Osiel Cárdenas GuillénOsiel Cárdenas Guillén (born 18 May 1967) is a former Mexican drug lord and the former top leader of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, he entered the cartel by killing his friend Salvador Gómez, after the former's arrest in 1996.
Arturo Guzmán DecenaArturo Guzmán Decena (13 January 1976 – 21 November 2002), also known by his code name Z-1, was a Mexican Army Special Forces officer and high-ranking member of Los Zetas, a criminal group based in Tamaulipas.
Jesús Enrique Rejón AguilarJesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar (a.k.a. Z-7, El Mamito) is a former leader of the Mexican criminal organization known as Los Zetas. He was wanted by the governments of Mexico and the United States until his capture on July 4, 2011 in Atizapán de Zaragoza, a Mexico City suburb. BiographyRejón Aguilar was born in Sabancuy, Carmen Municipality, Campeche, Mexico, in 1976.
Los ZetasLos Zetas (pronounced [los ˈsetas], Spanish for "The Zs") is a fractured Mexican criminal syndicate and designated terrorist organization, known as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscriminate murder. While primarily concerned with drug trafficking, the organization also ran profitable sex and gun rackets.
Mexican Armed ForcesThe Mexican Armed Forces (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de México) are the military of the United Mexican States. They are composed of two independent branches: the Mexican Army—which includes land forces, the Mexican Air Force, the Special Forces Body, and the National Guard—and the Mexican Navy, which includes naval forces, the Naval Infantry Force (marines), the Naval Aviation, the Maritime Search and Rescue unit (coast guard), and the Marine Special Forces.
Gulf CartelThe Gulf Cartel (Spanish: Cártel del Golfo, or Golfos) is a criminal syndicate, drug trafficking organization, and U.S.-designated terrorist organization, which is perhaps one of the oldest organized crime groups in Mexico. It is currently based in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, directly across the U.S. border from Brownsville, Texas.Heriberto Lazcano LazcanoHeriberto Lazcano Lazcano (25 December 1974 – 7 October 2012), commonly referred to by his aliases Z-3 and El Lazca, was a Mexican drug lord and the leader of Los Zetas drug cartel. He was one of the most-wanted Mexican drug lords. Lazcano joined the Mexican Army at the age of 16, and later ascended to the Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales (GAFE), the Mexican Army special forces.
Omar Lorméndez PitalúaOmar Lorméndez Pitalúa (born 18 January 1972) is a Mexican suspected drug lord and high-ranking member of Los Zetas, a criminal group based in Tamaulipas, Mexico. He joined the Mexican Army in 1991 and deserted in 1999. He then joined the Gulf Cartel under kingpin Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, becoming one of the first members of its newly formed paramilitary wing, Los Zetas. Like Lorméndez Pitalúa, most of the original members of Los Zetas were ex-military.Óscar Guerrero SilvaÓscar Eduardo Guerrero Silva (1971 – 1 February 2004), commonly referred to by his alias Z-8 and/or The Winnie Pooh, was a Mexican drug lord and high-ranking leader of Los Zetas, a Mexican criminal organization. Shortly after marrying, Guerrero Silva joined the Mexican Army in early 1992 and became an infantry soldier.
Mexican ArmyThe Mexican Army (Spanish: Ejército Mexicano) is the combined land and air branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It includes the Mexican Air Force, the Special Forces Body, and the National Guard. The institution also has entrepreneurial state-run military industrial and corporate business branches' activities. With an active-duty force of 261,773 servicemembers (as of 2024), the Army is the largest component of the Mexican Armed Forces.
Cuerpo de Fuerzas EspecialesThe Special Forces Corps (Spanish: Cuerpo de Fuerzas Especiales) are the special forces battalions of the Mexican Army. Formerly the Special Forces Airmobile Group (Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales) or GAFE, the SF corps has six regular battalions; one specialized units, Fuerza Especial de Reaccion; the motto of the SF Corps is Todo por México ('All For Mexico'). Within the SF Corps, there are regular, intermediate, and veteran -service troops.
Secretariat of National DefenseThe Secretariat of National Defense (Spanish: Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, SEDENA) is the Mexican government department responsible for managing Mexico's Army and Air Forces. Its head is the Secretary of National Defense who, like the co-equal Secretary of the Navy, is directly answerable to the president. Before 1937, the position was called the Secretary of War and Navy (Secretaría de Guerra y Marina).
ReynosaReynosa (Spanish pronunciation: [rejˈnosa]) is the municipal seat of Reynosa Municipality and the largest city of the state of Tamaulipas, in Mexico. The border city is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande in the international Reynosa–McAllen metro area, directly across the Mexican border from Hidalgo, Texas. As of 2025, the city of Reynosa has a population of 691,557. If the floating population is included, the total can reach approximately 1,000,000.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.