Sinaloa Cartel Leader Hunted with $5 Million Reward, Ties to ‘El Chapo’s’ Ex-Girlfriend Revealed
CULIACÁN, Mexico – U.S. authorities are offering up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of René Arzate-García, a high-ranking leader in the Sinaloa Cartel, and his brother Alfonso ‘Aquiles’ Arzate-García. The announcement, made last Thursday by the U.S. Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, underscores a renewed push to dismantle the powerful Mexican cartel.
Arzate-García, known as “La Rana,” faces charges of narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and money laundering. He is believed to have risen through the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel, beginning his criminal activity as a teenager in Tijuana, Baja California, eventually becoming a “plaza boss” for the organization in the state.
The hunt for Arzate-García takes a personal turn with revelations about his past relationship with Valeria Rubí Quiroz, also known as ‘La Gringuita,’ a former girlfriend of imprisoned Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Quiroz discussed her “fleeting but significant” relationship with Arzate-García in a March 2024 podcast interview, stating they met in Culiacán, Sinaloa, after her relationship with Guzmán ended. “René was my prince, my one true love,” she said, adding that their daughter, named Mía Ener – “Ener is René spelt backwards” – bears a striking resemblance to her father. The relationship reportedly ended following false media reports linking Quiroz to boxer Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez.
The $5 million reward is being offered in collaboration with the U.S. State Department. Authorities say the whereabouts of both Arzate-García brothers remain unknown, despite an initial indictment in the Southern District of California dating back to 2014.
The escalation in the pursuit of Arzate-García comes amid broader efforts to combat the Sinaloa Cartel, which remains a key player in the global drug trade, responsible for distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. Last year, the U.S. government designated the cartel as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
The crackdown on Mexican cartels follows recent developments in the region, including the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), last month in Jalisco, Mexico. That operation resulted in significant violence, with more than 60 people killed, including civilians, security forces, and cartel members.
