The “Turnip” against the “Chaparro”: the internal dispute of the CJNG over the massacre of San José de Gracia

The Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) agrees with the federal government and the Michoacán Public Prosecutor's Office in its objectives: those responsible for murdering at least 11 people after a funeral in San José de Gracia, where the internal dispute between operators of the criminal group was identified.

The border between Jalisco and Michoacán, which comprises Mazamitla, Tamazula de Gordiano, Marcos Castellanos and the south of Lake Chapala, is the scene of disputes declared by the four-letter cartel against whom they considered a partner, Ernesto Mascorro Martínez, the Chaparro.

According to accounts released by the criminal group itself, everything changed after February 27, when hit men led by Abel Alcántar Vallejo, alias El Viejón, the Sierra 8 and/or the Toro, entered San José de Gració to take revenge against Alejandro García, el Pelón, who asked the senior CJNG officials for authorization to go and watch over his mother.

That afternoon, up to a dozen funeral attendees were massacred, whose bodies have not been located. Among them were people who were not linked to criminal activities, as well as companions of the fellow faction member, who left his place of origin to continue the illicit business in Zapopan and Colima.

Although El Chaparro was not an original member of the forces of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the Mencho, they maintained the criminal society with him as regional manager. However, now a subject identified as the Turnip was delegated to destroy his cell of the Sierra Birds, in a battle that other leaders have joined.

On the night of March 10, there were signs of the rupture, when members of the CJNG arrived at the La Garita delegation, in Tamazula de Gordiano, and in the actions two municipal agents were killed, as well as injuries to two paramedics who were attending an accident on the road leading to Morelia.

The next day, the governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro, acknowledged that criminal acts such as the burning of cargo trucks had taken place in the vicinity of the municipality. The official called for calm and said that there were no direct attacks on the population, but this case was related to the violence unleashed in Michoacán.

During that half day, more than a dozen vans arrived with numerous hit men, all carrying long guns on the highway stretch of the region. Up to seven subjects traveled in the rear in the double-cab pick-up vehicles. There were no major confrontations that day, but the CJNG demonstrated its power.

Members of the Ninth Infantry Battalion, State Police, National Guard and even a helicopter also arrived in response to the sighting of the armed command. They remained in the municipal seat without any attacks against them to date.

However, on March 14, the Michoacán Prosecutor's Office offered a reward of up to 600,000 pesos for those who provide data leading to the capture of the alleged perpetrators in the surrounding town.

These are Alcantar Vallejo, the Bull, as well as Jesús Adrián Mora Padilla, el Mora, el Mora; Cristian Alejandro Hernández Ortega, alias the Toad; Antonio Gallegos Medina, the Bolachana; Jesús Eduardo Vallejo, the the Chili; and Juan Manuel Barragán Cisneros, known as the Rush.

“Our war is with you, ordinary and treacherous Chaparro, because of the events that occurred on February 27, 2022 in San José de Gracia, because what you did is unforgivable,” said a CJNG spokesman after the spread of the rewards through videos shared on social networks.

In the objectives they coincided with the Negro, the Stick, the Bird, the Chuy, the Bull, Porfirio, Benjas and all those aligned with the Chaparro. In their message they alerted the population and the government that the battle would be internally. They suggested that their enemies in the area would operate with Sinaloa hit men. Hence, the so-called Mencho Special Forces moved from Tierra Caliente to the border to meet a former ally who revealed himself.

Information in development...