María Guadalupe López Esquivel

Born in Buenavista, Michoacán, she spent much of her childhood in Tepalcatepec, where she attended Benito Juárez Primary School. She was the daughter of a cattle rancher and a housewife. Neighbors later recalled that she was a good student in her early years, but eventually began spending more time on the streets and at parties rather than at school.^[1]

By 2017, López Esquivel had become involved with the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). She left Tepalcatepec and moved to nearby Aguililla, where she lived with a CJNG member. During this period, she became associated with Miguel Fernández, also known by the alias "El M2", a regional commander of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) operating in the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán.^[2]

According to Mexican authorities, López Esquivel became one of Fernández's principal lieutenants. Documents recovered during the investigation into the October 2019 El Aguaje ambush indicated that she was responsible for paying the organization's halcones (lookouts) and was allegedly involved in extortion, kidnappings and armed activities on behalf of the criminal cell.^[2] Mexican authorities also identified her as one of the principal members of Fernández's organization.

During this period, López Esquivel developed a public image that distinguished her from many other cartel members. She maintained an active presence on social media, where photographs showed her posing with assault rifles, tactical equipment, motorcycles and luxury vehicles. Several images also depicted her wearing military-style clothing alongside other armed CJNG members.^[3]

Authorities linked López Esquivel to the ambush of Michoacán State Police officers near El Aguaje, Aguililla, on 14 October 2019. The attack resulted in the deaths of 13 state police officers and injuries to nine others.^[4] During the investigation, security forces recovered documents and intercepted communications that allegedly connected members of Fernández's cell to the attack. In one intercepted recording, a woman identified by authorities as "La Catrina" can be heard responding to instructions issued by Fernández during the operation. Authorities also recovered recordings in which Fernández allegedly ordered cartel members to kill the officers and instructed them to leave a narcomensaje at the scene. A banner left after the attack accused the officers of supporting rival criminal organizations, including the Caballeros Templarios and Los Viagras.^[5]

On 10 January 2020, López Esquivel was wounded during a joint operation conducted by the Mexican Army, the National Guard and the Michoacán State Police against a CJNG roadblock near La Bocanada, Tepalcatepec. She was transported to hospital, where she later died from her injuries. During the operation, authorities arrested Miguel Fernández ("El M2") and six other suspected members of the CJNG.^[6] López Esquivel was widely identified by the alias "La Catrina", reportedly derived from a tattoo depicting the skeletal figure La Catrina on her thigh. The tattoo later assisted authorities in confirming her identity following her death.^[7]

• Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación
• Mexican drug war
• Narcoterrorism
• Organized crime in Mexico