What I Saw In Sinaloa
The U.S. is trying to destroy Mexican cartels. But so far, a turf war has only deepened.
Last Tuesday night, I shared a meal of sushi with a Mexican police chief in the bustling city of Culiacán. The city, which had recently emerged from a deadly cartel turf war, was now populated with families, friends, and influencers strolling the sidewalks. Among them, three influencers dressed as food delivery workers, armed with bags and smartphones, were capturing their moment in the spotlight.
Their leader, César Gastélum, a 24-year-old TikTok sensation, was no stranger to theatrics, posting videos of himself in humorous scenarios. However, the sudden appearance of a motorcycle with two men carrying a gun changed the atmosphere. The influencer's livestream abruptly ended, and Gastélum lay dead at the KFC where he had been dining moments earlier.
As investigators arrived, another young influencer was found nearby, and a string of similar attacks on content creators were reported. Culiacán, the epicenter of Mexico's drug war, now saw its citizens, including influencers, becoming potential targets. The city's government had long been entangled with the drug cartels, yet their efforts to curb the violence had only intensified the conflict.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
