Born in a lower middle class family, José had a abusive childhood. His mother was the Sweetest person around but his father was a deadbeat drunk. He was rarely there for the lad but whenever he was there he would beat José. It wasn't hard as his mother who at one point lost a finger. Pedro was José brother basically they were childhood friends who went way back. Pedro uncle, while weak always helped be a somewhat of a positive influence despite being head of a lesser known cartel. He and Pedro always been in stuff together but it all came to a head when José father went to far, seeing her husband about to beat her son, José mother immediately got between the two and his father, drunk, filled with meth and furious at his wife beat her to death. José, horrified and in a blind rage, grabbed a gun and shot his father in the side. He then started to brutally stab his father, Making him die a slow and very painful death. He soon went to Pedro house, grief striken and now all alone. Pedro uncle took pity on the poor lad and soon took him in his cartel. He started to teach the boys everything about cartel life and about stealing but still treated them like family. When José was 19 Pedro uncle suffered a heart attack and died, his son, Marcos soon became leader and had Pedro and José as his two side man, trusting them completely. José and Pedro had power now, money, respect and could do as they please. Although José when he was 25 met Maria, through a stripper and becoming intrigued. They two slowly became lovers but José kept Maria, in the dark about his cartel life. Pedro notice José withdrawal and the two got in a fight about him leaving. Unfortunately it was the only ride back from a rural part and so the two started to drink back. They hit someone and realized she was wearing the symbol of rival cartel, horrified Pedro told José to dump her body in the river nearby. They got back to base but 2 weeks later The rival Cartel leader started a shoot out with his cartel. José got criticality shot in the shoulder and the head and while not comatose, weak and in pain. Turns out the lady was the pregnant wife of the rival leader and she was alive the whole time. When Marcos found out he was furious but Pedro pinned all the blame on José. Marcos, still loving José arranged for him to be sneaked in America where he was taken in the American hospital. He was told he could get sent back or work as a field worker. He choose field worker and through all the time he was in there he grew to resent Pedro and Miss Maria