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Today, two billion people exist in abject misery, tyrannized by war. Madame Presidente, your war machines are no more. Your military is crippled. You cannot stop us now. Cordis Die, rise, and strike when they are down. Strike now, and strike deep!
He was an extremely charismatic and influential Nicaraguan political activist, founder and leader of Cordis Die. He intends on destroying America through a worldwide uprising by crippling the U.S. military, in his campaign to avenge the death of his sister Josefina and the many people that Americans have killed throughout history. He is also the son of Jose Luiz Menendez, a notorious and powerful Nicaraguan drug kingpin, the founder of the Menendez Cartel, being the most feared drug cartel in Central America and the archenemy of David Mason, Frank Woods and Alex Mason.
He was voiced and motion-captured by the late Kamar de los Reyes, who also played Jobe in Sleepy Hollow and Barranca in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. In the Italian dub, he is voiced by Giancarlo Gianni. In Call of Duty: Strike Team, he was voiced by John Rubinow [1].
As an AI and hallucination, he is voiced by Jesse Corti, who also voiced LeFou in the 1991 Disney film Beauty and the Beast, Count Julius in the English dub of the 1997 Berserk anime, Gongora in Lost Odyssey and Bitores Méndez in Resident Evil 4.
Power. We were all robbed by it. Those so-called heroes left us divided and broken. But they underestimated how dangerous we are. That mistake gives us an opportunity. And for the first time, They'll understand, What it feels like to be powerless. This is our time, my friends. To destroy everything they've built.
„
~ Raul Menendez's narration in the Call of Duty: Vanguard Season Five Cinematic, demonstrating his hatred for capitalism.
After growing up witnessing the brutality and oppression of U.S. capitalism, Menendez became a vindictive and murderous madman who sought to bring down the Western Civilization, enough so that he would align himself with various dictators and communists to bestow conflict. Besides all of his anger, Menendez was not without his soft side and showed genuine friendship to many of his subordinates, including Farid and DeFalco. Deep down, Menendez wanted to make the world a better place, even if it means crippling governments, their military and wreak mass terror in a means to end oppression. To demonstrate how he doesn't tolerate betrayal or failure, Menendez can be extremely ruthless, cold and brutal as shown when he executed Farid (depending on the player's choices) for betraying him.
He was also somewhat of a megalomaniac, believing that his way was the only way to live in the world to not experience its harsh reality, which includes poverty and witnessing war first-hand. Although he was delusional, Menendez was unquestionably intelligent and was able to constantly trick the American intelligence to move forward with his plans for global anarchy. His intelligence was also crossed with his charisma, which he used to influence billions of people to cause thanks to his own experience of loss, grief, poverty, suffering and anger towards those who have not had to struggle or fight for anything in their life. In each of his videos, he presented himself as a messiah-like figure, speaking in a very calm and soft manner.
As he got older, he even began speaking philosophically, where he would constantly be quoting various poems to express his ideology and views of life. It is through these poems that helped him plan his revenge against the world and its superpowers.
Despite his bad and questionable characteristics, Menendez loved his sister Josefina above everything else. As a young child during the warehouse fire, he refused to leave her and risked his very own life to save her. He continued to protect and care for her growing up, even risking his own safety and freedom to save her after his Nicaraguan compound was under attack by U.S. forces.
After Josefina was accidentally killed by Woods, who pathologically wanted to kill him for torturing him, Menendez would spend decades planning to avenge her death. In response, he would trick Woods into shooting Mason, making his son David an orphan and killing Hudson to make Woods suffer more for what he did. Menendez developed a certain amount of respect towards David, refusing to kill him whenever he had the chance and often indicating that he wants him to be a part of his cause.
Просто марионетка... как и ты. Делай как скажу. (He is merely a puppet... as are you. Do as I instruct.)
„
~ Menendez to Lev Kravchenko.
“
You are going to kill me, sí?
„
~ Menendez to Alex Mason.
“
Los americanos no saben nada sobre la lealtad. Quizas nosotros deberiamos demostrarle. (The Americans know nothing about loyalty. Maybe we should show him.)
„
~ Menendez to the Cuban soldiers while Mason's hostage.
“
You suffer with me. For all the sins of those who came before you. Woods... Hudson... they created this... for Josefina... TONIGHT, your father will DIE!
„
~ Menendez to a young David.
“
Raul Menendez: Your best friend, Alex Mason, is dead. By your own hand. Do you understand why? Jason Hudson: He was gonna kill David... Raul Menendez: BECAUSE YOU MUST SUFFER AS I HAVE SUFFERED!... Now one more must die. You, Woods... or David. Make a decision now or in ten seconds you're all dead!
