El cartel me reclutó para secuestrar a secuestradores | Luis #Penitencia 173 #entrevista #México
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Luis grew up in Acapulco where the presence of weapons was normalized from a young age, with his father teaching him how to handle them.
- ❖His family moved from Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana due to rising criminal activity when he was 11, seeking a safer environment.
- ❖He married at 16, eloping with his 15-year-old girlfriend, a common practice in his region, and later had a son.
- ❖After separating from his wife due to infidelity, Luis was recruited into a cartel at age 23 by a friend, initially under vague pretenses of a 'well-paid job' in the State of Mexico.
- ❖The cartel's stated mission was to target kidnappers, extortionists, and local thieves, presenting themselves as protectors against other criminals.
- ❖The cartel's primary source of income was drug distribution.
- ❖Luis justified his actions by believing he was removing 'bad people' who harmed society, despite the violent nature of his work.
- ❖Life in the cartel was marked by constant paranoia; he could no longer enjoy simple activities without fear of attack, always watching his back.
- ❖He was captured during a large-scale operation involving numerous police patrols and a helicopter on the Mexico-Puebla highway.
- ❖During his arrest, he was severely beaten and accused of attempted homicide against eight public servants, leading to a 21-year, 8-month sentence.
- ❖His son discovered his imprisonment via Facebook, and while his mother visits annually, his father refuses to see him in jail, stating he didn't raise him for that life.
- ❖Luis deeply regrets his involvement, recognizing that he earned more money and lived a safer life as a mango farmer, and was planning to leave the cartel before his capture.
Insights
1Normalization of Violence and Early Exposure to Arms
Luis's upbringing in Acapulco normalized the presence of weapons from a very young age. His father taught him how to handle, disassemble, and maintain firearms, making him proficient with them long before joining any criminal group. This early exposure contributed to a desensitization that later facilitated his entry into the cartel.
Luis states, 'por allá en nuestro estado, pues estamos acostumbrados desde niños a mirar armas... te van enseñando a desarmarlas y que mira quítale este tornillo... te va como motivando.' He started seeing how weapons were handled around age 6 and began disassembling them.
2Cartel's 'Justification' for Operations
The cartel Luis joined presented itself with a unique 'mission': to combat other criminals, specifically kidnappers and extortionists. This narrative allowed Luis to rationalize his violent actions, believing he was 'cleaning up society' by removing individuals who caused harm.
Luis recounts being told, 'nosotros en realidad andamos tras los secuestradores. No cobramos pisaje... nosotros todo lo contrario. Nosotros vamos contra los secuestradores, nosotros vamos contra los extorsionadores.' He later states, 'como yo sabía que eran personas que le andaban causando más daño a la sociedad, pues también como te justificaste.'
3The Illusion of 'Easy Money' and Constant Paranoia
Despite the perceived high stakes, Luis found that his cartel work paid less than his legitimate job as a mango farmer. Crucially, the criminal life brought an overwhelming sense of paranoia, making normal daily activities impossible and forcing him to live in constant fear for his life.
Luis states, 'el dinero fácil, pero para mí la verdad fue el dinero más difícil porque eh que me gané en algún momento, porque lo más fácil fue para mí pues mandar fruta de guerrero para ambos estados y no peligraba mi vida, al contrario, la disfrutaba.' He describes being 'paranoico,' constantly checking for suspicious vehicles, and preferring to eat in his truck rather than a restaurant.
4Violent Capture and Legal Consequences
Luis's capture was a dramatic, large-scale event involving a pursuit by numerous police patrols and a helicopter on the Mexico-Puebla highway. He was violently apprehended, beaten, and ultimately charged with serious offenses, highlighting the brutal reality of law enforcement encounters in this context.
He details, 'íbamos en nueve carros en caravana... no nos sale el helicóptero y había como unas 300 patrullas ahí ya en la autopista, todos rodeándonos.' He describes being 'patadón y a golpes arrastrándome a la patrulla' and being accused of 'intento de homicidio agravante contra ocho servidores públicos.'
5Family Estrangement and Limited Outcomes
His imprisonment led to significant family strain. His son discovered his father's fate through social media, and while his mother remains supportive, his father refuses to visit him in prison, emphasizing the deep disappointment and the irreversible damage caused by his choices. Luis concludes that the only two outcomes for those in organized crime are prison or death.
Luis explains, 'él mismo se dio cuenta por el face.' He mentions his father's refusal to visit: 'Él me dice, 'No, yo no te quiero ver en una cárcel. Si yo no te si yo no te enseñé eso...'' He concludes, 'cuando entras a la delincuencia organizada tus únicas salidas son o la cárcel o la muerte.'
Lessons
- Recognize that the 'easy money' or perceived 'justice' offered by organized crime is a facade; it leads to a life of constant fear, paranoia, and ultimately, severe legal consequences or death.
- Prioritize education and legitimate work over involvement in criminal activities, as even seemingly 'well-paid' illicit jobs often offer less financial stability and significantly more risk than honest labor.
- Understand that personal choices in criminal enterprises have profound and lasting impacts not only on oneself but also on family, leading to emotional distress, abandonment, and fractured relationships.
Quotes
"La violencia no siempre irrumpe de golpe, a veces se aprende, se hereda, se vuelve costumbre."
"Muchos dicen que nos casamos por allá muy jóvenes que por el temperamento o temperatura del de nuestro estado, ¿no?"
"El famoso Face tanto te une como te destruye, no te separa de la familia o ya sea de la novia o de alguna amiga."
"Te dije que íbamos a matar venados. No, ya dime qué show."
"Nosotros en realidad andamos tras los secuestradores. No cobramos pisaje, no cobramos todo lo que cobran dos, tres cárteles, nosotros todo lo contrario."
"El dinero fácil, pero para mí la verdad fue el dinero más difícil porque eh que me gané en algún momento, porque lo más fácil fue para mí pues mandar fruta de guerrero para ambos estados y no peligraba mi vida, al contrario, la disfrutaba."
"Cuando entras a la delincuencia organizada tus únicas salidas son o la cárcel o la muerte."
"Aquí no es vida. Aquí dijéramos algunos compañeros, estamos muertos en vida, ¿no?"
Q&A
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