Barrio Maravilla (East Los Angeles)

The Barrio Maravilla (MV) also known as Maravilla “Chapters” or Maravilisos consist of several smaller individual Mexican-American street gangs who originated in Unincorporated East Los Angeles, California. The Maravillas has been around since the early 1930s and are considered the first gangs in East Los Angeles.

Maravillas has spread throughout the San Gabriel Valley, Montebello, Nevada, and the Inland Empire. The MaraVilla organization were one of the first gangs who refused to be taxed or share a portion of their criminal earnings with the Mexican Mafia (La Eme). However, this act of defiance led to them being “green-lighted” by the Mexican Mafia and becoming enemies of all Sureno gangs.

In 1994, all the Maravilla gangs of East Los Angeles agreed to a truce, which lasted over a year and a half. However, law enforcement credits this truce to their common rivalry with the Mexican-Mafia. This feud has resulted in the Maravilla gangs having their own module separate from Sureno gangs in the Los Angeles County Jail.

Allies And Rivals

Maravilla Gangs are their own worst enemy, for instance, the Arizona Maravilla and the Lote Maravilla as the Lopez Maravilla are bitter enemies fighting for control over the same neighborhood. However, the Maravilla have made several attempts to reconcile their differents by attending truce meetings in hopes of coexisting peacefully as neighbors.

in 1986, a truce meeting was held for a cease-fire during the Christmas Holidays. In 1994, another peace treaty was negotiated during the height of their feud with the Mexican Mafia. In 1995, an honorary dinner was held at a local restaurant for an awards ceremony.

One of their biggest rivalries is with the White Fence these gangs has been feuding for over thirty years. This animosity between the two gangs has led to some deadly encounters costing both sides casualties and grief. Nevertheless, MV gangs remain (tax-free) and continue to dominate their territories in East LA (MaraVilla community).

They’re rivals of every street gang who align themselves with the Mexican Mafia such as 38th Street gang, 18th Street Gang, Varrio Nuevo Estrada. The majority of MV Gangs in East Los Angeles, who carry the MaraVilla moniker are not necessary affiliated with each other, they just sprouted out in the same neighborhood Maravilla.

MaraVilla Gangs