Unión Boricua

Emblem of Unión Boricua found on members' clothing

The **Unión Boricua** (Boricua Union) is a Puerto Rican gang featured in *Grand Theft Auto IV*, *The Lost and Damned and* *The Ballad of Gay Tony*.

## History

The Boricuas' roots can be traced back to the Aguila Negra maximum security prison in Puerto Rico, where they were formed in 1980 by inmate Julio "El Fantasma" Castillo, with the primary purpose of providing protection against abuse from other gangs and corrupt prison guards. Additionally, the Boricuas were united by a shared political ideology of Puerto Rican nationalism.

As the gang's reputation grew, they quickly attracted the attention of rival gangs, who perceived the Boricuas as a threat. Seeking to weaken their influence, one of those rival gangs, known as "Los Escorpiónes" (The Scorpions), plotted the assassination of El Fantasma, and carried out their plan on June 11, 1983. After El Fantasma's death, his right-hand man David "Maton" Cruz took over as leader. In retaliation for El Fantasma's murder, the Boricuas started a violent riot, taking over most of the prison and murdering multiple high ranking members of Los Escorpiónes.

Their retaliation and hostile takeover in Aguila Negra prison brought the Boricuas into the spotlight. Their reputation grew, and by the mid 1980s, they had expanded their influence to numerous other prisons in Puerto Rico. In the late 1980s they branched out and expanded into the streets and prisons of the east coast of the United States. With chapters, referred to as "Familias" (families), forming in cities like Vice City and Liberty City, the Boricuas continued their rise.

In 2002, Elizabeta Torres was appointed President of the Liberty City chapter of the Unión Boricua. Under Elizabeta's leadership, the Boricuas established a thriving drug empire, with their base of operations in the housing projects of South Bohan, Bohan. Elizabeta's leadership brought great success to the gang.

### Events of *GTA IV* and *The Lost and Damned*

Elizabeta Torres is asked by The Lost MC leader Billy Grey to help find buyers for a "big pile of heroin". Around the same time, Elizabeta sends Niko Bellic to protect Patrick McReary during a drug deal. The deal goes sour, forcing Niko to kill the attackers with a sniper rifle.

The Lost M.C. Vice President, Johnny Klebitz, arrives at Elizabeta's home during a house party while she's dancing with Carmen Ortiz and Kay Hartman. She informs Johnny that she found him a buyer and is going to send a new guy from "Eastern Europe somewheres" along with him. Johnny takes a seat and waits for Niko. When Niko arrives she introduces him to Johnny and Playboy X and sends them to oversee the heroin deal with Johnny.

Later, after arguing with Little Jacob over some crooks who stole her cocaine, Elizabeta asks Niko Bellic to retrieve it. Afterward, the police begin a crackdown on Elizabeta's illicit activities for her, which causes her to become increasingly edgy, restless, and paranoid.

During Niko's last visit to Elizabeta, she explains to Niko that she can feel the cops on her, that her bodyguard Jorge turned states, and that everyone's a rat. In her disturbed state, she shoots and kills Manny Escuela and Jay Hamilton when Manny tries to film her as a part of his documentary about cleaning up the streets of Bohan and requests that Niko get rid of the bodies. She then warns Niko to stay away from her, as the LCPD is rapidly closing in on her operation. Niko either gets the bodies to the doctor, destroys the car or dumps it in the water.

Johnny Klebitz later works with Elizabeta, by stealing a van full of cocaine from the The Angels of Death. To do this, she also employed Malc and DeSean of the Uptown Riders to ambush the convoy at the tollbooth to Bohan. They were successful, and made away with the drugs. She employs Klebitz again a few days later to pick up Marta, a friend and drug mule from Puerto Rico. She was being arrested by an airport official, but escaped when Klebitz knees the custom's agent in his groin.

She employs Klebitz and the Uptown Riders one last time to sell coke to a couple in Bohan, but the deal goes wrong, with one of the couple shooting Klebitz' Hexer, forcing him to ride with Malc. The police saw this as a terrorist attack, and sent many officers to chase down Klebitz and Malc. They all escape, and Klebitz takes a disabled police cruiser to suffice for a new vehicle. After this, she warns Johnny to stay away from her, as the heat is closing in.

Johnny can call Elizabeta later on and hear her in a frantic state, shouting at Marta to flush some drugs down the toilet, as police are about to raid her home; She tells Johnny that they're alright, laughs somewhat hysterically, and hangs up. Mallorie also calls Niko and tells him about her being arrested.

Shortly afterwards, Elizabeta enters police custody. According to Weazel News, Liberty Tree reports, and radio news, she is sentenced to three hundred years (effectively a life sentence) of imprisonment for thirty charges (ten years each) of cocaine distribution, a new record in the Liberty City crime society. This happens at around the same time as the deal between Niko, Packie, Luis and Gay Tony. The trial likely happened while Niko was working for Ray Boccino and the McReary Family.

After Elizabeta's arrest, Diego "Papi" Iglesias, the Vice President of the Liberty City chapter, was elected to take Elizabeta's place as President of the chapter.

### Events of *The Ballad of Gay Tony*

In the mission "Corner Kids", Armando Torres and Henrique Bardas set up a meeting with Papi in East Hook to buy a package of heroin. Shortly after greeting each other, the deal is raided by NOOSE and it's revealed that the police have bugged Armando's phone and Papi then runs off.

## Description

The Unión Boricua is a proud and powerful Puerto Rican gang, it is known that they have many chapters across the east coast of the United States, including Vice City and Liberty City.

### *Grand Theft Auto IV*

Their main rivals seem to be the Spanish Lords, however they also compete with other gangs such as the Tiguerazos, Money Over Bitches, and the Angels of Death Motorcycle Club. Their allies include the Northwood Dominican Drug Dealers, the Yardies, the North Holland Hustlers, the McReary Crime Family, the Lost Motorcycle Club and the Uptown Riders.

The Boricuas are easily ecognizable by their sports clothing, with blue as their gang color, shown in bandanas, hats, and jackets. However they also wear t-shirts and jerseys with the colors of the Puerto Rican flag with the word "Boricua" printed on them, representing their Puerto Rican pride. Members of the Boricuas often carry knives and pistols and will attack if provoked. They have territory in South Bohan, where they can be found driving arround in their blue and white Sabre GTs and Moonbeams. Their favorite radio stations are San Juan Sounds and The Beat 102.7.

### Ranking System

Each chapter of the Unión Boricua has a hierarchy composed of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and a Disciplinarian. Every year a meeting between the chapters is held, where the Council, composed of every Chapter President, comes together to make decisions for the entire gang.

## Members

* Julio "El Fantasma" Castillo - Founder the Unión Boricua in Aguila Negra prison in 1980 and leader until his murder in 1983, seen as a freedom fighter and a legend within the gang (deceased)
* David "Maton" Cruz - Right-hand man of El Fantasma, became leader after El Fantasma's death
* Elizabeta Torres - President of the Liberty City chapter from 2002, arrested in 2008, stills call shots from prison (incarcerated)
* Jorge - Elizabeta Torres' bodyguard and personal watch, turned state's witness to avoid jail time (formerly)
* Andreas - Jorge's replacement as Elizabeta Torres' bodyguard, although Elizabeta treats him more as a housemaid
* Marta - Elizabeta's friend and drug mule from Puerto Rico
* Diego "Papi" Iglesias - Former Vice President of the Liberty City chapter, elected as it's president after Elizabeta Torres's arrest
* Hector "El Padrino" Vazquéz - President of the Vice City chapter