Mexican authorities have captured Rene Gerardo Santana Garza, infamously known as “El 300,” a figure believed to be a leading force within the Barrio Azteca gang and a key player in the escalating violence plaguing Juárez.
The arrest of El 300 occurred on Wednesday in Chihuahua City. Federal police intercepted a suspicious vehicle near the city’s airport, leading to the discovery of an M-16 rifle and narcotics, as reported by a federal law enforcement official.
The Barrio Azteca gang, known for its brutal operations along both sides of the El Paso-Juárez border, originated within the Texas prison system in the 1980s. The announcement of Santana’s apprehension was made public in Mexico City on Thursday by Manelich Castilla Craviotto, the federal police commissioner general, highlighting the significance of this capture.
Castilla noted in a video message that El 300 had been previously detained in Juárez a year prior. However, he was released after serving a mere three months and paying a conditional fine of 5,000 pesos, approximately $275 USD at the time, a sum likened to bail. In that September 2017 incident, Chihuahua state police in Juárez arrested Santana on charges related to weapon and drug possession, allegedly finding him with a handgun and 100 small packages of cocaine. At the time, the Chihuahua attorney general’s office indicated through police intelligence that “El 300” was heading a criminal enterprise of nearly 250 individuals involved in activities ranging from extortion and drug trafficking to homicide.
El 300’s Ascent to Power within Barrio Azteca
According to Commissioner Castilla, Rene Gerardo Santana Garza, a 34-year-old native of Juárez, purportedly rose to the leadership position within the Aztecas following the apprehension of his superior, the notorious gang leader Eduardo “Tablas” Ravelo. Ravelo, who had been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list since 2009, was captured on June 26 in Uruapan, Michoacan, in a joint operation involving the Mexican military and federal agents. Ravelo faced federal organized-crime charges in El Paso, some connected to the tragic murders of three individuals with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Juárez in 2010.
Castilla explained that after El 300 assumed command, internal divisions emerged within the Barrio Azteca criminal organization. This power struggle ignited armed conflicts and contributed to a surge in violence across the northern region of Chihuahua. Santana is accused of orchestrating attacks against state and municipal police forces in Juárez and ordering the assassination of a rival Azteca gang leader, Juan Arturo Padilla Juárez, known as “El Genio” or “The Genius.” Padilla was killed in a prison brawl near Chihuahua City in August.
Castilla emphasized that Santana’s arrest is a component of Operation Escudo Titán (Titan Shield), a federal police initiative targeting drug cartel criminality across several Mexican states. This operation underscores the ongoing commitment of Mexican authorities to combatting organized crime and restoring stability in regions plagued by gang violence.
Daniel Borunda can be contacted at 546-6102; [email protected]; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.
Further Reading:
Juárez police apprehend alleged gang leader implicated in fueling Mexico violence
Shooting incident in Juárez restaurant injures 5 state police officers in Mexican border city
Barrio Azteca gang suspected of targeting rival drug dealers in Juárez, Mexico border city
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