| Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales | |
|---|---|
Special Forces Corp 5th Batallion Shoulder Patch |
|
| Active | 1986 - Present |
| Country | Mexico |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Special Forces |
| Size | 11 Battalions |
| Motto | Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales, ni la muerte nos detiene, y si la muerte nos sorprende, bienvenida sea (English: Special Forces Airmobile Group, even death cannot stop us, and if death takes us by surprise, it's more than welcome.) |
| Engagements | Mexican Drug War |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Classified |
| Notable commanders |
Classified |
The Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales (Special Forces Airmobile Group, GAFE) or more commonly known as Fuerzas Especiales/Special Forces is a special forces unit of the Mexican Army's Special Forces Corps, trained by the world's special forces. There are a total of nine battalions, one High Command GAFE unit and one other group is assigned to the Paratroopers Rifle Brigade. Within the structure of the unit there are regular, intermediates and veterans. The regulars usually operate more as an elite light infantry. The intermediates are mainly instructors with medium ranks such as lieutenants and captains; they are also known as the COIFEs, and are considered by many the Mexican equivalent to the US Army Special Forces. The veterans or Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales del Alto Mando (High Command GAFEs) carry out the most delicate black ops. The GAFE motto is "Todo por México" (Everything for Mexico).
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GAFE was created in 1986 as the "Fuerza de Intervención Rápida" (Rapid Intervention Force) to provide security for the FIFA World Cup soccer games in Mexico City. France's GIGN trained the group in special weapons and counter-terrorism tactics. On June 1, 1990 the group adopted its current name.
Eight years later the GAFEs saw action fighting EZLN guerrillas in Chiapas. There is scant public information about the operations in which they participated during that conflict. Nowadays the army special forces continue fighting the war against drug cartels in Mexico. They have successfully captured many big drug leaders such as Benjamin Arellano Felix and Osiel Cardenas Guillen of the Gulf Cartel.
The GAFE has been used in both sides of the drug war. In the late 1990s, about 40 GAFE members, led by lieutenant Arturo Guzmán Decena, were recruited by the Gulf Cartel to work as the cartel's hired killers. They formed a group of ruthless and violent enforcers for the cartel, which became known as Los Zetas. When the leader of the Gulf Cartel was arrested, Los Zetas split away from the Gulf Cartel, and have since become one of the most notorious cartels in Mexico, continuing to recruit GAFE members, and using their knowledge of special tactics to terrorize rival cartels and innocent locals alike.
Since its creation they have received a wide variety of training from different special forces groups from around the world. The Army unified all the knowledge by creating in 1998 the Escuela Militar de Fuerzas Especiales (En. Special Forces Military School). This became the "Centro de Adiestramiento de Fuerzas Especiales" (Special Forces Training Center), located in the foothills of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano, on 1 May 2002. The basic special forces course lasts 6 months.
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