new drug gang "Mata Zetas," or "Zetas Killers,"

 

A relatively newdrug gang is responsible for killing at least 67 people whose bodies were foundover the course of a couple of weeks in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz,Mexican authorities said Friday. Marines arrested eight members of the JaliscoNew Generation drug gang Thursday, navy spokesman Jose Luis Vergaratold a news conference. The suspects later led authorities to 32 bodies left inthree houses in Veracruz, a port city that carries the state’s name. Vergara said, the gang is also responsible for dumping 35 bound, torturedbodies on a busy boulevard in a suburb of Veracruz on Sept. 20. The navy appeared eager to dampen speculation that the New Generation gang,believed to be allied with Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, is some sort ofparamilitary group aimed at eliminating the hyper-violent Zetas cartel. New Generation members have dubbed themselves “Mata Zetas,” or “Zetas Killers,” and many oftheir victims appear to be from that cartel. Authorities would have ample reason to want to eliminate the Zetas, who havebeen blamed for the kidnap-murders of three marines so far this year inVeracruz. Vergara insisted no paramilitaries were involved. “We stress that this is just another organized crime gang that opposes theZetas, with whom they are fighting for control of illicit income and criminalactivities in Veracruz,” he said. Marines also arrested 12 alleged Zetason Thursday, including Aquiles Amaranto Cruz Hurtano, allegedly the group’s newoperations leader in Veracruz, Vergara said. He said the suspects “presumably were assigned to kill relatives of theirenemies” and carry out other criminal activities. All 20 of the detainees were paraded before the news media Friday before beingturned over to federal prosecutors pending charges. While some appearedhardened and weathered, a few appeared to be in their teens. Sinaloa and the Zetas have emerged as Mexico’s dominant drug cartels and appearlocked in a nationwide battle for territory. The New Generation gang emerged inthe western state of Jalisco in 2010, following the death of Sinaloa capoIgnacio “Nacho” Coronel that same year. In recent months, the “Mata Zetas” have released videos in whicharmed, masked men claim to be fighting to free Veracruz from the Zetas’ reignof killings, kidnappings and extortion — even though the Sinaloa cartel isimplicated in many of the same activities. Despite the propaganda videos — which had led some local news media to begincalling the gang “paramilitaries” — Vergara stressed that “nocriminal propaganda will force the government to step back from its effortsagainst criminals.” The arrests capped a flurry of rumors on social networks Thursday that multiplebodies had been found in Veracruz. The state government first said, it had noinformation on the killings then later confirmed it. The navy said, that when marines reached the first of the three safe house,where 20 bodies were found, state police officers were already there. Marinesfound 11 bodies at the second house and one at a third.

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