A livestreamed murder: The killing of a narco influencer in Mexico
Mexican authorities have linked the death of César Gastelum, the ninth content creator slain in the past two years, to messages he shared in support of ‘El Mayo’ Zambada
A 16-second video captured the murder of a narco influencer in Mexico. Three young men dressed in identical bright orange attire, along with a fourth unseen person holding the livestream device, were present. One of the three wore a cowboy hat and was laughing before he was shot in the head by two motorcycle riders. The video, viewed hundreds of thousands of times, demonstrated the cartels' bold display of violence.
Mexican authorities linked the influencer's killing to his support for one of the factions following the Sinaloa Cartel's internal war. Influencer César Gastelum, with 208,000 followers, often displayed jewelry with initials "MZ," referencing El Mayo Zambada. The leading theory behind his murder is that he was targeted by Los Chapitos, the faction led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
The 25-year-old influencer's Instagram account often showcased a flashy lifestyle, attracting millions of views. The world of social media generates vast sums of money, with regulation being lax and oversight virtually nonexistent. Similar suspicions have been cast on other public figures, including narcocorridos performers. The cartels exploit social media to amplify their message of violence and extend their terror.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
