During an event held on January 15 in the community of Tinaja de Vargas, municipality of Tanhuato, Michoacán, a tribute was held that has generated controversy, by publicly honoring the memory of Javier Guerrero Martínez, former leader of the criminal group “Los Guerrero”, as well as the leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG), Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho”.
The celebration, which included fireworks, live music and banners with images of those honored, once again puts the link between these criminal figures and their influence in the region under the spotlight.
In the image of Guerrero Martínez displayed at the event, he is seen dressed in a blue suit, wearing a hat and holding a long gun in his hand.
Javier Guerrero Martínez was the leader of the criminal group known as “Los Guerrero”, a criminal organization of Michoacan origin that, for decades, was dedicated to illicit activities such as drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, land dispossession and fuel theft, also known as “huachicol”.
Its influence was mainly concentrated in Michoacán, but with the expansion of the CJNG, this organization extended its power to neighboring states such as Jalisco, Colima and Guanajuato.
Guerrero Martínez not only led an independent criminal group, but he also forged important alliances with other cartels, which strengthened his influence. His most notable relationship was with the also called “Lord of the Roosters”, with whom he maintained a personal bond as his godfather.
The relationship between Javier Guerrero Martínez and Oseguera Cervantes transcended the personal and became a strategic alliance. Both worked together to displace “Los Caballeros Templarios”, who had dominated the region for years. This alliance allowed the CJNG to consolidate its position as one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico, with “Los Guerrero” acting as a key operational and financial arm in the region.
Guerrero Martínez’s leadership was decisive, as he was involved in high-impact operations, including attacks against security forces and the control of strategic routes for drug trafficking.
However, Javier Guerrero Martínez’s career came to an end in December 2011, during a confrontation with “Los Caballeros Templarios,” the rival criminal group that then controlled Michoacán. His death marked a turning point for “Los Guerrero,” who were temporarily weakened.
After his death, the leadership of the group fell to his family, mainly to his brother Heraclio Guerrero Martínez, alias “El Tío Lako,” and his sons, known as the Guerrero Covarrubias. Among them are Adrián Alonso Guerrero Covarrubias, alias “El 8”, who became the leader of the group after the arrest of his uncle and brothers but later fell himself; Javier Guerrero Covarrubias, alias “El Javi”; and Leonardo Guerrero Covarrubias, who also played a key role in the organization.
The Guerrero family has a history of more than three decades in criminal activities, consolidating itself as one of the most influential organizations in Michoacán. Its power has been based on a combination of family relationships and strategic alliances with larger cartels, such as the CJNG.
After the death of Javier Guerrero Martínez, his brother Heraclio, known as “El Laco”, assumed control of the group, while his sons and nephews continued to operate as key allies of “El Mencho”.
The “Los Guerrero” group has been responsible for multiple acts of violence in the region, including ambushes of security forces, extortion, and control of drug trafficking. In addition, they have been linked to the murder of political and community leaders, such as Enrique Hernández Salcedo, a former self-defense leader and candidate for the municipal presidency of Yurécuaro.
The community of Tinaja de Vargas has been the scene of events associated with the CJNG in the past. In September 2023, the area was the focus of attention after the celebration of a lavish fifteenth birthday party for the daughter of Heraclio Guerrero Martínez.
At said party, the presence of luxurious gifts, fireworks displays, and a strong security deployment made up of armed men wearing vests with the initials of the CJNG were documented.
A subsequent operation carried out on November 14, 2023 on a property linked to Tío Laco resulted in the seizure of three felines in captivity: a lion cub, a panther and a tiger. Although the authorities failed to arrest the criminal leader.
This celebration took place while the criminal group held Yolanda Sánchez Figueroa, former mayor of Cotija, Michoacán, captive after she was kidnapped by armed men when she traveled to Jalisco for medical matters. The former official was murdered in June 2024.
Source: infobae
