La Familia Drug Cartel: Implications for U.S.-Mexican Security

George W. Grayson | U.S. Army War College | 2010-12-15

This report commissioned through the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute examines the rise and activities of La Familia Michoacana or as it is also known, "La Famiia," which has emerged as one of Mexico's strangest and most grotesque drug cartels. From the forward of the report: "Its leaders -- Nazario “El Chayo” Moreno González and José de Jesús “El Chango” Méndez Vargas -- insist they are doing the Lord’s work when they discipline teenagers for wearing long hair or spraying graffiti on colonial buildings in the Michoacán state capital of Morelia. However, this syndicate is not content with trying to civilize young people. It captures enemies, who may belong to Los Zetas or another competing cartel, and tortures, dismembers, and decapitates them -- often leaving heads in public venues as a warning."