The Narco Cult of Santa Muerte
By Tony M. Kail

Drug Cartels have created a surge of violence throughout Latin America as they fight for control of trafficking routes into the U.S. The violence has from these groups has trickled into the United States through Texas, Arizona and California. Arson, kidnappings and murder are common techniques of terror used by these groups.

The concept of 'Narco Terrorism' is essentially terrorist acts performed in order to further the aims of drug traffickers. Narco-terrorism has many players in that it has connected strands of family drug cartels, human traffickers, street level thug gangs and nationalist groups.
Members of narco-terrorist groups frequently surround themselves with cultural trappings that endorse the philosophies of the narco-terrorist mindset. Presently there is an entire 'narco-culture' that embraces a lifestyle of violence, death and indulgence. One of the most popular visible icons found among members of this deadly culture is a figure known as 'Santa Muerte'.

Santa Muerte as a spiritual icon has been frequently found among members of three of Mexico's major drug cartels: Gulf, Sinaloa and Juarez as well as the Los Zetas. The use of spiritual icons as a means of psychological warfare is a technique that is as old as time. Early history demonstrates that the use of grim images in warfare gives those that use these techniques a psychological 'edge' over their enemies. Like the 'Jolly Roger' flags of seafaring pirates, the Santa Muerte image communicates to outsiders that the owner does not adhere to modern laws of the land.

Santa Muerte also known as 'Saint Death' is an image being used among many narcotics groups throughout the U.S. and Mexico. The icon of a grinning skeletal figure has its historical roots in Mexican folklore. Many of Mexico's poor like those in the slums of Tepito in Mexico City hold on to the image as a source of spiritual hope.

The evolution of this image as a form of spiritual 'protection' among drug cartels and street gangs from Latin America is a fascinating cultural phenomena. Writer Homer Aridjis studied the saint and her appearance in the criminal underworld. He comments that "Today you are going to sell drugs or you are going to kidnap somebody, you ask her (Santa Muerte) for help so you can commit crimes safely."(i.)

Latin American Culture

Latin American religious culture is painted with a number of 'syncretic' religions that are a result of two or more religious cultures assimilating elements from each other. Religions such as Afro-Cuban based 'Santeria', Brazillian 'Candomble' and numerous other spiritual traditions are bountiful throughout Latin American countries. Many of these traditions honor numerous saints, deities and personalities that are indigenous to their landscape and combine elements with religions such as Catholicism.

One of the phenomena found in many of the traditions is the concept of 'folk saints' Folk saints are icons and personalities that tend to develop from a need to create a spiritual entity that can explain experiences that official teachings of a religion cannot address. As a result there are a number of icons that are honored by various religious cultures as being saints that are not part of a 'canonized' sainthood within a religion. As one member explained "The Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, would not sympathize with a life like hers, tending rather to well-off people with college degrees and nice clothes. Santa Muerte, she said, hears prayers from dark places."

Folk Saints such as 'Gaucho Gill', a spiritual personality from Argentina and 'Maximon' a spiritual being from Guatemala are just two of the hundreds of icons honored by Latin Americans. These folks saints are typically honored in altars and shrines found in homes and businesses in Latin America. In the U.S. many of these images are can be found in images stamped on jewelry, lithographs and statues in Latin American communities in grocery stores and pharmacies known as 'Botanicas.'

Santa Muerte is also featured among the faces of many of these folk saints. Her image has been a consistent presence that has also been discovered among numerous drug busts and in the course of search warrants related street gang activity here in the U.S.
Santa Muerte is known by many different names including 'Santisima Muerte'; 'Holy Death'; 'The Lady in White' and 'La Flaca' or 'The Skinny One' as well as numerous other folk names. She has been known by her characteristics as the 'patron saint of death'; 'patron saint of the poor' and more recently 'patron saint of crime'.

The most popular form of the image is in the form of a statue resembling the grim reaper. The statue is found in a number of colors, each one representing a specific power. For instance the statue that is green represents financial workings or black may be used in protective workings. The statue may be posed in various forms including poses holding the earth or the scales of justice. The statue may be filled with various materials. In many cases the statue can be held upside down and a clear surface can be seen on the bottom of the image. The surface is typically filled with materials such as rice, beans and coins and sealed with wax. These ingredients symbolize various spiritual concepts associated with the image.

Over several years a chaotic collection of prayers, rituals and customs have developed around the saint. The rapid popularity of the image has slowly pieced together a cohesive identifiable religious system.

