Who are “El Alacrán” and “El Zapata”, the CJNG hit men who murdered the mayor of Aguililla

On March 10, the mayor of Aguililla, Michoacán, César Arturo Valencia Caballero, was killed in broad daylight and in front of several witnesses on the outskirts of a football field by two lieutenants of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in the area.

Ricardo Carrillo, alias El Alacrán, and El Zapata, were identified as the material perpetrators of the murder of the mayor, who won last June 6 in an election that was described as “ghostly” due to the poor citizen participation he had and the overwhelming influence of drug traffickers in voting.

Both are under the orders of Pedro López Barajas, alias El Pedrín or La Coya, who is known to have financed Cesar Valencia's campaign and about three months ago held a meeting with him for at least 20 minutes in the same offices of the City Council.

El Alacrán and El Zapata are well known in Aguililla. They, along with other lieutenants in the service of the four letters cartel, were commissioned in November last year, on instructions from La Coya, to move the people of Aguililla through threats to hold a sit-in to prevent the military from advancing in the area.

The villagers who disobeyed these provisions suffered the consequences. El Zapata was responsible for cutting off the light from the houses of which those who refused to cooperate.

On the day that César Arturo Valencia was killed, both were identified by the villagers as the hit men who were driving the black and red Honda motorcycle that was paired with the mayor's van to attack him with gunfire. According to the descriptions, one was short, sturdy and wore jeans and blue t-shirt; while the other was tall, dark and wore a “military-type” haircut.

The man sitting behind the pilot pointed a squad and shot Valencia Caballero in the face. The van advanced a few meters, but the crew of the motorcycle followed it. The same guy fired a second shot. Then, the unit stopped completely.

The man carrying the gun in his right hand got down, took two or three steps, approached the window and fired once more. At that time he was recognized by a passerby. After the third shot, El Alacrán put the squad behind his waist and got on the bike. At that moment the driver surrounded the white van.

The hypothesis of a possible retaliation by the CJNG for the intrusion of the Army is based on a meeting that took place a day before helicopters, dozens of vehicles and more than a thousand soldiers were sighted in Aguililla to restore the rule of law. According to a report held by the federal authorities, that day Valencia Caballero tried to convince the military commanders not to enter the town.

Not getting it was apparently his death sentence. Only a month later he was killed at close range, and the next day, the body of his adviser, René Cervantes, appeared in Las Parcelas de Castillo. Apparently, they were both killed at the same time.

El Pedrín, El Cema, El Alacrán and El Zapata showed themselves modestly in the streets of the town, before the army broke in. The address of the Alacrán was known to everyone. That's where the Honda motorcycle used in the murder was located. However, despite the information gathered by the authorities, a judge in Apatzingán refuses to give away the arrest warrant.