Q COSTARICA — Since the capture of Julio Alberto Gómez Pérez, alias “Gordo Julio,” on March 25, only two homicides have been recorded in the entire province of Cartago.
This figure contrasts sharply with the 23 murders recorded before his arrest and confirms the impact this figure had on the wave of drug-related violence that shook the province in early 2025.
Cartago was the epicenter of a struggle for territorial control of strategic drug trafficking points between criminal gangs, as confirmed by Michael Soto, acting director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), in an interview with CR Hoy.
During those weeks of violence, the mayor of Cartago, Mario Redondo, received death threats, and false bomb threats were also made against the city hall and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels.
Police Territorial Control
Erick Calderón, head of the Fuerza Publica (National Police) in Cartago, said that another factor contributing to the reduction of violence in the province is the joint operations between the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), the Prosecutor’s Office, the Drug Control Police (PCD), and the Municipal Police.
He indicated that, although the year began with a significant number of homicides, they managed to reduce the incidence starting in March. This is due to the identification of the main leaders of the criminal organizations in the area, their methods of operation, their mobility, and the recapture of spaces such as drug dens.
In addition to the capture of “Gordo Julio,” Calderón highlighted an operation at the end of January in which part of the “Los Maruja” gang was dismantled, resulting in more than 20 arrests. He emphasized the work done on the streets, such as the seizure of bladed weapons, non-lethal weapons, and firearms.
The Fuerza Publica also increased seizures of marijuana and crack cocaine compared to the same period last year. In total, 2,500 doses of marijuana and 2,056 doses of crack cocaine have been seized.
The officer indicated that they will continue with operations and monitoring of police actions in the province. He also explained that the arrest of leaders like “Gordo Julio” has a significant impact on criminal structures, as it creates instability and forces others to assume those roles, generally making mistakes that expose them.
“Gordo Julio’s” Dispute
“Gordo Julio” entered the dispute for control of drug-selling territories in neighborhoods of the central canton of Cartago, as well as in Oreamuno and El Guarco. In recent months, he gained prominence after consolidating operations in the Manuel de Jesús Jiménez project in San Francisco, from where he sought to expand into territories dominated by “Los Maruja.”
That offensive, launched in the middle of last year, ignited part of the drug war affecting Cartago. Meanwhile, the Sánchez brothers, leaders of “Los Maruja,” maintain extensive control over several territories in the province, leading to constant reprisals between rival groups.
“Gordo Julio’s” headquarters, near downtown Cartago, has been the target of several armed attacks. “Los Chacales” and “Los Gery” are also involved in the conflict. Both groups maintained alliances with “Gordo Julio” to try to weaken “Los Maruja,” who control areas such as Los Diques, Paraíso, and El Guarco.