Alleged CDS Banner Announces They Are At War With the CSRL

"HEARST" & "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Identical narco message banners signed by the Sinaloa Cartel (Cártel de Sinaloa, CDS) in which they allegedly announced their intention to end the Cártel Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL) have appeared within at least nine municipalities in the state of Guanajuato.

Already on social media, there are allegations of the banners being fake while others allege they are genuine. Regardless of the authenticity, here is what is what is being reported about these banners.

The Banners

According to Guanajuato’s leading security analyst, David Saucedo, the banners have been discovered in nine municipalities within the state so far. 

Those nine are: 

1. Irapuato

2. Cuerámaro

3. Pueblo Nuevo

4. Celaya

5. Apaseo el Alto

6. Apaseo el Grande

7. Salvatierra

8. Tarimoro

9. Acámbaro

In the photos available it appears that the name of the location where it was placed is printed at the bottom. For example, the banner placed in Salvatierra reads at the bottom “Salvatierra”, as seen below. 

The message reads as follows, as translated by Sol Prendido:

C.D.S.

Cartel de Sinaloa

The following message is directed to all the Guanajuato citizens, 

We are the Cartel de Sinaloa and we’ve come here with the sole objective of doing away with Los Marros (the former Cartel de Santa Rosa de Lima). 

Their actions have been some of the lowest we’ve seen, like: 

The extortion, massive fee charges on businesses, from companies to even the smallest stores

The theft of livestock

The kidnappings 

The attacks against the government 

The murders in public spaces, with the objective of terrorizing citizens 

And the assassination of the mayor’s son in Celaya, which was one of the most vile of acts. The order came down from the same prison where that filthy dude Marro is being held, and the attack itself was organized by his sister Karen. 

The decision has already been made. The Santa Rosa Lima Cartel will soon come to an end.  

The government has made its decision and now the goal is to eradicate the actual force of evil from Guanajuato - based on who has the least amount of dignity left. They are attacking families and innocent civilians who can't defend themselves. The actions that will be taken will eradicate the rest of the CSRL members who are left and eliminate the CJNG from the state of Guanajuato. 

We want to remind you that we, Cartel de Sinaloa, don’t tolerate extortion, fee charges on businesses, any other forms of blackmail, kidnappings, or anything else that impacts the civilians. 

 To the municipal, state and federal government, 

We want to reiterate the mutual respect shared among us that we both deserve.

We both have the same objective, which is to lessen the violence within the state, and to finish off the scum that is eating away at the people of Guanajuato. 

From, 

Commandante Fantasma “Z” 

“The townspeople are to be looked after, not robbed.”

The tomato is heavily associated with the state of Sinaloa. It was -in fact- featured on the Sinaloa state license plates from 2006 until 2011, as seen below. In some audio recordings of battle radio comms, rival cartel members have at points referred to CDS hitmen as “the tomatoes”. 

Narco Message Precedents

According to the database of Mexican narco messages made by Borderland Beat contributor El Huaso, there were five banners found in Guanajuato in the year 2021 that were signed by CDS. 

February 20, 2021 - Signed as Salazares  (Two times) 

(Link)

September 10, 2021 - Signed as Gente Nueva Leon 

(Link)

November 16, 2021 - Signed as Cartel #701

(Link)

November 22, 2021  - Signed as Cartel #701

(Link)

None of these five, however, were signed or tagged with a “Fantasma” or “Fantasma Z” moniker. 

There was a Zacatecas cartel figure with the alias “El Fantasma” who worked under the CJNG and was recently alleged to have been arrested but then made a video claiming he was never arrested. There is another CJNG “El Fantasma” operating in the area of Uruapan, Michoacán. 

There was even a 2013 CDS figure Johnathan Salas Avilez, who had the alias “El Fantasma”, but none  seem to fit the bill for the signatory of this banner.

Sources: InfoRojaMX, Jesus Armando, Noticias Guanajuato, All Source News, El Huaso, World License Plates