!!!!!

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  11. Osiel left a big war machines with no brain of business. Infighting hurts too much for the cartels. Power cannot last long if there is infighting. There is a saying in my native "if brothers fight among themselves, relatives will be happy".

    Kathi

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    1. Interesting saying what country is that if i may ask.
      The relatives that dislike you will be happy and that is true with so many families,

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    2. Where are you from kathi?

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    3. 4:52 Malaysia

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  12. Hot heads think they can around killing unarmed citizens.

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  13. Mexico needs to implement capital punishment. People like this don’t deserve to live.

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  14. This has to be the most self destructive move by any cartel boss…They couldn’t get to any Reynosa Metros, so they take it out on the civilians?

    That’s like kicking the tire of a broken down car, because the battery is dead…

    I have family from Reynosa to Miguel Aleman. I also visit Matamoros often and this has to be the most upsetting news.

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    1. Was it a bad tactic? It was a heating up the plaza. Reynosa has all the attention now, for all the wrong reasons. If Contador indeed gave up Vaca then he just beat the government in its latest chess piece move. It’s sad, don’t get me wrong, but I think Contador made the math in his head and figured the gains were better than the losses. Could be totally wrong.

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    2. @8:23 I just think he’s drawing the worst kind of attention to himself. Killing innocent people in broad daylight is a death sentence. I’m just gonna assume law enforcement or military will gain pressure on him, just my opinion.

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    3. The indiscriminate killing of civilians is the event that led to the location and brutal killing of CESM. Did the governor take away his protection or was he located by FEM? Contador maybe one move away from being checkmated as the bigger picture and more powerful individuals bring him to justice and tie up a loose end.

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