Hey, i want to ask follow up question.
Did El Mayo also work for Felix Gallardo in real life? Also I read that, in Sinaola after he arrested, El Mayo become the top boss and Chapo became 'the face'? Thank you.
Uh yeah, actually. So mayo’s start in the drug world happens when he was a teenager (some say it was thanks to his brother in law as well who introduced him to Antonio Cruz Vazquez.). In either case, at 16 Jose Ines ‘the engineer’ Calderon Quintero (a very interesting and important figure in narco history as a pioneer trafficker for coke and heroin to the US) takes mayo under his wing and mentors him. Keep in mind that Jose Inés was a big narco in the 70’s and 80’s and basically controlled Sinaloa. He was also Rafa’s cousin so once he had an education from Jose Ines, he went to work for Felix, Rafa and Neto. There he learned and became one of the three unofficial protégées.
When the whole Kiki thing happened and Guadalajara slowly separated in the 90’s, there were 3 protégées that would take Sinaloa: Mayo, Chapo and Azul. It bears mentioning that Mayo also helped Amado Fuentes consolidate himself as the leader and establish the Juarez cartel. He then joined Chapo afterwards, once Amado died. He helped Chapo perform his prison escapes and even counseled Chapo’s children after their father was imprisoned in 2015. Chapo was his compadre so he saw them grow up and guided them in their fathers abscence.
Sooo It’s fair to say that Mayo is the brains and Chapo is the face of Sinaloa, but for good reasons. Because while Chapo is crafty and resourceful, he also has a reputation for violence. Mayo was the opposite, he thought unnecessary violence was bad for business and was able to make a lot of connections/alliances through his negotiations. Chapo became the face of Sinaloa because he liked the attention. His arrest and escape from jail also garnered a lot of media attention as well as the war with the Arellano Felix family. He would go out to eat in the best restaurants in Sinaloa and ask people to surrender their phones and would return them when he left saying that everyone’s meal was paid for. In a way, he liked his own mythos. Mayo on the other hand, was smart and quiet. He would spend most of his time living a quiet life in the mountains. Mayo was known for valuing discretion and anonymity, constantly moving and thinking how to outsmart the authorities. They literally call him the ghost of the pacific because he didn’t want corridos or people to mention his name unless needed. His anonymity became his key to freedom and survival, while Chapo celebrated being listed as a billionaire in Forbes magazine. So there’s a difference. Keep in mind that Mayo had never seen a jail cell. The man was finally caught when he was 76 with multiple grandchildren. And that’s because he was double crossed!
That being said, Sinaloa didn’t have a leader per sé, it worked more like Felix’s organizational model where the 3 men had their territory and operations, but they would share resources, bribes and logistic resources. Chapo had his people, Mayo had his, but due to his intelligence, mayo’s the actual de facto boss. Chapo’s A boss, with his own organization and lieutenants, but he’s not THE boss. And this is something that Sinaloans have known for years.
Then everything went to shit when his son vicentillo was arrested. He basically told the US government how chapo’s operation works to get a plea deal. Then his brother and his 2 other sons were arrested as well and did the same and testified against Chapo in exchange for reduced sentences. In retaliation, Chapo’s son Joaquin (the kid he saw grow up) invited him to a meeting, but it was actually a kidnapping where Joaquin flew Mayo to the Us and gave him to the US authorities in exchange for plea deals. This unleashed a civil war in the Sinaloa cartel. They’re now divided between Chapistas (with what’s left of chapo’s sons) and Mayistas (lead by his son el mayito Flaco and el Chapo gordo). And from what I’ve heard, chapo’s faction is loosing ground. Mayo is currently in jail, but he entered a plea deal.
Fun fact: Azul and Amado are also related. I mean, at this point all of these people are related 😆