Influencer killings mount in Mexico as rival cartel factions wage a bloody fight
Authorities are reviewing social media and surveillance footage as Mexico’s security cabinet says some posts referenced a criminal faction.
- On Tuesday, influencer Csar Gastelum was killed while livestreaming from a KFC parking lot in Culiacn, Sinaloa, when two men on a motorcycle opened fire at close range.
- Rising violence in Sinaloa stems from a bloody struggle between Los Chapitos and Los Mayos factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, intensified after co-founder Ismael 'el Mayo' Zambada was transferred to the United States in 2024.
- Records from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project indicate 20 attacks against influencers in Sinaloa since 2024, resulting in 14 deaths including high-profile cases like Valeria Mrquez in Jalisco.
- Mara Fernanda Arocha, head of research for ACLED, explained that criminal groups target influencers to launder money and promote cartel lifestyles, with murders serving as "an intimidating message to the opposing side."
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated investigators are working to identify those responsible, though authorities have not announced arrests or confirmed a specific motive as ballistic evidence and surveillance footage remain under review.
19 Articles
19 Articles
The latest in a series of social media profiles killed in Mexico.
César Gastélum blev skjuten i huvudet samtidigt som han livestreamade.Under the senaste åren har flera influencers mördats i Mexiko.Nu utreder myndigheterna flera mord som kan ha kopplingar till landets knarkkarteller, skriver CNN.
The authorities of Mexico relate the murder of César Gastelum, the ninth creator of content killed in two years, to the messages he disseminated in support of the Sinaloa Cartel
César Gastélum had more than 500,000 followers in TikTok Instagram/César Gastélum The 25-year-old influencer César Gastélum made a live broadcast with two friends, in front of a fast-food restaurant in Culiacán, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Suddenly, two motorcycle men approached and killed him, shooting at his head. The attack occurred on Tuesday (4/8) at night and was recorded by his camera. Download the g1 app to see news in real time and…
Mexican TikToker Cesar Gastelum Shot Dead During Livestream as Cartel Link Comes Under Investigation
Mexican TikTok influencer Cesar Gastelum was interacting with followers during what appeared to be an ordinary livestream when the broadcast suddenly turned into a crime scene. The shocking attack happened in Culiacán and has renewed attention on the growing dangers faced by content creators in one of Mexico’s most violent regions. Authorities are still trying to determine why the 24-year-old influencer was targeted. While no arrests have been a…
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