Due to his statements made at the trial of Genaro García Luna, the name of Sergio Villarreal, alias ‘El Grande’ (this is because of his height), was repeated repeatedly in conversations, social networks and the media.
‘El Grande’ is part of a group of witnesses (many of them former drug traffickers) with whom the US prosecutor tries to verify Garcia Luna worked and protected criminal groups From Secretary of Public Security during the government of Felipe Calderon.
One of Villarreal’s “explosive” revelations was Arturo Beltrán Leyva, who started out as an escort in the world of drug trafficking. dear carillo fuentes‘The Lord of the Skies’ kidnaps Garcia Luna just to show that he can do it.
What were the allegations of ‘El Grande’ against Garcia Luna?
The capo said the former police chief received millions of dollars in payments from the Sinaloa Cartel to turn a blind eye to their operations and cooperate with them.
According to his testimony, this help was crucial for the group led by Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán to expand in Mexico.
“Genaro Garcia Luna informed us about operation and testing, They helped us remove and install affiliated agents. And we shared information with them to attack our opponents”, this was something that ‘El Grande’ said.
Capo stated that García Luna and Arturo Beltrán Leyva met on at least 20 occasions (in which he was present). In those meetings, the drug trafficker paid bribes ranging from one million to five million dollars to the former secretary.
Villarreal reported that the payment points were located in Mexico City. For example, one house was very close to the Perisur shopping center.
Was ‘The Big One’ A Lie?
However, columnist Raymundo Riva Palacio pointed out that there are parts of “El Grande’s” testimony that do not agree, such as details about a shipment of cocaine that the cartel allegedly switched with flour.
Among the discrepancies found by the journalist are:
- What did ‘The Great’ say: “He explained that the capture of Jesús ‘El Rey’ Zambada in October 2008 was thanks to information provided to authorities by Arturo Beltrán Leyva, the head of the family cartel, after breaking with the Pacific Cartel led by Ismail. “May’ Zambada, whose brother was chief of the Plaza in the Valley of Mexico. In addition, he said, he and several other members of the organization he arrested impersonated elements of the Special Deputy Prosecutor’s Office for the Investigation of Organized Crime Crimes.
- what riva palacio says: basic information it came from the deawho reported it to the Federal Police, who reported it to García Luna, who in turn reported it to the Mexico City Security Secretariat, which carried out the capture.
- What did ‘The Great’ say: The Beltrán Leyva organization diverted a shipment of cocaine from Colombia at the port of Manzanillo in 2007, with the seizure of 23 tons of the drug, the largest in history. just white powder, That shipment arrived aboard the Esmeralda ship, and the DEA alerted the federal police, who in turn notified the federal Ministry of Public Affairs.
- What Riva Palacio says: Federal police carried out the seizure, but the Navy and Ministry watched the two containers for nearly three weeks, hoping to arrest those behind them. When no one came forward to claim it, the expert’s opinion was implemented Turns out it was cocaine,
- What did ‘The Great’ say: Various leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel said that the bribe to García Luna was “the best investment they made with their money.”
- What Riva Palacio says: There is public information that contradicts this. In addition to the aforementioned actions against the cartel, in 2007 the federal police seized $205 million and 17 million pesos at the home of Genly Ye Gon, a Chinese-Mexican businessman who was an introducer of methamphetamine precursors to ‘El Chapo’.
“If they continue to witness hitmen like Sergio Villarreal Barragán Beltran Leyva Brothers CartelNo one can say that they are surprised if their charges (from the US Attorney’s Office) against García Luna fail,” Riva Palacio warned.
