Santa Muerta Cartel

Santa Muerta logo

The **Santa Muerta Cartel**, also known as**El Purgatorio** (Eng: Purgatory), is the name given to a drug cartel, a cult and later a terrorist organization that is operating in the Federation, headquartered in La Paz and Sucre, Bolivia. They have ties to the Santa Cruz Cartel. They formed when drug lord Rodrigo Garrido and his wife Estella entered Bolivia, seeking a partnership with local Bolivian drug cartels. Eventually, however, he began to get more ambitious and as his cartel grew, he grew interested in partnering with other criminal syndicates to do business, with his two biggest clients being the Italian Mafia and the international terrorist group known as New Dawn.

## History

The cartel started as as a small local cartel run by Rodrigo Garrido and his wife Estella. However, both of them grew ambitious and decided to branch out, establishing connections in other countries, as well as other criminal syndicates. They traveled to Bolivia, part of the Federation, and began bribing local drug cartels in Bolivia to form an alliance with him. They accepted and the cartel grew exponentially as a result.

Both Rodrigo and Estella grew even more ambitious and sought to branch out, forming partnerships with other criminal syndicates, and even terrorist organizations (something his wife secretly hated). However, the government soon grew suspicious and began cracking down on the cartel, resulting in a brutal war between the two factions. But Rodrigo had a trick up his sleeve: using his charisma, he bribed local government officials, and even the local police force, to end the investigation and disregard anything he did in the future. He even blackmailed local citizens and tourists, offering them an ultimatum: either they work for the organization, or face death for being whistleblowers.

However, Rodrigo grew too ambitious and sought to form a partnership with the Italian Mafia, as well as the terrorist group New Dawn. Unbeknownst to Rodrigo, this would ultimately destroy the cartel, as his actions drew the attention of unwanted entities, namely vigilante PMCs like Task Force Reaper and the Covert Crusaders, as well the CIA, TACITUS, and Black Rhino.

Eventually, Rodrigo started what became known as the "War on Purgatory."

## Ideology

A massive following began once Rodrigo became popular, which later led to the cartel becoming its very own cult. He later instituted a whole religion around the cartel, believing himself to be a "god" and that Rodrigo's men are humanity's "saviors", that humanity is made to obey Rodrigo and that the cartel is working towards a "Utopia" (actually a one world dictatorship) of endless drug production.

## Equipment and Personnel

At first, the cartel members looked like ragtag gunmen, but Rodrigo's wealth soon changed all that: Rodrigo and Estella grew extremely rich from their drug sales and they used their profits to build up a rather large army. Thanks to Rodrigo's wealth, his cartel members soon enjoyed military grade equipment and weapons, like black BDUs and tan CIRAS-type tactical vests, Kevlar helmets (which he bought from black market dealers) black balaclavas, as well as tactical goggles or night vision goggles attached to their helmets. Some of the cartel members even began to look like professional private military contractors, wearing tactical sweaters, olive colored or black BDU pants, tactical vests, chest rigs, load bearing gear, concealed carry vests, earpieces, and in some cases sunglasses.

By 2018, of the cartels were seen wearing urban camouflage battle dress uniforms with either Urban or Bloodshot camouflage fatigues, ballistic vests, balaclavas with sunglasses and a radio piece, as well as military grade ballistic helmets.

In terms of vehicles, the cartel possesses an extensive fleet of various cars, trucks, helicopters, aircraft, and even drones: they use unmarked Hummers with mounted miniguns, unmarked white MH-60 Blackhawks, and Cougar IMVs.

## Cartel Operations

### Drug trafficking

Drug trafficking forms the basis of the cartel's activities for quite some time. This is divided into two parts: Production and Trafficking. Production involves transforming a coca leaf into its white powdery counterpart. Rodrigo has his minons maintain a strict set of rules in order to meet Rodrigo's demands: failure to meet or follow those rules results in death. Pascual Elvira, an associate of Rodrigo, oversees production.

On the other hand, trafficking is where the drugs are shipped either to local communities or internationally. Trafficking makes sure the product always flows to where the demand is, regardless of what, or who, stands in their way. This sector is headed by Rubén Encarnación, a family friend of Rodrigo.

### Propaganda

Propaganda is in charge of influencing people in Bolivia and the surrounding areas where the Santa Muerta Cartel operates. They do this by manipulating religion, corrupting the education system and "brainwashing" citizens with radio and TV propaganda. Leaders are often found in churches, brainwashing the masses into following the Santa Muerta cult.

### Security

Security is in charge of protecting the cartel against outside threats. Led by assassin Gonzalo Montenegro, his twin brother Rigoberto Rasgado, and Rigoberto's wife Gabriella, El Purgatorio's security arm comprises of private mercenaries, as well as both foreign and local *sicarios* (hitmen).

### Human trafficking

In 2017, it was discovered that the Santa Muerta cult had begun to conduct human trafficking operations since 2015. These mainly involve moving women from the poorer parts of the Federation, as well as foreign women seeking jobs overseas with promises of well-paid jobs, only to be forced into prostitution across the Federation, the Middle East, and other parts of the globe containing clients of the cartel's services.

## Santa Muerta Troops

### Security guards

Led by Gonzalo Montenegro, his twin brother Rigoberto Rasgado, and Rigoberto's wife Gabriella, these men and women are ragtag soldiers in the cartel with basic forms of body armor, in charge of guarding the various departments and service branches the Cartel conducts. They are also in charge of protecting both Santa Muerta members and foreign clients during times of business between other organizations.

### Mercenaries/Hitmen

These troops are either locals for hire, or foreign mercenaries, or hitmen. They are led by Fernando Elvira, his father Pascual Elvira, and Fernando's friend Salvador Secada. The *sicarios*, or hitmen, come from both Bolivia and abroad to work for the cartel. At times they even hire New Dawn operatives as well. After the targets are eliminated, the corpses are taken to Secada, who either buries, burns, or dissolves the bodies in sodium hydroxide, but crushing certain hard body parts like teeth.

## Weapons and equipment

### Assault rifles and carbines

* AK-103
* AK-47
* AKM
* AKS-74u
* M4 Carbine
* M416

### Submachine guns

* PP90M1
* Uzi
* Mini-Uzi
* Mac-10
* PP-2000
* P90

### Sniper rifles

* R93
* VKS
* Dragunov

### Launchers

* RPG-7
* FIM-92 Stinger

### Sidearms

* M9
* Five-Seven

## Vehicles

### Aircraft

* MH-60 Blackhawk
* AH-6 Little Bird

### Ground vehicles

* LAV III Kodiak
* Technical
* Hummer

## Gallery

Rodrigo Garrido, head of the cartelEstella Garrido, Rodrigo's wifeSmilla Ohlin, a former Swedish scientist who now works for the cartelSalvador Secada, the guy in charge of making victims of cartel murders disappear after they're deadRubén EncarnaciónRodrigo Collazo, a radio DJ who broadcasts propaganda to Bolivian citizensPascual ElviraJoaquín Covarrubias, an associate of RodrigoHector Alarcón, an assassin for the cartelGonzalo Montenegro, head of the cartel's army of assassins and mercenariesFernando Elvira, son of Pascual ElviraDavarius Caldwell, an African-American man who has been brainwashed by the cartel into serving them.Aarón Beldad, a fellow DJ who broadcasts propaganda about the cartel to the massesConstanza Sancho (Defected)Rigoberto Rasgado, assassin and Gonzalo's twin brother