- Maras (gangs)
-
Maras (or marabuntas) are gangs originating from Central American countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
Contents
Activities
Maras activities range from Arms trafficking, assault, auto theft, burglaries, drug trafficking, extortion, human trafficking, identity fraud, identity theft, illegal gambling, illegal immigration, kidnapping, money laundering, people smuggling, prostitution, racketeering, robbery and vandalism. Almost all maras display tattoos on their bodies as a sign of their affiliation to their gang.[1] "La vida por las maras" or "the life for the gang" is a very commonly used phrase by these gangs. Although contrary to common belief, there is no evidence that the gang has ever had the killing of an innocent person as an element or form of initiation.[citation needed]
Rivalries
The well most known maras are Mara Salvatrucha and their rivals Calle 18 and ECES 13 and VATOS LOCOS 13; maras are, or at least were, hunted by death squads including Sombra Negra.[2] New rivals also include the former rising mara, The Rebels 13.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ City Mayors: Maras criminal gangs
- ^ Mar 1999 USCIS publication QA/SLV/99.001, esp pg. 6 citation #14.
External links
- Foreignaffairs.org - How street gangs took Central America
- BBC news - Combating El Salvador's gangs
- Peetz, Peter (2008): Youth, Crime, and the Responses of the State: Discourses on Violence in Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, GIGA Working Papers, No. 80
Mexican Drug War (2006–present) (Names in italics represent dead or arrested individuals) Federal forces Mexican Army • Mexican Air Force • Mexican Navy • GAFE • Federal Investigations Agency • SIEDO • Federal PoliceBeltrán-Leyva Cartel
(Extinct in 2010)FoundersArturo Beltrán Leyva • Alfredo Beltrán Leyva • Carlos Beltrán Leyva • Edgar Valdez Villarreal • Sergio Villarreal Barragán • Héctor Beltrán LeyvaLa Familia Cartel
(Extinct in mid-2011)FoundersNazario Moreno González • Carlos Rosales Mendoza • Arnoldo Rueda Medina • Dionicio Loya Plancarte • Rafael Cedeño Hernández • Alberto Espinoza Barrón • Enrique Plancarte Solís • José de Jesús Méndez Vargas • Servando Gómez MartínezGulf Cartel FoundersLeadersOsiel Cárdenas Guillén • Antonio Cárdenas Guillén • Jorge Eduardo CostillaJuárez Cartel
(Armed wing: La Línea)FoundersRafael Aguilar Guajardo • Pablo Acosta Villarreal • Amado Carrillo FuentesLeadersVicente Carrillo Fuentes • José Luis FratelloKnights Templar Cartel
(Armed wing: La Resistencia)FoundersEnrique Plancarte Solís • Servando Gómez MartínezLeadersEnrique Plancarte Solís • Servando Gómez MartínezSinaloa Cartel
(Armed wing: Gente Nueva)FoundersLeadersTijuana Cartel FoundersRamón Arellano Félix • Benjamín Arellano Félix • Francisco Rafael Arellano Félix • Carlos Arellano Félix • Eduardo Arellano Félix • Francisco Javier Arellano FélixLeadersEnedina Arellano Félix • Luis Fernando Sánchez Arellano • Edgardo Leyva EscandonLos Zetas Cartel FoundersArturo Guzmán Decena • Jaime González Durán • Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar • Heriberto LazcanoLeadersHeriberto Lazcano • Miguel Treviño MoralesSee also Other cartelsEarly drug lordsSome corrupt officialsJesús Gutiérrez Rebollo • Victor Gerardo Garay Cadena • Arturo Durazo Moreno • Noé Ramírez Mandujano • Ricardo Gutiérrez Vargas • Rodolfo de la Guardia García • Francisco Navarro Espinoza • Raúl Salinas de Gortari • Julio César Godoy ToscanoOperationsMérida Initiative • Project Gunrunner • Project Coronado • Operation Solare • Operation Xcellerator • Operation Michoacan • Operation Baja California • Operation Sinaloa • Joint Operation Nuevo Leon-Tamaulipas • Operation Chihuahua • Operation Quintana RooVehiclesVariousTimeline of the Mexican Drug War • Édgar Eusebio Millán Gómez • Enrique Camarena • Jaime Jorge Zapata • War on Drugs • House of Death • Piracy in Falcon Lake • List of massacres in Mexico • Most wanted Mexican drug lords • Blog del NarcoCategories:- Gangs in Los Angeles, California
- Gangs in New York City
- Gangs in Canada
- Gangs in Latin America
- Gangs in North America
- Hispanic American gangs
- Hispanic gangs
- Crime in El Salvador
- Crime in Guatemala
- Crime in Honduras
- Mexican Drug War
- Organized crime groups in Latin America
- Organized crime groups in the United States
- Secret societies related to organized crime
- Terrorism in the United States
- Crime stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.