Petitions are typically made to the image of the saint. These prayers focus on spiritual and physical protection as well as financial success. Offerings are made to the image in the form of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, candy and flowers. Contraband may be placed inside or around the image for protection from authorities.

On the Homefront

There have been a number of incidents discovered by law enforcement and professional investigators in which the image of Santa Muerte has been discovered alongside criminal activities including gang and drug related activities.

In 2007, agents with a multi-jurisdictional task force in Western Tennessee made an amazing discovery during the execution of a search warrant. Shrines dedicated to Santa Muerte were placed throughout the residence where several pounds of marijuana were being hidden and sold. Statues of various colors were placed among offerings of rum, cigars and coins. One of the suspects arrested at the scene explained to the investigators that the statue was 'protecting' his work.
Passaic New Jersey 2008, Investigators with a statewide gang enforcement unit discover a shrine dedicated to Muerte while investigating a local brothel being used for prostitution and narcotics sales. Images of the saint are found in the back of the residence with offerings of coins, corn and names written on strips of paper.(ii.)

A similar case developed in September of 2009 Southampton New York where police raided suspected brothels and arrested a group of men and women operating a prostitution ring. Inside the brothels, shrines dedicated to Santa Muerte were being maintained to ward off detection by law enforcement authorities.(iii.)

Law enforcement agencies have learned to look for the patron saint as a possible red flag of narcotics use and various illegal activities. In Bisbee Arizona in 2006 a judge allowed prosecutors to used evidence pertaining to the saint to be used in a court case involving drug trafficking across the U.S. and Mexican border. A female trafficking 59 pounds of cocaine and 25 pounds of methamphetamine in the framework of her vehicle. The trafficker carried amulets and statues of Santa Muerte as a form of protection as she brought the contraband into the U.S. (iv.)

Officers involved in street gang investigations are reporting the discovery of Santa Muerte in the tattoos and jewelry of member of terroristic gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), 18th Street and Latin Kings. Photographs obtained during investigations have been discovered with gang members throwing gang signs in front of altars and shrines dedicated to Santa Muerte.

One photograph revealed the 'colors' or bandana of a Latin King gang member draped across the statue of Muerte. Another featured a bag of marijuana hanging from the arm of a statute of Muerte.
In November of 2009, Deputies in Walworth County Wisconsin discovered images of Santa Muerte used to guard a pound of cocaine being sold by a father and son in the local community. (v.)

Across the Border

Mexican federal authorities are noting an increase in the discovery of Santa Muerte images among the jewelry and tattoos of victims of violent crime. An entire culture of images and music built around 'narcocultura' has been building for several years.

Narcocultura has been marked by an entire genre of music with lyrics centering around drug cartels and violence. The culture glorifies the Mexican drug gangster lifestyle. Icons such as Santa Muerte and the bandit Jesus Malverde are the spiritual icons of this movement.

Mexican drug traffickers have embraced the Narcocultura in similar manner in which American street gangs like the Bloods and Crips have historically embraced gangster rap music and culture.
One of the most infamous leaders of the Mexican Gulf Cartel, Gilberto Garcia Mena was known to be a follower of Santa Muerte. During a federal raid on his home, law enforcement authorities discovered a number of statues and shrines dedicated to the saint.

Beheadings appear to be a typical modus operandi among many Mexican drug cartels. A discovery in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula in 2008 may indicate some ties between the cartels and the worship of Santa Muerte. The heads from eleven decapitated bodies were discovered near an altar dedicated to Santa Muerte. The following day police arrested members of the 'Los Zetas' drug cartel in a nearby shootout. (vi.)

Muerte's image has appeared among ties of police corruption in Mexico. A major crackdown by the Mexican military in March of 2009 netted one of Mexico's highest rated drug traffickers along with 12 Mexican law enforcement officers that were found to be tied to narcotic crimes. The raid took place during the birthday party for a 15 yr old girl where an ex-soldier in the Mexican army was arrested sporting a 9mm with a custom gold plated Santa Muerte grip. (vii.)


About the Author

Tony M. Kail serves as a law enforcement consultant on African religious cultures. Kail has served as guest lecturer for numerous gang investigative units and law enforcement departments. He is the author of Magico-Religious Groups and Ritualistic Activities: A Guide for First Responders from CRC Press. He can be contacted through his website at www.cultcrime.org.

---