Mendez Cartel
The Mendez Cartel was a very powerful drug cartel operating out of Vice City in the early 80's, until 1984. They arrive in Vice City around the same time as Victor and supply drugs to numerous high ranking officers at Fort Baxter. The Mendez Cartel also owns the mansion on Prawn Island that is eventually taken over by the Sharks in between 1984 and 1986. It is never disclosed whether they are related to San Fierro Rifa gang leader T-Bone Mendez; it could be a coincidence they share a last name. During the storyline for Vice City Stories, the Mendez Cartel have a big shipment coming in in the junkyard which is eventually stolen by the Vance Crime Family leaders, Victor and Lance Vance. The two mistaking the drugs for belonging to Jerry Martinez, former sergeant of Victor in the army. After finding out that the drugs belonged to the Mendez Cartel, this forces the Vance's to go and in action officially talk to Diego and Armando Mendez. The Vance's lie and claim that Martinez stole the drugs while using photos off Martinez talking to the feds. After doing a couple of favors for the Mendez's, Victor Vance is put in contact with Ricardo Diaz, rival drug baron, through Reni Wassulmaier who is actually an 'item' with Diego Mendez. When the Vance's are told to meet at the Mendez mansion they are rewarded with a death trap led by the Armando Mendez where they work it out and escape. After several failed attempts, Armando Mendez kidnaps and kills Victor's girlfriend Louise Cassidy-Williams, while Victor Vance makes his way inside the Mendez mansion, confronting and killing a flamethrower wielding Armando. Diego Mendez then escapes to a skyscraper in Downtown. Victor with the help of Louise's brother, Phil Cassidy breaks into the Fort Baxter military base and steals a Hunter. Later on, he uses it to attack the Diego. The Hunter is shoot down but Victor manages to stop at the roof and makes his way inside the building until Diego Mendez is found. On a confrontation on the roof, Jerry Martinez, Victor Vance and Diego Mendez fight a three-men gunfight where Victor wins and kills the other two, winning the battle. Afterward the Mendez Cartel ceases to exist.
| GANG Mendez Cartel | |
|---|---|
| Games: | |
| Leader: | Diego and Armando Mendez |
| Type: | Drug Cartel |
| Vehicles: | Sentinel XS |
| Weapons: | AK-47, Micro-SMG, Pistols and Scorpions |
| Businesses: | Illegal drug Trade |
| Fronts: | Prawn Island Mansions |
| Members: | Armando Mendez and Diego Mendez |
In Vice City Stories, the only game they appear in, Mendez Cartel members are depicted as wearing suits, with light colored shirts underneath, as well as having a notable mustache.