Salvador Osuna Nava (died 1985) was Director-General of the Mexican DFS during the 1980s. He was involved in corrupt dealings with the Guadalajara Cartel and the Nicaraguan Contras, and he was murdered by drug lord Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo in 1985.
Biography[]
Nava at Rodolfo Sanchez's wedding, 1983
Salvador Osuna Nava was Director-General of the DFS, the Mexican government's secret police force, which dedicated itself to putting down threats to the ruling PRI regime and to fighting communist agitation in the country amid the Cold War. Osuna Nava and several high-ranking DFS officials (including his deputy Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno) were deeply involved in corrupt dealings with drug traffickers and "plaza bosses"; in 1978, he personally executed cartel boss Pedro Aviles Perez for refusing to go along with Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo's plan to unite the Mexican plaza bosses under the umbrella of the Guadalajara Cartel, which became very wealthy and powerful with the support of the DFS.
Rivalry with Felix[]
Osuna Nava occasionally intervened whenever he felt that he was being cheated, taking down the drug lord Victor Molina in 1983 after accusing Molina of stealing from his cut of the drug operation; Miguel Angel prevented Ramon Arellano Felix from killing Osuna in vengeance for his cousin's death in the raid, instead luring his cousin's killer into a trap before letting Ramon kill him in consolation. In 1984, Osuna Nava forced Miguel Angel and Amado Carrillo Fuentes to smuggle arms to the Contras in Nicaragua for Secretary of Defense Juan Arevalo Gardoqui in exchange for sparing Rafael Caro Quintero (who was subjected to a manhunt for kidnapping Sara Cosio). Nava ensured that they were captured and tortured as punishment for Miguel Angel's insubordination. Upon Miguel Angel's return, he met Osuna Nava and confronted him about the incident, and Osuna Nava said that it was a reminder of Miguel Angel's place; he warned him that, next time he asked him to get on his knees, Miguel Angel's only response should be to ask "how long?" He then informed Miguel Angel that he had called off Guillermo Calderoni's raid on Caro Quintero's mansion at the last minute, following through with his promise.
Death[]
Osuna Nava's body
Felix Gallardo grew weary of Osuna Nava for frequently demanding a higher take and for speaking down to Felix Gallardo, and he ultimately found a new protector in the businessman Ruben Zuno Arce, who had connections to high-ranking government officials. Osuna Nava went on to attend Felix Gallardo's conference of plaza bosses at the Hotel Americas, and, after the conference, he angrily confronted Felix Gallardo about not being recognized at the conference. Felix Gallardo told Osuna Nava to leave a message with his secretary, but Osuna Nava instead insulted Felix Gallardo as he tried to access the elevator. An infuriated Felix Gallardo used an ashtray to bludgeon Osuna Nava to death as Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno watched, and Esparragoza Moreno received a promotion after his boss' murder.
Gallery[]