„
~ Menendez to Woods and Hudson.
“
Your life will be consumed by absolute loss. Then and only then will you understand what you have done to me.
„
~ Menendez to Woods, after killing Hudson.
“
I will not kill you boy. Now like Woods, you suffer with me. And then one day, you will see this pendant again, and you remember everything you saw and felt tonight. You will remember all the years of anger and pain. And when you do David... please, come to me.
„
~ Menendez to a young David Mason.
“
Now it begins.
„
~ Menendez to Woods in the Vault.
“
Of course. Not only am I aware of the infiltration... I engineered it.
„
~ Menendez revealing that he knows David's team is listening.
“
Raul Menendez: The Americans are coming, Farid. There is a... traitor in our midst. Farid: But how? Who? Raul Menendez: It matters not! I am one step ahead of him.
„
~ Menendez and Farid on a traitor in his ranks.
“
Victory is not measure by losses, Farid... It is measured by gains.
„
~ Menendez to Farid, moments before shooting down Mike Harper's VTOL.
“
Show your loyalty by following my orders, Farid!
„
~ Menendez to Farid on killing Harper.
“
You betrayed us, Farid. And for what?. To those you serve, YOUR LIFE...MEANS NOTHING!
„
~ Menendez to Farid if the player chooses to shoot him (canon).
“
Thank you, David. Help me seek a newer world.
„
~ Menendez to David as he is captured.
“
For those souls who have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me... Some work of noble note may yet be done.
„
~ Menendez to David Petraeus.
“
So we are the same, David. Shaped by those we have lost.
„
~ Raul to David during his interrogation.
“
Opulence is sinful and we all pay for it... She was taken from me. Do you know what that feels like yet?... An American torched the warehouse for insurance money. 11000 dollars, that was the value they placed on her life. She was the reason for me to live. What about you, David? What drives you? Is it me?... Einstein once said the economic anarchy of capitalism is the real source of evil. Your father, and his people, took Josefina from me. Pues... tu papa esta muerto. Your father is dead. And his people... finished!
„
~ Menendez to David Mason.
“
If we truly succeed today, Admiral Briggs will come to understand why I did not kill him.
„
~ Menendez if he wounds Admiral Briggs (player-determined).
“
I decide what is necessary.
„
~ Menendez if he kills Admiral Briggs (player-determined).
“
Opulence is sinful, and we all pay for it. Los Angeles was the flagship of their absurd materialism, so I destroyed it. They thought I wanted to kill the president. Madame Presidentè, I could have buried you a million times over... No... I wanted you to see it, to feel what it's like. Today, two billion people exist in abject misery, tyrannized by war. Madame Presidentè, your war machines are no more. Your military is crippled. You cannot stop us now. Cordis Die, rise, and strike when they are down. Strike now, and strike deep!
„
~ Menendez's broadcast in "Judgment Day".
“
Martyr me... For Cordis Die...
„
~ Menendez to David, his last canonical words.
“
Do it!... David!
„
~ Menendez to David, if spared.
“
I will see you one year from now. Study Ulysses... and be ready.
„
~ Menendez to David if spared.
“
This video is triggered to play upon my assassination. Cordis Die, you know how to proceed. My death will shine light upon ubiquitous darkness.
„
~ Menendez if he is killed.
Black Ops 7[]
“
My name is Raul Menendez. And as you can see, I am alive and well. 2025 was just the beginning. A necessary first step. In three days, we shall celebrate it by taking the second. And to governments repressing the wills of their people, I say - Your streets shall once again run red with your blood. Once again, you shall know fear.
„
~ Menendez in the AI video.
“
David...it brings me such satisfaction to see you here. That you have been a witness to my work. Dare I say, a callborator as well? You will know fear.
„
~ Menendez to Specter One.
“
So eager to leave, David? It's not me you want? {...} No. No need to believe. Or to seek me out. I am already right here with you. You're suffering...only brought us closer together.
„
~ Menendez to David Mason.
“
Arise, soldiers! It is time to fight! This will be the end of you!
Make your peace with death! Blades! Fall to the Earth!
„
~ Menendez conjuring blades.
“
I will never stay dead!
„
~ Menendez shortly before his defeat.
“
I will not kill you, boy. Remember all the years of anger and pain. Martyr me...for Cordis Die.
„
~ Menendez to David Mason.
Warzone 2.0[]
“
My name is Raul Menendez and as you can see, I am alive and well. 2025 was just the beginning, a necessary first step. Once again, you shall know fear.
Doctor Meyer, you and your project are now.. mine.
