CDG Cell Leader/Author of El Cantaritos Massacre Arrested

 By Itzli. 

The role of the Cártel del Golfo (CDG, Gulf Cartel) in the El Cantaritos Massacre of November 2024 becomes clear with the arrest of José Francisco “Alfa 1”.

The Cantaritos Massacre

As previously reported by Borderland Beat an attack on the Cantaritos bar in the capital city of Querétaro took place on the night of November 9, 2024, leaving 10 dead and 13 injured. In the days that followed word spread that among the dead was Fernando “La Flaca” González Núñez, a member of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) who was targeted by cartel rivals that night, as well as fellow cartel member Jesús “El Chuyón” Arteaga Montenegro.

CJNG in Querétaro 

The state of Querétaro was once considered among the safest states in Mexico with it rumored that various cartels had agreed to it being a safe haven for their families and children. By 2009 this began to change with a series of cartels operating there, first Los Beltrán Leyva followed by Los Zetas, who maintained a presence as La Familia Michoacana spread into the state and was eventually replaced by Los Caballeros Templarios, who would also fade away, although a cell that had been lead by Honorio “El Genético” Núñez Vargas before he was killed in 2020 would remain present in San Juan del Río until at least 2022.

By May 2014 the CJNG expanded into Querétaro, with Martín “El Cebollón” Navarro Escutia as their leader in the state and neighboring parts of Guanajuato. Around this same timeframe a former cell of Los Zetas in Guanajuato came under the control of José Antonio “El Marro” Yépez Ortiz and became known as the Cártel de Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL). Despite the CSRL entering a period of decline following the August 2020 arrest of “El Marro” leaked military records indicated in 2022 that both the CJNG and CSRL were active in the municipalities of Querétaro, Corregidora, Huimilpan, Pedro Escobedo, and San Juan del Río.

Following the Canatritos Massacre, some reporting would indicate that “La Flaca” had been head of plaza in San Juan del Río and four of the aforementioned municipalities were listed as being disputed by the CJNG and CSRL, the exception being Pedro Escobedo, which was absent and Ezequiel Montes listed instead. Reporting from December 2024 indicates that these cartels dispute criminal control seven Pemex pipelines running from a refinery in Tula, Hidalgo to Salamanca, Guanajuato as well as storage and distribution terminals that spur off of them in a number of cities, including San Juan del Río and Celaya, Guanajuato. The cell of “El Genético” was not mentioned, instead Los Hades was listed as operating within the San Juan del Río, Zimapán and Polotitlán area.

The Arrests

With it generally assumed that the CSRL was behind the attack, less than two weeks after the Cantaritos Massacre authorities in Querétaro conducted a number of searches that resulted in the arrest of two of the individuals involved in the massacre and face charges of 50 years in prison. On February 26, 2025 the governor of Querétaro stated that a third individual had been identified and was close to being captured. 

On March 20, 2025 it was announced that Mexican authorities had conducted six simultaneous arrest operations in Querétaro, Guanajuato and Yucatán which led to the arrest of nine individuals from a criminal organization, the most notable being cell leaders José Francisco “Alfa 1” Contreras Gómez and Sandra “La Patrona” León Moreno. In mentioning that these arrests were related to the Cantaritos Massacre it was said that one other individual is still being sought.

“Alfa 1”, who is reported to have ordered the Cantaritos Massacre, was arrested in Juriquilla alongside “La Patrona”, who is mentioned as being his wife. With it specified that “La Patrona” is a “operational liaison and leader of another cell, linked to the purchase and sale of drugs” and one of the “principales operadores de una alianza entre grupos criminales”, it appears that she is a ranking member of the CSRL. As for “Alfa 1”, he is described as the leader of Escorpiones cell of the CDG linked to the CSRL. 

Furthermore, sources in the Mexican government told a reporter that “Alfa 1” was in charge of directing an alliance of Cártel del Golfo-Escorpiones and Gente Nueva Salazar with the CSRL. The presence of Los Escorpiones in Guanajuato was discussed in part 13 of the bloated CDG Matamoros series, with a focus on a cell that was sent there by José Alberto “La Kena” García Vilano in November 2022 and Escorpiones linked events in the months thereafter. Just prior to this it was written that:

It should be noted that the presence of the CDG in CSRL territory dates back to the leadership of “El Marro”; a CDG cell leader was arrested in Celaya in May 2019 in the same residential division where the mother-in-law of “El Marro” had lived. However, it is unclear which CDG faction he belonged to.