Cárteles Unidos: Alliances and Turf Wars in Michoacán

Cárteles Unidos, also known as United Cartels or La Resistencia, is a criminal alliance rooted in Mexico’s volatile Tierra Caliente region, primarily in the state of Michoacán. Its history is a complex saga of shifting alliances, brutal turf wars, and a relentless struggle for control over lucrative drug trafficking routes and local economies. Formed to counter powerful external cartels, Cárteles Unidos has evolved over time, leaving a significant mark on Mexico’s organized crime landscape. This blog explores the origins, evolution, and current status of Cárteles Unidos, drawing on available information to provide a comprehensive overview.

The story of Cárteles Unidos begins in 2010, during a period of intense cartel violence in Mexico. At the time, Los Zetas, a notoriously brutal cartel, was expanding its influence into Michoacán and Jalisco, threatening local criminal groups and communities. To counter this incursion, Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, a key figure in the Sinaloa Cartel, orchestrated an alliance under the name “La Resistencia.” This coalition brought together members of the Sinaloa Cartel, Gulf Cartel, La Familia Michoacana, and the Knights Templar to expel Los Zetas from the region.

This early iteration of Cárteles Unidos was a pragmatic response to a common threat. The alliance leveraged the combined resources and manpower of these groups to push back against Los Zetas, who were known for their militarized tactics and extreme violence. The coalition also received support from remnants of the Milenio Cartel, which had been weakened by internal fractures and the death of its leader, Ignacio Coronel, in 2010.

By 2011, La Resistencia had achieved some success in repelling Los Zetas, but the alliance was fragile. Infighting and competing interests among its members led to its collapse. The Sinaloa and Gulf Cartels withdrew, and La Familia Michoacana and the Knights Templar faced significant pressure from Mexican security forces, resulting in their partial dismantling. Key figures like Víctor Manuel Torres García (“El Papirrín”) and Ramiro Pozos González (“El Molca”), who led La Resistencia during this period, were arrested in 2011 and 2012, respectively, further weakening the group.

The modern incarnation of Cárteles Unidos emerged in 2019, driven by a new threat: the rapid expansion of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful and aggressive cartels. The CJNG, led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”), sought to dominate Michoacán’s drug trafficking routes and illicit economies, including the extortion of avocado and lime producers. To counter this, a new alliance was formed under the Cárteles Unidos banner, led by Juan José Farías Álvarez, alias “El Abuelo,” a seasoned figure in Michoacán’s criminal underworld.

The primary goal of this alliance was to protect Michoacán’s Tierra Caliente region from CJNG encroachment. The region’s strategic importance lies in its drug trafficking routes and its role as a hub for avocado production, a multi-billion-dollar industry that cartels exploit through extortion. Cárteles Unidos has engaged in a bloody turf war with the CJNG, marked by high-profile acts of violence. For instance, in September 2020, CU operatives drove a military tank through the town of Bonifacio Moreno (El Aguaje) in Aguililla, Michoacán, to intimidate CJNG forces. In 2021, they reportedly used drones to drop bombs, wounding state police officers.

The conflict escalated in August 2019, when the CJNG declared war on the Cartel del Abuelo, leading to a 12-hour firefight in Tepalcatepec and Ixtlán that left nine dead and eleven wounded. This ongoing rivalry has caused widespread disruption, forcing businesses and schools to close and displacing local residents.

Juan José Farías Álvarez, “El Abuelo,” is the central figure in Cárteles Unidos. A veteran of Michoacán’s criminal landscape, he has a history of leading self-defense groups and working with the Milenio Cartel in the 1990s. Despite multiple arrests, including in 2009 on drug and weapons charges, El Abuelo has avoided significant prison time, reportedly using intimidation to secure impunity. His leadership has been pivotal in rallying vigilante groups and criminal factions to resist the CJNG.

Cárteles Unidos is deeply involved in Michoacán’s illicit economies. Beyond drug trafficking (marijuana and synthetic drugs like methamphetamine), the alliance extorts avocado and lime producers, a practice that has drawn significant attention due to Mexico’s role as a leading avocado exporter. Reports suggest that 80% of avocado orchards in Michoacán may have been established illegally, with cartels seizing land to control this lucrative market.

The group’s tactics include violent displays to assert dominance, such as public executions, hostage-taking, and attacks on local law enforcement. These actions aim to intimidate both rivals and the local population, ensuring control over territory and resources.

In February 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated Cárteles Unidos, along with seven other cartels and gangs, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. This move, part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to combat transnational crime, aimed to provide law enforcement with additional tools to disrupt the group’s operations. The designation reflects Cárteles Unidos’ use of terroristic violence to maintain control over Michoacán and its role in drug trafficking and extortion.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has highlighted Cárteles Unidos’ strategic importance in Michoacán, noting its efforts to block CJNG expansion and its control over key trafficking routes. The designation has sparked debates about its implications, with some arguing it could escalate U.S.-Mexico tensions, especially given calls for Mexican authorities to investigate politicians linked to cartels.

As of 2025, Cárteles Unidos remains active but faces significant challenges. The alliance is inherently unstable, as its members—former self-defense groups turned criminal enterprises—have a history of infighting. The withdrawal of the Sinaloa and Gulf Cartels from the earlier iteration of Cárteles Unidos, coupled with ongoing tensions between La Familia Michoacana and Los Viagras, suggests that the alliance could fracture again if it succeeds in repelling the CJNG.

Moreover, the group’s reliance on extortion and violence has alienated local communities, who have accused authorities of failing to protect them from cartel conflicts. In some cases, residents have resorted to arming themselves, reviving self-defense groups to combat both Cárteles Unidos and the CJNG.

The designation as an FTO may also complicate Cárteles Unidos’ operations by increasing international scrutiny and limiting its access to financial networks. However, the group’s deep roots in Michoacán’s social and economic fabric make it resilient to external pressures.

Cárteles Unidos is a product of Mexico’s fragmented and violent criminal landscape, born out of necessity to counter powerful rivals like Los Zetas and the CJNG. Its history reflects the fluidity of cartel alliances, where pragmatic partnerships often give way to betrayal and conflict. Under the leadership of El Abuelo, Cárteles Unidos has carved out a niche in Michoacán, controlling key trafficking routes and extorting agricultural producers. However, its designation as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and ongoing turf wars with the CJNG pose significant challenges to its survival.