The Gulf cartel has silenced local news outlets in the border city of Matamoros, telling reporters that there would be violent consequences if the killing of one of its longtime lieutenants became public.
His funeral drew hundreds of people and a huge celebration. However, at the behest of the criminal organization, local media did not report the entire incident.
The circumstances surrounding the torture and killing remain unclear. What is known, however, is that on October 6, authorities in Tamaulipas reported a foul odor coming from a sand-colored 2004 Lincoln Navigator that had been abandoned near a local cemetery on the city's northwest side. This means that they responded to the request.
When authorities arrived, they found a body inside the vehicle. The victim had been strangled and left in the driver's seat with bruises all over his body. The victim was later identified as 45-year-old Gumercindo “El Gume” Perez Maya, a longtime mid-level boss of the Gulf Cartel.
At the time authorities responded to the cemetery, local journalists in Matamoros were notified via messaging app to avoid the area and report nothing about the killings or face dire consequences. The message came from a fellow journalist in Matamoros who acts as a liaison between the Gulf Cartel and reporters, telling him what he could and could not do to cover the story.
The bruised back of Gulf Cartel lieutenant El Gume shortly after his body was discovered. (Credit: Breitbart Texas/Cartel Chronicles)
The secrecy surrounding El Gume's murder by his compatriots within the Gulf Cartel arose after it was seen as a betrayal. The drug boss's funeral was a lavish affair with several musical performances, food trucks and a police escort.
A source with direct knowledge of criminal activities in Matamoros revealed that Mr. El Gume was semi-retired and had been warned not to return to Matamoros. I didn't follow the instructions.
The warning appears to have been issued before his arrest in December 2023, when he was forced to flee after an argument over money with his fellow police inspectors. His escape comes amid tensions between two powerful factions of the Matamoros Gulf Cartel, the Escorpiones and the Cyclones, over the direction of leadership within the organization.
The tensions have further fueled an already violent border region where the Matamoros faction has been in a bitter turf war with Reynosa's Metros faction and its allies for more than a year. The ongoing violence has spread fear across the region, with convoys of armed groups constantly clashing on rural dirt roads.
Known for his calm demeanor, El Gume was popular on the islands of Matamoros and Rio Bravo, where he was responsible for human smuggling operations and recovering stolen SUVs for the cartel. In July 2023, El Gume became embroiled in a scandal after Gulf Cartel officials leaked audio recordings of him ordering his subordinates to steal the gang's vehicles. In the audio, he said there was pressure from higher ups and he was trying to be reasonable, but he said he needed to increase the number of vehicles or he would retaliate. The leak sparked much controversy within the cartel, with accusations that traitors and informants were collaborating with US authorities.
Mr. El Gume had been arrested several times in the past, but the actual consequences were able to be avoided with bribes, and most of the cases simply disappeared or were dismissed in Mexican courts.
Days after his murder, Perez Maya's relatives posted a short death notice with a photo of the drug boss on social media, one of the only published details confirming his death. .
Death notice for Gulf Cartel Lieutenant El Gume. (Credit: Breitbart Texas/Cartel Chronicles)
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist at Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Breitbart, Texas Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Breitbart's senior management team. you can follow him Twitter And even more facebook. He can be reached at the following address: iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Breitbart, Texas Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Breitbart's senior management team. please follow him Twitter and facebook. He can be contacted at: bdarby@breitbart.com.
