One of Mexico’s most violent cartel bosses, who has a history of masquerading as a freedom fighter, is living peacefully in his home, while his terrorist organization spreads terror. While Mexican authorities seem unable to find him, Breitbart News Foundation has obtained his address and specific details of his daily routine.
Known in the criminal underworld as El Abuelo, Juan Jose Farias Alvarez is one of the most wanted drug bosses and is considered the leader of a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Currently, the U.S. government is offering $10 million for information leading to his arrest. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Justice criminally indicted two of his relatives on drug trafficking and terrorism charges, Breitbart Texas reported. His criminal organization currently has a presence in Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado, Missouri, and California.
Unlike other crime bosses, El Abuelo has tried to pass himself off as a freedom fighter, claiming that his Cartel de Tepalcatepec, which is considered part of the United Cartels, is actually a self-defense group, and, as Breitbart News Foundation has reported, many of his gunmen are members of the state-sanctioned community police force.
While Mexico’s federal government appears to be unable to find him, Breitbart News Foundation has been able to confirm with U.S. law enforcement and intelligence sources that El Abuelo lives at a house on the 300 block of Carlos Salazar Street, near the intersection with J. Refugio Menes Street in the downtown area of the town of Tepalcatepec.
Home where wanted cartel boss El Abuelo lives (Credit: Google Maps Screenshot)
The house is reinforced with steel and titanium plates that provide protection against shots fired from the sky, and it has a network of tunnels connecting to a nearby house belonging to his brother-in-law, Rodolfo “Rodo” Mendoza. The tunnel network could allow El Abuelo to escape in case of an attack.
In addition to his address, Breitbart News Foundation has been able to confirm that El Abuelo has breakfast every day between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. at a local restaurant called El Rincon Del Sambo that is off the main highway that connects Tepalcatepec and the city of Apatzingan, on the north side of town, just a few blocks away from his home. In addition to serving breakfast there, El Abuelo regularly uses the place to host meetings and events. The last sighting of El Abuelo at the restaurant was this past weekend.
Restaurant visited daily by the wanted cartel boss El Abuelo. (Credit: Google Maps Screenshot)
As Breitbart Texas has reported, El Abuelo and his organization have been able to operate with impunity in Mexico, where most of his gunmen masquerade as freedom fighters or community police forces. In March, Breitbart Texas published an exclusive video that showed one of El Abuelo’s top enforcers arguing with Mexican authorities for not helping them fight off a rival cartel.
In 2018, Mexican authorities arrested El Abuelo; however, soon after, a Mexican judge released him under suspicious circumstances. Since then, El Abuelo has been able to live and operate in Michoacan with complete impunity, Breitbart Texas reported.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Jose Luis Lara from Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report.
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