Chiapas–Guatemala Cartel
Cártel de Chiapas y Guatemala | |
| Founder | Baldemar Calderón Carrillo[1] |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Chiapas |
| Years active | 2022-present |
| Territory | Chiapas and Guatemala |
| Leader | Walfre Donaldo Calderón Calderón[2] |
| Activities | Drug trafficking, murder |
| Allies | Jalisco New Generation Cartel |
| Rivals | Sinaloa Cartel |
The Chiapas–Guatemala Cartel (Cártel de Chiapas y Guatemala)[a] is a Mexican cartel that is active in Chiapas and Guatemala.
Background
Origins
In 2021, armed gunmen allied with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel killed Ramón Gilberto Rivera Estrada (El Junior) in Tuxtla Gutiérrez. He was the son of Gilberto Rivera Amarillas, who was the ringleader of the Sinaloa Cartel's operations in Chiapas until 2016, when he was arrested at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City.[2]
With the loss of El Junior, the Sinaloa Cartel lost hold of their territory in Chiapas; this led to the Jalisco Cartel's gradual expansion into the state, and to a lesser extent into Guatemala.[3]
Juan Manuel Valdovinos Mendoza, one of the main members of the Sinaloa Cartel in Chiapas, attempted to take El Junior's position, but the role was ultimately fulfilled by Jesús Esteban Machado Meza, who had been dispatched by El Mayo himself. This decision angered him, and he defected to CJNG (the main local rival) shortly after.[2]
Valdovinos Mendoza's betrayal, combined with the local CJNG cell and a small group from the hamlet of Vueltamina in Guatemala, all contributed to the founding of the Chiapas–Guatemala Cartel in 2022 by Baldemar Calderón Carrillo, aka. Don Balde, who was killed in July 2025.[4][5]
Activities
In Chiapas, the group is most active in the regions of the Soconusco and the Sierra Mariscal in southern Chiapas. As a Mexican cartel, they primarily operate here, however they do enter Guatemala and collaborate with local criminal groups there.
In Guatemala, the cartel is primarily involved in illegal drug trafficking through the Guatemala–Mexico border, specifically the Chiapas-Huehuetenango land border.[6] The border crossing between La Mesilla and Frontera Comalapa is especially important for the cartel.[2] The Guatemalan department of San Marcos is also used for trafficking.
Recently, the cartel has published videos of executions of rival cartel members, including a beheading of someone from La Mayiza (a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel) in 2026.
Geography
The Río Suchiate forms the southernmost part of the Guatemala-Mexico border, and the Río Usumacinta forms much of the border that separates Petén from Chiapas. The cartel's cross-border trafficking activities mainly occur within these two rivers.
The municipalities on the Mexican side of this region have seen the most violence from the cartel, including Frontera Comalapa, Motozintla, Chicomuselo, and Amatenango de la Frontera.
Arrests
In March 2026, four members of the Cártel de Chiapas y Guatemala were arrested in Jiquipilas, when they were found with methamphetamine.[7]
See also
- Mexican drug war
- Guatemala–Mexico relations
- La Concordia massacre
Notes
- ^ Also called the Cartel of Chiapas and Guatemala. Commonly abbreviated as CCyG in Spanish.
References
- ^ ¿Quién era Baldemar Calderón Carrillo? “Don Balde”, fundador del Cártel de Chiapas y Guatemala, aliado del CJNG, fue uno de los abatidos en operativo armado en la frontera sur de México que generó tensiones diplomáticas
- ^ a b c d "Los narco corridos que retratan al Cártel Chiapas y Guatemala". Plaza Pública. 16 November 2025.
- ^ "The Jalisco Cartel's Quiet Expansion in Guatemala". InSight Crime. 18 May 2022.
- ^ "Mexican Forces Kill Alleged Chiapas-Guatemala Cartel Leader 'Don Balde' in Cross-Border Operation". 2025-06-11.
- ^ Revelan identidades de los escoltas de Baldemar Calderón Carrillo, alias “Tío Balde”, muertos durante enfrentamiento con policías mexicanos
- ^ Cártel de Chiapas y Guatemala emerge en frontera Guatemala-México con drogas, armas y tráfico migrantes
- ^ "En flagrancia, vendiendo metanfetamina: así capturaron a integrantes del Cártel de Chiapas y Guatemala". Infobae. 2026-03-17.