“Morogris” for Borderland Beat
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| Eliseo Pulido Gutiérrez and Esteban Heras Gutiérrez were killed in Guadalupe y Calvo Municipality, which is considered part of the Lower Sierra region. This region has historically been under the control of Sinaloa Cartel. |
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that two brothers who worked as local leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel were killed in Guadalupe y Calvo, Chihuahua, a municipality located on the Chihuahua–Sinaloa border.
The two men were Esteban Heras Gutierrez and Eliseo Pulido Gutierrez, who were found dead in the rural community of El Saucito de Araujo after they were reportedly kidnapped by a rival group.
Preliminary sources stated that the rival group was known as Los Mexicanos (not to be confused with Los Mexicles). But newer reports that surfaced a few days after the incident stated that they belonged to La Linea. It is unclear what Los Mexicanos’s relationship is with La Linea.
According to local reports, the rival group made their way into Guadalupe y Calvo on Monday morning and a large shootout broke out between them and the local Sinaloa Cartel cell. Authorities say that the rival group went into the area specifically targeting the two brothers, who were alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel cell Los Salgueiro.
In addition, authorities say that Juan Ortega Sarabia, the commissioner for El Saucito de Araujo, was found dead near the location where the two brothers were located.
The shootings continued sporadically throughout the surrounding areas until Tuesday afternoon. Residents living in the mountainous areas reported on social media that both groups were engaged in combat and asked authorities for assistance.
Background
Government records consulted by Borderland Beat show that Pulido Gutiérrez was a registered bean grower in Guadalupe y Calvo. In 2017, he requested subsidies from the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SAGARPA), Mexico’s federal agriculture ministry, for his bean production in a 3 hectare (7.4 acre) lot. He made the same request the following year.
Guadalupe y Calvo borders the state of Sinaloa and is believed to be a turf controlled by Gente Nueva, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
This municipality is part of Mexico’s Golden Triangle (Spanish: Triángulo Dorado) and has large regions of opium poppy cultivation. Bordering Guadalupe y Calvo is Badiraguato, Sinaloa – the municipality where convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was born.
In addition to drug production, illegal logging is also a profitable activity disputed by drug cartels in the area.