„
~ Menendez to Savannah Mason-Meyer.
Mobile Comics[]
“
It's that pendejo Mace! He turned on us! The Templar is off site, But I'm exfiltrating! Go, Go, Go!
„
~ Menendez to his men while Mace defected to The UAC.
“
No, No, No.
„
~ Menendez while being apprehended by Mace, Mara and Alex.
“
Ah, I see. Shepherd then, is the bad cop. And you, Price, are the good cop.
„
~ Menendez when interrogated by Price and Shepherd.
“
I have no legal rights. I assume as far as the governments know, I died in that Raid. This is how The UAC is operating, Yes? This is why Cordis Die exists, To speak for the ones who've been silenced by men like you.
„
~ Menendez to Price and Shepherd.
“
I intend to, not because I fear you. But because I fear what the others will do If I don't. But I do not know as much as you'd hope. I know that Hidora has returned to Tokyo, He is rebuilding The Five Knights. The Templar has been dispatched to Texas, to find what you missed.
„
~ Menendez to Price and Shepherd.
Trivia[]
Menendez looks considerably like his voice actor, but with a scar across his eye.
Menendez's name was originally Martinez.
He is 61 in "Odysseus" and 23 in "Time and Fate", making him the oldest playable character in the series, and the youngest in BO2, putting him amongst the youngest in the series, alongside Miller in WaW (20 in "Semper Fi"), Dimitri in WaW (19 in "Vendetta"), Logan in Ghosts (15-16 in "Ghost Stories"), and Farah in MW1 (7-10 in "Hometown").
Menendez in his youth bears a striking resemblance to David Mason in his youth - right down to the hairstyle, polo-styled striped shirt, and facial features.
Menendez is interestingly similar to the real-life leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden; both were terrorists with vendettas against America and were responsible for mass bombings. Both were also killed as part of an American-sanctioned operation.
Menendez appears alongside Frank Woods in the music video for the song "Carry On".
Also, Menendez's shirt on the back shows the dates and locations of concerts, which reference the locations and dates of Future Missions.
In "Time and Fate", Menendez plays very differently from a normal Call of Duty player character due to his rampage. He moves noticeably faster than normal, deals so much melee damage he can actually dismember enemies with his machete, can reload the starting SPAS-12 shotgun nearly instantly if he has fired more than three rounds, getting a 16-round magazine on it, and has infinite ammunition for any weapon he uses. He can also take an extremely high amount of damage (at least as much as a player-controlled Juggernaut), and his health regenerates much faster than normal.
Menendez was ranked #1 on GameInformer's list of top 10 villains of 2012.
Menendez has been repeatedly named as one of the best villains in Call of Duty, alongside Vladimir Makarov.
Ironically, Cordis Die has an agenda against the rich, but Menendez is rich himself. However, Cordis Die most likely holds Menendez in a high regard because he initially grew up very poor and later became rich on his own merits, and tolerates his wealth due to the fact that he uses it to fund them.
Menendez's favorite weapon in 2025 is the Executioner revolver; in the 1980's, his favorite weapon appears to be the SPAS-12, as he stole Noriega's in "Time and Fate" and had his own in "Suffer With Me". Due to this, it is possible he may have a fondness for shotguns.
If Menendez survives and Chloe Lynch is killed or captive, after he kills Woods, and is at his sister's grave, his hair has grown back out, which means that a significant amount of time passed after he killed Woods.
When Menendez is about to kill Woods (player-determined), he appears to have his right eye back, however, it's more likely a fake one.
If Menendez is killed in "Judgment Day", his tongue will roll out.
In "Pyrrhic Victory", Menendez uses a SOG Knife, which is strange, since he was never a part of SOG. He most likely took it from Woods or a member of his team when they were captured.
If Graphic Content Filter is enabled, and if the player gets the ending where Chloe lives and Menendez is captured, when he slams his head on the TV in his prison cell, Menendez's entire body, including his face, is censored.
In "Time and Fate", it's possible to kill Menendez. The player should equip the Storm PSR (however, the player must finish the campaign first in order to use the future weapon in past mission), and when seeing Menendez at the barn, the player will need to wait for being able to use the weapons again, then look for Menendez and kill him. However, this does not change the game, and Menendez is seen in the house later in the mission.
Despite having only one eye, Menendez's field of vision is exactly the same as any other character's when he is playable. This is likely an intentional developers' choice not to limit the player's vision of his surroundings.
It has been confirmed in the Black Ops III timeline trailer that Black Ops III and Black Ops 4 take place after the "shoot Menendez" choice of Black Ops II.
