SUMMARY
Los Aztecas was a criminal organization in Mexico based in Ciudad Juárez, in the state of Chihuahua. The group, sometimes referred to as Barrio Azteca (Azteca Neighborhood) or Familia Azteca, was formed in El Paso, Texas, in the 1980s. It was initially a prison gang, but over the years the group organized outside prison walls.
In 2008, the Juarez Cartel recruited Los Aztecas, and as a result of this alliance, Los Aztecas gained more strength in Mexico. The cartel operated in the state of Chihuahua, on the border with the United States. They were based in the El Paso-Juárez border area, with its main operations in Ciudad Juárez.
Los Aztecas have been involved in criminal activities such as violent confrontations and trafficking of drugs to the United States, primarily heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Furthermore, they are responsible for numerous cases of kidnapping, torture, extortion, homicide, and gun smuggling activities.
The organization had an elaborate and disciplined system, with control from the top down. It was based on ranks from generals, to captains, to lieutenants to sergeants. One cornerstone has been a set of "sacred rules" that established hierarchies, the means of promotion as well as discipline for those who disobeyed.
The group has had around 5,000 members in the Juárez area. The group's greatest expansion came in 1996, partly as a result of increased deportations of Mexican criminals incarcerated in the United States. Eduardo Ravelo, “El Tablas”, had been the leader of the Barrio Azteca gang since 2008. In June of 2018, he was arrested by Mexican authorities in Michoacán along with three other alleged collaborators. His name was at the time of his arrest on the FBI list of the ten most wanted criminals. In November the same year the new leader of Los Aztecas, René Gerardo Santana Garza, “El 300”, was arrested.
In May 2020 "El Iraki" Jose Dolores Villegas Soto, the alleged leader of the Barrio Azteca gang, was arrested in Torreon.
Los Aztecas were allies with the Juarez Cartel as well as with their armed wing, La Linea. La Linea was a larger criminal network and directly hired members of Los Aztecas as "contract enforcers", in addition to being allied.
Los Aztecas have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organized violence.
