Hector Beltran Leyva, alias “El H,” was the head of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO) in Mexico. Once one of the most feared groups in the region, the BLO has been decimated in recent years. Hector died in 2018.
History
Hector Beltran Leyva and his brothers (Arturo, Carlos, and Alfredo) made their foray into Mexico’s criminal underworld working with opium poppy growers in Sinaloa state. The brothers went on to work for Amado Carrillo Fuentes, alias “El Señor de los Cielos,” the head of the Juarez Cartel, as hitmen and transporters. In 2002, Hector and his brothers forged an alliance with Joaquin Guzman Loera, alias “El Chapo,” and his partners, and formed what was known as the Federation, or the “Alianza de Sangre” (Blood Alliance).
However, in 2008 the Beltran Leyva brothers split with El Chapo after the arrest of Alfredo, which they believed El Chapo had orchestrated. As the BLO battled the Sinaloa Cartel, Arturo was killed in 2009.
El H FactboxDOB: February 15, 1965 Group: Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO) Criminal Activities: Drug trafficking Status: Captured in October 2014 Area of Operation: “El H” operated out of Mexico’s Queretaro state |
As his brothers began to fall one by one, Hector assumed the BLO’s leadership and ran what was left of the organization in conjunction with the Zetas, the group’s former rivals. Before he took over as leader, Hector had previously operated the financial wing of the BLO and was responsible for keeping politicians and police on the payroll. Nevertheless, Hector was not the obvious choice to become his group’s leader, and his tenure saw the BLO’s power decline significantly.
He was eventually captured in 2014 at a food restaurant in San Miguel Allende in Guanajuato, accompanied by his bodyguard, but evaded a US extradition request.
He died in November 2018 at the age of 56 from a heart attack while serving prison time in the Altiplano maximum security prison.
Criminal Activities
The BLO is primarily a drug trafficking organization, and Hector mainly dealt with the financial side of the operations and managed the group’s connections with politicians, businessmen and security personnel.
Geography
The BLO formed in Mexico’s Sinaloa state and operated in Guerrero, Morelos, Chiapas, Queretaro, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Quintana Roo, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, and Mexico State at the height of its power. Prior to his capture, Hector lived in Queretaro state.
Allies and Enemies
While leader of the BLO, Hector battled many former allies, including members of the Sinaloa Cartel and members of his former security wing run by Edgar Valdez Villarreal, alias “La Barbie,” who was arrested in August 2010. He was allied with the Zetas and the armed wing of the Juarez Cartel, known as La Linea.
Prospects
Hector was arrested on October 1, 2014. He died while serving time in prison in November 2018.