The organized crime map in Mexico shifted a few years ago, and a new group settled in Tabasco, with the collaboration of state authorities. It’s called “La Barredora,” and here are all the details of its development:
Although “La Barredora” had a greater presence in Tabasco since 2019, it wasn’t until 2025 that it stood out among criminal groups in Mexico due to its ties to former state Public Security Secretary Hernán Bermúdez Requena, identified as the leader of this organization and currently a fugitive.
According to sources consulted by this outlet, this criminal organization operates in three states: Tabasco, Chiapas, and Veracruz, with criminal activities such as extortion, drug dealing, and migrant smuggling.
The former interim governor of Chiapas, PRI member Willy Ochoa, stated that this organization is accused of stealing fuel from Pemex pipelines, in addition to drug trafficking.
“La Barredora” (The Sweeper) consolidated its position in the Tabasco state during the 2019-2021 period, when Requena served as Secretary of Security and operated under his protection. During this period, Adán Augusto López governed, whose administration lasted from early 2019 until August 2021.
Furthermore, Jaime Humberto Lastra Bastar served as Attorney General of Tabasco during this same period and is one of the former officials who worked closely with Bermúdez, without being suspected of his criminal operations.
According to Willy Ochoa, the criminal group operated in municipalities in northern Chiapas as an affiliate of the Nueva Generación Cartel (CNG)—an armed group from which it later separated—and moved freely between municipalities along the border with Tabasco.
“‘La Barredora’ crossed our borders, operating in municipalities in the north (Reforma, Pichucalco, Juárez) and east (Palenque, Ocosingo, and Benemérito de las Américas) of the state with complete impunity,” he asserted.
For her part, Julia Arrivillaga Hernández, Director of Analysis and Statistics for the Tabasco Citizen Observatory (OCT), told this outlet a few days ago that migrant smuggling was also among its crimes, which would have led the group to operate in other states in the southeast of the country, mainly Chiapas and southern Veracruz, as these are the obligatory transit points for undocumented immigrants on their way to the United States.
“I don’t know if it was a contagion or if they simply arrived and settled… they spread to Tabasco, Chiapas, and wherever they could. I think Campeche was the state that remained somewhat protected,” the expert explained.
“La Barredora” was primarily led by three associates:
Hernán Bermúdez Requena, known by the alias “Comandante H.” Within this organization, he served as state Secretary of Security from 2019 to 2024 and is accused of being the leader of this criminal group. He left the country on January 26 of this year and is currently a fugitive, wanted in more than 190 countries.
Carlos Tomás Díaz Rodríguez, known as “El Licenciado Tomasín” (the lawyer) and captured on January 19 in Puebla, is identified as one of the main drivers of violence in Tabasco and one of the leaders of this criminal group.
He is identified as one of the main perpetrators of violence in Tabasco and the leader of “La Barredora.” He had an outstanding arrest warrant for Aggravated Criminal Association. He is also accused of serving as a member of the now-defunct Federal Judicial Police and later joining the Zetas, a criminal group for which he operated in Tabasco and Cancún.
Source: informador
