“CHAR” for Borderland Beat
WRITTEN BY: ENOJON
Footage circulated through social media on June 15th showing a firework structure or ‘Castillo’ in honor of José Antonio Yépez Ortiz ‘El Marro,’ founder and former leader of the ‘Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel’ (CSRDL), during an unknown celebration near the Church of San Antonio de Morales, Guanajuato.
The structure is ignited to show off the criminal organizations iconic hammer in referance to the leader and his name blazing above a figure of Ortiz within a triangle, a message in support of Ortiz and the criminal group within Guanajuato is also overlayed in the video, a translation is as follows: “We remain firm with the man, pure Marro, pure CSRDL, pure Guanajuato”
A similar homage was seen for Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga ‘El Fresa,’ a principal leader of ‘La Familia Michoacana,’ during a video that circulated through social media around September 4th, 2022 in an undisclosed region allegedly celebrating the leader’s birthday. The structure is seen partially ignited with the leader’s iconic strawberry alongside a crown and the following message: “We love you
Happy Birthday”
The blatant public celebrations not only acts as another example of the criminal organizations ability to publicize themselves as part of a larger propaganda campaign aimed at “winning the hearts and minds” of local residents in regions for an assortment of benefits, but another instance that portrays their ability to act with blatant impunity within certain regions deemed as bastions for organized crime.