A video shared on social media by regional Mexican music singer Larry Hernández sparked international controversy after it was confirmed that Carlos Alberto Páez Pereda, alias “Carlitos Rugrats,” appears in one of the shots. The man is identified by U.S. authorities as a key operative for the “La Mayiza” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, for whom a $3 million reward is offered.
The video was filmed at a seafood stand in the community of Pueblos Unidos, Sinaloa. The footage shows the singer socializing and eating in a casual manner. However, the attention of internet users and intelligence agencies focused on an individual accompanying him, who was visibly carrying what appeared to be a handgun tucked into his waistband and radio communication equipment.
According to records from the U.S. Treasury Department, Carlos Alberto Páez Pereda was born on September 27, 1995. The U.S. government maintains financial sanctions and an arrest warrant against him, identifying him as the main leader of the criminal cell known as “Los Rugrats,” which operates under the protection of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s organization.
Investigations by U.S. agencies identify Páez Pereda as a key figure in the production and export of fentanyl in the state of Sinaloa. His main logistical operations center is located in the municipality of Laguna Colorada, from where he coordinates clandestine chemical synthesis laboratories and the distribution of synthetic opioids to the northern border. Intelligence reports also indicate that in his early criminal career, he served as an enforcer and hitman under the direct orders of René Arzate García, alias “La Rana” (The Frog).
The incidental appearance of this drug kingpin on the singer’s social media accounts has once again brought the connections and daily interactions between celebrities in the regional Mexican music genre and prominent members of criminal organizations in northwestern Mexico under public scrutiny. (La Familia Michoacana)
To date, neither Larry Hernández’s legal team nor Mexican law enforcement authorities have issued an official statement regarding the filming of this video or the international fugitive’s presence at the location.
