Is ‘La Tercera Hermandad’ A New Drug Cartel In Michoacan? Leader Estanilaso Beltrán Denies It

Estanislao Beltrán, leader and spokesman for the vigilante groups in Michoacan has come out to refute rumors that 'La Tercera Hermandad' is a drug cartel. According to Univision, Beltran has explained "it's not a movement, it's not a criminal group, we are the same self-defense groups from Buenavista." 'La Tercera Hermandad" or 'Los H3' has been rumored to be a new cartel formed by the remnants of the Knights Templar and New Generation Jalisco cartels. However, Beltrán insists they are not a criminal organization.

Estanislao Beltrán has insisted that the idea of H3 being a cartel is a mistake perpetuated by rumors attempting to destabilize the vigilante movement. He explained that the H3 group emerged when "we were fighting criminals and, to distinguish ourselves from the government, we would leave a sign that would differentiate so that no one would confuse us with the criminals...sometimes we would put it on a tape, sometimes we would paint a windshield or a tire so that helicopters could identify us."

Beltrán explained the reason behind the H3 symbol: "unfortunately (the cartel members) would copy our sign and one day a colonel arrived and said to on of our members that we need a symbol to identify ourselves that no one else has, and he was driving a Hummer H3 which we had taken from the criminals themselves, so the colonel himself said "let's just call it H3' and that's what he did." Michoacan's Security Commissioner, Alfredo Castillo also denied the idea of H3 being a cartel.