Segunda parte - Fui jefa de plaza y terminé con 28 años de cárcel | Tere #Penitencia 181
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Tere started crossing drugs into the US at 18, quickly recognizing the financial power it offered.
- ❖She established a 'medical' clinic as a front to sell steroids and controlled pills, leveraging her negotiation skills and offering better commissions.
- ❖Tere directly confronted and negotiated with cartel members regarding protection payments, refusing to be extorted by intermediaries.
- ❖After a 5-year sentence in a US prison, she was deported to Mexico and, out of desperation to support her son, returned to drug dealing, eventually becoming a 'jefa de plaza'.
- ❖Her son, at 7 years old, asked her to kill him and then herself if they were caught by cartels during an escape, a moment of profound regret for Tere.
- ❖Currently serving a 28-year sentence in Mexico for charges she claims are fabricated, Tere now seeks a normal life and to reconnect with her family, including grandchildren she has never met.
Insights
1Early Entry into Drug Trafficking and Financial Motivation
Tere began her involvement in drug trafficking at 18, initially by driving cars loaded with drugs across the US border. She quickly became adept at counting large sums of money and recognized the immediate power and freedom that illicit earnings provided, leading her to prioritize making money over personal drug use.
She started crossing cars into the US (), saw 'the power of the blessed money' (), and learned to count money, noting 'the more money I have, the more I want' (). She preferred selling drugs for money over consuming them ().
2Operating a 'Medical' Front for Drug Sales
At 19, Tere worked as a receptionist in a medical office that was a facade for selling animal steroids and controlled pills. Recognizing her sales acumen, an American client proposed she open her own 'clinic.' She leveraged connections with doctors for prescription pads and pharmacies for wholesale supply, offering higher commissions to 'tour guides' who brought clients, effectively running her own drug distribution point.
She found a job as a bilingual secretary in an office that sold 'ribil tafil' () and 'steroids for animals or pills' (). A 'gringo' suggested she open her own 'consultorio' (), and she 'enrolled in the system of doctors' to buy prescription pads and wholesale drugs ().
3Direct Negotiation with Cartels and Family Ties
Tere was 'lifted' (kidnapped) by a cartel for protection money. Instead of paying intermediaries, she demanded to speak directly with a leader, negotiating terms and asserting her conditions. She later discovered her family members, through her sisters' husbands, were also involved with cartels, providing her with a degree of protection and influence, as 'everyone had to align with Los Zetas to survive' in her region.
She was 'lifted' to pay a 'cuota' () and demanded to see 'one of them' to pay directly (). She stated, 'I pay, you receive, but I also have to set conditions' (). She realized her family was 'already working with those people' () and that 'everyone who was in [the region]... had to align with Los Zetas at some point to survive' ().
4The Cycle of Desperation and Return to Crime Post-Deportation
After serving 5 years in a US prison and being deported to Mexico, Tere faced immense challenges. Her mother gave her son to her, forcing her to provide for him. Despite attempts to find legal work, low wages and rejection pushed her back into selling drugs, starting with small amounts and escalating to managing a 'huachicol' (fuel theft) operation, where she again negotiated higher pay based on her value.
Her mother told her, 'Here's your son, take him to Mexico' (). She couldn't find legal work that paid enough (), leading her to sell three small drug doses to buy food (). She then took a job managing money for a 'huachicol' operation (), negotiating her weekly pay from 10,000 to 15,000 pesos plus a share of the profits ().
5Becoming a 'Jefa de Plaza' and Impact on Her Son
Tere eventually became a 'jefa de plaza,' overseeing a drug manufacturing operation. Her son discovered her activities, leading her to explain her criminal lifestyle to him. She justified it by promising he would never lack anything, fulfilling a vow she made to herself. This exposure deeply affected her son, who later told her he was accustomed to a lifestyle that legal work in Mexico couldn't provide.
She 'became in charge of the plaza' and 'part of the 'maquila' (drug manufacturing)' (). Her son entered her room and saw her preparing drugs (). She told him, 'I told you I would never let you lack anything' (). Her son later said, 'Mommy, you accustomed me to a lifestyle that working legally in Mexico, I can't afford' ().
6Profound Regret and the Desire for a Normal Life
During an escape from cartels, her 7-year-old son asked her to kill him and then herself if they were caught, a moment that deeply scarred Tere. Now in prison, serving a 28-year sentence, she expresses immense regret for exposing her children to such a dangerous life. She yearns for a 'normal life,' to enjoy her family, and to use her skills for legitimate purposes, even helping her niece with craft projects from prison.
Her son, at 7, asked her to kill him and then herself if 'la maña' (cartel) found them (). Tere states, 'I want to die for showing that world to my son' (). She wants 'a normal life' and to 'enjoy my mom the last years I have with her' (). She now helps her niece by knitting dolls for centerpieces from prison ().
Lessons
- Recognize that the allure of quick money in illicit activities often comes with severe long-term consequences, including incarceration, family separation, and exposure to extreme violence.
- Understand the systemic pressures and lack of legitimate opportunities that can push individuals into organized crime, highlighting the need for robust social support and economic alternatives.
- Prioritize protecting children from exposure to dangerous lifestyles, as the psychological impact of witnessing criminal activity can shape their worldview and future choices.
- Seek support and alternative paths for reintegration after incarceration, as a criminal record significantly limits legal employment and can perpetuate a cycle of crime.
- Foster strong family connections and support systems, as these can be crucial for survival and rehabilitation, even when navigating difficult circumstances.
Quotes
"Nunca he tenido límites, nunca he sabido lo que me digan, 'No lo hagas, entonces o no lo vas a hacer.'"
"Yo siempre tratando de alejarme de lo malo y lo malo me llama."
"No soy persona que va a pagar cuotas, a mí me van a pagar."
"Todo el mundo que estuvo en [la región]... todos estuvieron o estuvimos alineados con Los Zetas en un tiempo para poder sobrevivir."
"La calle es una escuela. La cárcel es la universidad de la vida mala."
"Jamás vuelvo a contar dinero ni vuelvo a carecer de él. Esa fue una promesa que me hice y se lo hice a mi hijo."
"Mami, si nos encuentra la maña, me matas y luego te matas."
"¿Qué sentiste cuando te dijo eso? Lo mismo que siento ahorita, que me quiero morir por enseñarle ese mundo a mi hijo."
"Mami, me acostumbraste a un estilo de vida que en México trabajando bien no me lo puedo dar."
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