SUMMARY

Los Zetas – Cártel del Noreste faction, also known as the Northeast cartel, was a group that splintered from the Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas in early 2016. The faction was led by Juan Francisco Treviño Chavez, also called “Kiko”, the nephew of former Los Zetas leaders Miguel and Omar Treviño Morales, also known as Z-40 and Z-42 respectively.

Los Zetas, with its origin in the Gulf Cartel, had experienced few instances of infighting within the cartel compared to its parent organization. However, as several leaders of Los Zetas were arrested and extradited to the US, the cartel became more unstable and struggles for power within the organization or over different geographical areas increased. Arguably, the most devastating arrests was that of Los Zetas’ leader Miguel Treviño Morales in July 2013, as well as the arrest of his successor Omar Treviño Morales in March 2015.

The Los Zetas – Cártel del Noreste faction, got involved in a deadly fight for the control over territory and drug trade in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas state, against rival Los Zetas – Old School Zetas faction, in the beginning of 2016. Even though Coahuila state was the most important home base for Los Zetas – Cártel del Noreste faction, the north-eastern states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Laredo were the factions largest areas of influence.