Cortez Cartel

The Cortez Cartel - known as the "Casa de Cuchillos" or "House of Blades." by their fellow members - was a international criminal gang that originated in Mexico and had spread through other parts of Central America and South America, and later the inner colonies. The majority of the gang is ethnically composed of Central Americans (mostly Salvadorans), and are active in urban and suburban areas, but they have actively recruited to serve as pirate and mercenaries.
Their wide-ranging activities have drawn the attention of UEG Law Enforcement and ONI, who have initiated wide-scale raids against known and suspected gang members – netting thousands of arrests across many of the inner colonies.
== History ==
=== Formation ===
By the 22nd century, they either eliminated or had their competitors form a conglomerate, as many of their competitors started to decline and therefore turned toward the Cortez Cartel for assistance. Those who declined any conditional offers of assistance were killed. They eventually became the new dominant player in the center of Mexico, controlling a large percentage of the drug traffic from Mexico into the United States. Eventually they gained control of Mexico as well as some area's of South America. During the interplanetary war, the Cortez Cartel began making deals with the UN's governing body and participated actively in taking down their rivals: the Koslovics and other opposing forces that were against the United Nations, in order to secure peaceful relations and become less of a target for attack. During the end of the Interplanetary war they also participated in the signing of the .
By the insurrection period...
During the Human-Covenant war and Post War...
=== Joining LEGION ===
By 2520, The Cortez Cartel formed an alliance with members of LEGION and integrated itself into the criminal syndicate. They operated in areas such as smuggling, drug manufacturing, and other criminal cartel crimes.
=== Arriving on Jaeter ===
Alexander arrived on Jaeter to visit his father and talk about family business concerning the cartel's movements and plans. He was successful in persuading his father that he was the man for the job and ordered sicario agents to begin to take down rival cartel gangs throughout the planet, employing assets such as the Glass Raiders to help support the cartels endeavors, the Cartel managed to take down the rival gang known as the Juárez Cartel - a cartel based in the continent of Edruth. The cartel was able to sway the rival gang to join their cause as well as seize control of the base and armament, including but not limited to drugs and intel. There next plan of action was to eliminate the Anti-Alien League as they saw this as a complication in their business. During most of their time on Jaeter the members of the cartel made it clear that they were there to establish a dominant presence in local politics, gain a hand in the lucrative xenoarcheology trade, and cause chaos for the UNSC and militia's plans on Jaeter.
== Fleet ==
*MSV Bewitched Paragon
*Frontier Interdiction Squadron
== List of members ==
*Cassandra (AI)
*Alexander Cortez - El Ejecutivo
*Kyle Craig - El Encantador (former 2557)
*Jefferson Korn - El Limo (former 2558)
*Variable - El Fantasma (former 2558)
== Other notable individuals ==
*Carlos Alvarez - Lead distributor
*Zhar Gik - Lead supplier