Killed in Durango for Naming the Cabreras by Mica Treviño
Gunmen kidnapped and killed a journalist who had warned that the Cabrera Cartel planned to steal gold from local mines to finance its defense against the CJNG–Chapitos incursion in the state of Durango.
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and the governor of Durango, Esteban Villegas, have not publicly acknowledged the journalist’s murder. Federal security chief Omar García Harfuch said the national government will not intervene in the case unless the state of Durango formally requests assistance.
The victim, Miguel Beltrán Martínez, frequently published reports about local politics and organized crime in Durango — a state long dominated by the Cabrera Sarabia brothers, allies of Los Mayito Flaco, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Miguel ran a Facebook page called La Gazzetta de Durango and a TikTok account under the name @capodgo7.
On October 21, 2025, Miguel posted a video on TikTok discussing the arrest of Leonardo Daniel Martínez Vega, known as El Pato, a member of the Cabrera organization. In the video, he said that El Pato’s capture had weakened the Cabrera structure and that the CJNG–Chapitos alliance had begun taking control of Cabrera territory in Durango — particularly in the sierra and the municipalities surrounding the state capital.
He went further, stating that José Luis Cabrera Sarabia, alias El 03, was “personally ordering and taking part in gold thefts from the state’s mines” to fund his armed response.
Leonardo Daniel Martínez Vega, “El Pato”
Miguel was last seen alive the morning of October 23, when his son saw him leave their home in the Eucaliptos neighborhood of Durango City, heading to work. Sometime afterward, he was abducted by cartel gunmen.
His body was found two days later, on October 25, dumped beside the highway near Río Chico. His injuries suggested he had been tortured while captive.
Next to the body, a narco-message read:
“For spreading lies about the people of Durango.”
All evidence suggests that naming José Luis Cabrera Sarabia directly as responsible for gold theft was what most enraged the Cabrera group.
Criminal groups have been extorting and robbing mining companies in Durango for decades, but many of those companies are foreign-owned, which likely explains the effort to keep the cartel leader’s name out of any mention tied to mine theft or extortion.
Today, Durango has 76 active gold mines, making it Mexico’s third-most important mining hub.
Mexico remains the most dangerous country in the world for journalists, outside of active war zones.
Not everyone in Durango believes Miguel Beltrán was a crusading journalist. Some residents describe him as a social-media provocateur whose reports blurred fact and speculation.
Locals point out that La Gazzetta de Durango rarely drew significant engagement compared to established regional outlets, and that several of his viral posts were later deleted after being labeled false.
José Luis Cabrera Sarabia, “El 03”
One of the most-criticized cases came days before his death, when Miguel posted a video outside Hospital 450. In it, he accused a line of people receiving free meals of being “narco supporters.” Residents who were there say the group was simply made up of volunteers and families, part of a long-standing local tradition of donating food outside hospitals.
In September, Miguel had also published claims that CJNG banners were hung across the city of Durango — a story that local journalists and security sources later confirmed was fabricated. The post went viral within hours, spreading fear across the capital.
“Maybe he just wanted more clicks,” said one Durango resident. “He made up that story about the narcomantas to get reactions. His own actions led to what happened to him.”
Even his critics admit that freedom of the press must be protected — but many add a warning: “Every journalist is free to do their job,” one said, “but you also have to speak with the truth. These days, too many pages chase fame, not journalism.”
I never had a direct conversation with Miguel Beltrán, but he followed my reporting on Durango and wanted to make change.
What cannot be disputed is that the journalist was assassinated in Durango by the Cabreras — regardless of the debate over how effective he was or the legitimacy of his reporting.
Durango’s mining corridor has become one of the most contested financial arteries in northern Mexico. The same shafts that once built towns like Topia, Guanaceví, and Santiago Papasquiaro are now feeding competing war chests.
The Cabrera Sarabia brothers — old-guard operators from the Sinaloa Cartel — have turned mine extortion and metal theft into a quick form of liquidity. For years, their structure relied on cocaine and meth routes through Chihuahua and Sonora. But with the CJNG and Los Chapitos encroaching from the south and west, gold is the new currency of survival.
Local sources say that when the Cabreras feel pressure, they lean on miners, intermediaries, and local politicians to “donate” part of production. Every ounce stolen, smelted, or resold strengthens their defense network.
Miguel Beltrán’s fatal mistake wasn’t inventing stories — it was naming a man whose operations depend on silence. In Durango, truth and rumor travel through the same tunnels, and both can get you killed.
The post Killed in Durango for Naming the Cabreras appeared first on Cartel Insider.
