Mexican Gulf drug cartel boss ‘La Kena’ could be behind deadly kidnapping of American tourists

Jose Alberto Garcia Vilano’s whereabouts remain unknown since Mexican officials put out a reward for his capture in April 2022

Mexican authorities reportedly believe one of the most dangerous leaders of the Gulf drug cartel is behind the kidnapping of four Americans in Matamoros last week.

Sources close to the government told local outlet Milenio that investigators are considering whether Jose Alberto Garcia Vilano, known as “La Kena,” is linked to the deadly abduction of four US nationals on 3 March. Vilano’s whereabouts remain unknown since Mexican officials put out a reward for his capture in April 2022.

Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that two Americans in the group, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, had been killed, while LaTavia “Tay” McGee and Eric James Williams survived the attack and have since returned to the US. The group was travelling to Tamaulipas so Ms McGee could undergo a tummy tuck procedure.

On Thursday, the Gulf cartel allegedly apologised for the kidnapping, suggesting it was carried out by rogue members. An unnamed Tamaulipas state law enforcement official provided a letter believed to be authored by the cartel to the Associated Press. In it, the criminal organisation promises it will turn over five men behind the kidnapping.

US and Mexican investigators continue to gather evidence from a “stash house” in a rural area east of Matamoros where the victims were found. They’re also processing surveillance video and vehicles, DNA, cartridge and fingerprints, according to Milenio.

In September, Mexican authorities raised the reward for information that leads to the capture of “La Kena” to MXN$2.5m (US$138,000). Officials in the cartel-ridden area say that Vilano is associated with The Cyclones, the most prominent cell of the Gulf drug cartel in Matamoros.

Who is cartel leader ‘La Kena’?

Unnamed officials from the Mexican Department of National Security told Milenio that “La Kena” is on the list of the most wanted by the agency, and that investigators working on the American kidnapping case are probing the possibility he was involved.

Vilano, one of the most prominent members of The Cyclones, is accused of being in charge of gruesome execution-style killings against other cells of the Gulf drug cartel, known as Escorpiones, Metros y Pantera, per Mexican outlet La Reforma.

Videos circulating online show armed members of the criminal organisation questioning crystal meth dealers before reportedly killing them, according to Infobae.

The Cyclones operate mainly in Matamoros, where the abduction took place just as the victims arrived after crossing the border with Brownsville, Texas.

(Fiscalia de Tamaulipas)

They were caught in a shootout in broad daylight and forced inside the kidnappers’ vehicle.

Vilano’s life has been the subject of Narcocorridos — a music genre in Mexico that narrates the life of cartel bosses, Vicereports. Narco rapper 5050 has said in his lyrics that an extremely violent “La Kena” was born and raised in Matamoros and worked his way up in the cartel.

“He’s crazy, has no fear,” the lyrics read, per Vice. “He likes danger, he likes to carry an AK47, made in Matamoros, he’s building his turf.”

Mexican officials have not publicly named Vilano as a suspect and have not explained why he is believed to be involved in the kidnapping. The Independent has reached out to the Tamaulipas Office of the Attorney General for comment.

The Cyclones

The Cyclones control operations of according to La Reforma. They also blackmail local businesses in the area and threaten violence if money is not upfronted by their victims.

As well as confronting other factions of the Gulf cartel, the Cyclones are also at war with rival cartels such as the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and Cártel del Noreste, per La Reforma.

According to La Reforma, Vilano’s faction controls the area of Matamoros-Reynosa-Nuevo Laredo and threatens violence against any other cartels that dare to traffick drugs within those limits. According to the outlet, that would be the reason why The Cyclones ambushed American citizens last week.

US officials previously told CNN that it was believed the kidnappers mistook the victims for members of a Haitian cartel attempting to smuggle drugs into Matamoros.

GOP calls for military intervention in Mexico’s cartel-ridden areas

Before the tragic news that two Americans were killed during the kidnapping, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told Fox News that he would introduce legislation to “set the stage” for using military force in Mexico to combat drug cartels.

Mr Graham made the remarks on Jesse Watters’s show on Monday evening, saying he would “introduce legislation to make certain Mexican drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations under US law and set the stage to use military force if necessary.”

“I would put Mexico on notice,” Mr Graham said. “If you continue to give safe haven to drug dealers, then you are an enemy of the United States.”

Taking military action in Mexico would require an Authorisation of the Use of Military Force in Congress, which would in turn need to pass both houses of Congress.

“I’m going to introduce legislation, Jesse, to make certain Mexican drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations under US law and set the stage to use military force if necessary to protect America from being poisoned by things coming out of Mexico,” he said.

Mr Graham is not the only Republican calling for military action against Mexico. Former Attorney General Bill Barr also called on the US to proceed with cartels as it does with terrorist groups like ISIS.

“They are terrorists,” Mr Barr also said on Waters’ show. “The Mexican government is being held hostage by tens of thousands of paramilitary members of terrorist organizations that effectively control Mexico. It’s pretty close at this stage to a failed narco-state.”

“They can use violence and oceans of cash to corrupt the government. The government has no will, and it doesn’t have the ability to deal with the cartels.”

Reacting to the two Americans’ killings and Mr Barr’s comments on Tuesday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that the tragedy was being used by Republican politicians to “push an agenda” against Mexico.

“We’re not going to allow any country to intervene in matters that must only concern Mexicans. We don’t get involved with the American dealers who distribute fentanyl in the US or how fentanyl is distributed,” the president said. “Don’t they have dealers? Don’t they have drug gangs? Who is selling the drug there then?”

“We’re coordinating with US officials how to proceed, as long as they respect our sovereignty.”

“[Barr] is saying that I support cartels just because I am defending our sovereignty. This is our business to deal with. And President Biden has promised that he will respect our sovereignty.”

“We are grateful for that because we will not allow the US to intervene. Mexico is not a colony.”