Opinion ID: 48990
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Membership in the TMM

Text: 9 Membership in the TMM was originally limited to convicts while they were in prison. As the organization evolved, the TMM began to allow non-convicts to become members, but only sparingly. 10 The TMM constitution designates that all TMM members are responsible for recruiting soldiers and each member which recommends a soldier will be responsible for his recommendation even though the recommendation results as an honorable one or one who deceives. Under this system, a prospective member—referred to as a prospecto—must be recommended for membership by a current member, who is designated as a sponsor or padrino (Spanish for godfather). If the prospecto fouls up after he is initiated, his sponsor is responsible for resolving the matter, killing the prospecto if necessary. In recommending a prospecto, the sponsor must submit the prospecto's name to the entire membership to acquire as much background information on the prospecto as possible. If the prospecto is found to be acceptable, he begins a six-month probation period, at the end of which he will be accepted as a member, barring any setbacks. 11 TMM members refer to each other as carnal (Spanish for brother) or merecido (Spanish slang for a true, hard-core Mafia guy), and commonly use tattoos for identification. At first, the tattoos were mandatory for TMM members, but they are no longer required, because they hindered the TMM's ability to infiltrate rival gangs and made its members easy targets for law enforcement. Nonetheless, they are still commonly displayed. 12 There are several tattoos that are common among TMM members. One of these tattoos is the sequence of the arabic numerals 5, 13, 5 or the Roman numerals V, XIII, V. The 5 or the V represent the fifth letter in the alphabet, E. The 13 or the XIII represent the thirteenth letter in the alphabet, M. This sequence therefore spells Eme, the abbreviation for Mexikanemi. Another tattoo is shaped like a spider, with two E's forming the legs of the spider and one M forming the body. Other popular tattoos comprise the Aztec symbol of an eagle clutching a snake and the word Mexikanemi spelled out.