Gunmen kidnapped and killed a journalist who had warned that the Cabrera Cartel planned to steal gold from local mines to finance its defense against the CJNG–Chapitos incursion in the state of Durango.
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and the governor of Durango, Esteban Villegas, have not publicly acknowledged the journalist’s murder. Federal security chief Omar García Harfuch said the national government will not intervene in the case unless the state of Durango formally requests assistance.
The victim, Miguel Beltrán Martínez, frequently published reports about local politics and organized crime in Durango — a state long dominated by the Cabrera Sarabia brothers, allies of Los Mayito Flaco, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Miguel ran a Facebook page called La Gazzetta de Durango and a TikTok account under the name @capodgo7.
On October 21, 2025, Miguel posted a video on TikTok discussing the arrest of Leonardo Daniel Martínez Vega, known as El Pato, a member of the Cabrera organization. In the video, he said that El Pato’s capture had weakened the Cabrera structure and that the CJNG–Chapitos alliance had begun taking control of Cabrera territory in Durango — particularly in the sierra and the municipalities surrounding the state capital.
He went further, stating that José Luis Cabrera Sarabia, alias El 03, was “personally ordering and taking part in gold thefts from the state’s mines” to fund his armed response.
Leonardo Daniel Martínez Vega, “El Pato”
Miguel was last seen alive the morning of October 23, when his son saw him leave their home in the Eucaliptos neighborhood of Durango City, heading to work. Sometime afterward, he was abducted by cartel gunmen.
His body was found two days later, on October 25, dumped beside the highway near Río Chico. His injuries suggested he had been tortured while captive.
Next to the body, a narco-message read:
“For spreading lies about the people of Durango.”
All evidence suggests that naming José Luis Cabrera Sarabia directly as responsible for gold theft was what most enraged the Cabrera group.
Criminal groups have been extorting and robbing mining companies in Durango for decades, but many of those companies are foreign-owned, which likely explains the effort to keep the cartel leader’s name out of any mention tied to mine theft or extortion.
Today, Durango has 76 active gold mines, making it Mexico’s third-most important mining hub.
Mexico remains the most dangerous country in the world for journalists, outside of active war zones.
The Other Side
Not everyone in Durango believes Miguel Beltrán was a crusading journalist. Some residents describe him as a social-media provocateur whose reports blurred fact and speculation.
Locals point out that La Gazzetta de Durango rarely drew significant engagement compared to established regional outlets, and that several of his viral posts were later deleted after being labeled false.
José Luis Cabrera Sarabia, “El 03”
One of the most-criticized cases came days before his death, when Miguel posted a video outside Hospital 450. In it, he accused a line of people receiving free meals of being “narco supporters.” Residents who were there say the group was simply made up of volunteers and families, part of a long-standing local tradition of donating food outside hospitals.
In September, Miguel had also published claims that CJNG banners were hung across the city of Durango — a story that local journalists and security sources later confirmed was fabricated. The post went viral within hours, spreading fear across the capital.
“Maybe he just wanted more clicks,” said one Durango resident. “He made up that story about the narcomantas to get reactions. His own actions led to what happened to him.”
Even his critics admit that freedom of the press must be protected — but many add a warning: “Every journalist is free to do their job,” one said, “but you also have to speak with the truth. These days, too many pages chase fame, not journalism.”
I never had a direct conversation with Miguel Beltrán, but he followed my reporting on Durango and wanted to make change.
What cannot be disputed is that the journalist was assassinated in Durango by the Cabreras — regardless of the debate over how effective he was or the legitimacy of his reporting.
Beneath the Surface
Durango’s mining corridor has become one of the most contested financial arteries in northern Mexico. The same shafts that once built towns like Topia, Guanaceví, and Santiago Papasquiaro are now feeding competing war chests.
The Cabrera Sarabia brothers — old-guard operators from the Sinaloa Cartel — have turned mine extortion and metal theft into a quick form of liquidity. For years, their structure relied on cocaine and meth routes through Chihuahua and Sonora. But with the CJNG and Los Chapitos encroaching from the south and west, gold is the new currency of survival.
Local sources say that when the Cabreras feel pressure, they lean on miners, intermediaries, and local politicians to “donate” part of production. Every ounce stolen, smelted, or resold strengthens their defense network.
Miguel Beltrán’s fatal mistake wasn’t inventing stories — it was naming a man whose operations depend on silence. In Durango, truth and rumor travel through the same tunnels, and both can get you killed.
The post Killed in Durango for Naming the Cabreras appeared first on Cartel Insider.
