In a recent operation in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexican security forces seized an arsenal of weapons and armored vehicles on a property allegedly linked to Jesús Esteban Machado Meza, better known by his alias “El Güero Pulseras,” operator of the Sinaloa Cartel and confidant of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Agents of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), in coordination with the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA), the National Guard and the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), carried out a search of a property in Tuxtla Gutiérrez on November 11.
The operation, authorized by a federal control judge, resulted in the seizure of 54 long weapons, 29 vehicles (of which two had homemade armor, known as “monsters”), four motorcycles, 578 magazines and 1,196 cartridges of different calibers.
Authorities also found 935 kilograms of marijuana distributed in 187 packages, as well as equipment to armor vehicles, suggesting that the property functioned as a clandestine workshop for the modification and reinforcement of cars for criminal use. The seizure included other items such as tactical vests, helmets, vehicle license plates and communication equipment.
The golden weapon: a gold-plated FN Minimi
Among the seized items, attention was drawn to an FN Minimi light machine gun, better known as the M249, with a distinctive gold coating that was allegedly owned by “El Güero Pulseras.” This type of modification is common among leaders and high-level operators of the cartels, who personalize their weapons as symbols of status and power.
The FN Minimi is a Belgian weapon designed by FN Herstal, used in the military and known for its reliability in combat.
The FN Minimi is a 5.56x45mm caliber weapon, commonly used in military support operations due to its high rate of fire of between 700 and 1,000 rounds per minute and its ability to fire in a sustained manner without overheating, thanks to its quick-change barrel.
Although in the United States this weapon is known as the M249, the version acquired and modified by the cartel features the original Belgian design. The gold customization does not affect its technical specifications, but turns the weapon into an object of luxury and distinction.
The FN Minimi is particularly versatile due to its dual feed system. It can use 100- or 200-round ammunition belts to maintain sustained fire in combat, or standard 30-round magazines.
This ability to use both belts and magazines gives it flexibility on the battlefield, especially in situations where belt ammunition might be limited.
Unlike semi-automatic weapons, the FN Minimi fires in automatic mode only. Its detachable, quick-change barrel prevents overheating during periods of prolonged use, a critical feature for machine guns designed for sustained fire.
In terms of weight and size, the FN Minimi weighs around 7.5 kg without ammunition, making it relatively light compared to other support machine guns of larger calibres. Its length of approximately 1 metre allows for control of the weapon, and it is equipped with a carrying grip on the top, making it easy to carry in combat situations and also to change the barrel when necessary.
The stock, which is usually fixed on standard versions, offers stability, although variants with folding or adjustable stocks exist.
The model of El Güero Pulseras’ weapon has been modified with the gold coating, which visually distinguishes it from the standard models that are usually in dark tones or military camouflage.
Who is “El Güero Pulseras”?
Jesús Esteban Machado Meza has emerged as one of the main operators of the Sinaloa Cartel in Chiapas, a strategic state in the transit of drugs and migrants.
Born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, on November 20, 1983, “El Güero Pulseras” resides in places associated with the co-founder of the Cartel and who would have consolidated dominance in Chiapas after a series of alliances and alleged bribes.
Sources of the journalist Anabel Hernández assure that to strengthen the control of the Cartel in Chiapas, Zambada allegedly co-opted members of the local government, to whom he would have offered a payment of 10 million dollars. This influence has caused tensions with other criminal groups, who question the authority of “El Güero Pulseras” to demand quotas in the region.
Machado Meza’s career in Chiapas began after his predecessor, Ramón Gilberto Rivera, alias “El Junior,” was executed in June 2021, allegedly for betraying Zambada.
Since then, “El Güero Pulseras” has attempted to strengthen the Cartel’s control in the region and reportedly ordered the kidnapping of singer Nayeli Cyrene Cinco Martínez in an attempt to pressure an alleged Zetas ally, Juan Manuel Valdovinos Mendoza or “El Señor de los Caballos.” Cyrene was released after being held for several days along with 80 young women, many of them victims of trafficking and migrants, in a warehouse in Chiapas.
The presence of “El Güero Pulseras” in the building was not confirmed during the search carried out this Monday, although at first Omar García Harfuch, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), had reported his arrest. Hours later it was clarified that the arrest had not occurred.
According to intelligence reports, this region of Chiapas is disputed between the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) and other local groups, such as the so-called “Chiapas and Guatemala Cartel.”
Source: infobae
