Cartellan Syndicate

The Cartellan Syndicate formed during the Great Collapse. Though cartel influence had been waning before the Collapse due to the crackdown by the authoritarian and borderline Communist Mexican government and U.S. efforts to stop the drug trade across the border as more and more Mexican citizens fled into the U.S., when the Collapse began the perfect opportunity presented itself. A cunning and charismatic young drug lord soon rose to power and asserted his dominance over the cocaine trade and heroin markets in Central and Northern Mexico.
    The young drug lord, Emilio Vincenza, had grander ambitions, however. He envisioned his own personal empire and knew just how to realize his dream. He reduced his criminal activity in his home territories of Veracruz and Central Mexico and violently quashed all potential rivals in Northern Mexico, leaving only small, unexperienced, desperate, and extremely violent criminal organizations. He then completely pulled out of Northern Mexico and released these unknowing pawns to distract nearly all of the failing Mexican Government's federal police forces.
    In this power vacuum, with the Mexican Government unsuspecting of any trouble in the relatively calm Central Mexico, Emilio launched a brutal and short assassination and guerilla campaign, crippling local law enforcement and military assets and throwing the entire country into disarray. At this moment, he declared independence and seized control, instituting the Cartellan Syndicate. With the Mexican Government unable to muster a quick counterattack and with it already losing its grip on other provinces, it recognized the Cartellan Syndicate as legitimate and signed a NAP. Obviously, the Mexican Government's efforts to quell further rebellions were equally unsuccessful.
    The Syndicate is controlled by Emilio Vincenza -- himself holding absolute power. He balances himself on a razor point of competing cartel influences from other, more minor, cartels who chose to support him and who now compete for his favor, and retaining the loyalty and respect of his lieutenants and his own cartel -- the Ascendent Sons (Hijos Ascendentes). (Achilles lore)

(After The Great American War)

Meanwhile, in the heart of Mexico, while the northern squabbles have
been being hashed out through both contract and cannon, the Cartellan
Syndicate has been barely holding its defensive line against the Central
 America fiends.

On this, Emilio Vasquez will speak, "Brave brother and sister cartels,
and courageous children of our grand syndicate, take heart in this dire
time. These false men, invaders from the South, spout libellous and
completely untrue things about what wonderful things we've built from
the ashes of the corrupt former Mexican Government. They call us
illegitimate and illegal, saying that their right to rule trumps our
self-governance; well, to that I say, "nuts".

We will never surrender! Though we're beset by enemies from all corners
of the Earth, and though the southern devils have directly threatened
our very existence, we will hold strong. We shall never be torn asunder,
 never waver, never fail. We will stand as a rock against the waves,
breaking any advance and crushing any assault until one day we will have
 again vanquished our enemies, again won the right to live as we please
without the threat of destruction hanging over our glowing heads.
One day that will be true; sadly, though, that day is not today. So
today we will carry on the struggle, carry on our backs the burden of
survival, and carry the Syndicate to victory over these mongrels. Stand
 fast, friends, and know that we will hold true." (Achilles)