Mendez Cartel/Bio & Battles

The Mendez Cartel was a very powerful drug cartel operating out of Vice City in the early '80s, until 1984. The Mendez Cartel also owns the mansion on Prawn Island that is eventually taken over by the Sharks in between 1984 and 1986. Diego and Armando Mendez are the two most powerful drug kingpins and well-known philanthropists in Vice City circa 1984, and the heads of their own criminal organization, The Mendez Cartel when the events of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories takes place.

Diego is the quieter of the two and only speaks Spanish, while the more charismatic Armando is the one with greater control of the organization. Armando seems to take many influences from Alejandro Sosa, from the Scarface movie. The Mendez Cartel members are depicted as wearing suits, with light-colored shirts underneath, as well as having a notable mustache or ponytails. It's possible that it was the most powerful criminal organization at the time, but when their leaders were killed, the Diaz cartel quickly seized most of the drug trade in the city.

Battle vs. Los Zetas (by KevlarNinja)
Mendez

Los Zetas

At a Mexican port, Diego and Armando Mendez and three other members of the Mendez Cartel are visiting from Vice City to pick up a package. They go over to a nearby crate. One of them opens the crate with a crowbar. Inside is about $10,000 worth of cocaine inside. Armando says "Diego, please bring our new product onto the yacht." Diego nods and walks over to a nearby crane. At the same time, a group of Los Zetas enter the port. They came for the crate too, and they are not leaving without it. One Los Zetas aims his AR-15 and shoots a Mendez in the back of the head.

Mendez

The Mendez turn there heads and see there attackers. Diego jumps into the boat for safety. Armando runs for cover behind the crane. Gunfire and thugs on both sides shouting in spanish fill the salty air. One Mendez thug wielding an AK-47 hits the AR-15 Los Zetas in the chest.

Los Zetas

One Los Zetas with a MP5 cuts the AK Mendez down to size.

Mendez

Armando cocks his Beretta M9 and shoots the MP5 Los Zetas.

Los Zetas

One Los Zetas picks up his fallen friend's MP5. He and a second Los Zetas run ahead. The first Los Zetas knocks Armando out and shoots a second Mendez thug. The thug's body makes a loud splash as it hit's the water.

Mendez

The first Los Zetas runs over to the back of the boat, well the second one jumps onto the front and breaks into a window. The first Los Zetas looks for more Mendez, when Diego lights him up with his flamethrower! The thug drops his gun, screaming. He jumps overboard, but, because of the shock, the thug soon drowns.

Los Zetas

Diego smirks, but is soon shot in the head by the other thug's Glock 19.

Mendez

A bullet just misses the thug. It was from Armando's Beretta. The two fire back and forth, just each keeps dodging the other's bullet. Soon, there both run out of ammo. Armando picks up a hammer and runs toward the thug. The thug pistol whips Armando, but Armando delivers the death blow with a hammer on the top of the thug's head.

Los Zetas

Armando runs over to the yacht's controls and tries to start it, but his thoat is sliced by the Los Zetas leader's garrote.

Mendez

The leader walks outside, raises his fist in the air, and lets out a victory cry.

Winner: Los Zetas Cartel 

Expert's Opinion
It didn't matter a whole lot how the training was distributed in this fight, as neither warrior was to far ahead of the other. What really decided this match was the arsenal of Los Zetas was far superior to that of Mendez.

To see the original battle, weapons and votes, click here.