Mexican social-media influencers have increasingly been targeted and killed during livestreams, with several high-profile executions captured and shared online. Analysts say organised crime groups recruit or coerce creators to launder money and promote cartel lifestyles, offering money, protection and status in return. Pamphlets in Culiacán named 25 creators accused of aiding La Mayiza, and six of those named have since been killed. Authorities promise investigations, but low conviction rates make accountability uncertain.
Live on Camera: Mexican Cartels Are Targeting Influencers in Public Executions
Social media/ Telegraph
Mexican social-media influencers have become the latest visible targets in a wave of brutal, public violence: several creators have been fatally shot while livestreaming, their deaths circulated widely online as warnings to rivals and the public.
High-Profile Killings Captured Live
Dressed in bright orange delivery jackets, Cesar Gastelum was joking with friends on a livestream when two masked gunmen on a motorcycle drove by and fired a shot that struck him in the head. The 24-year-old, who had more than 500,000 followers, collapsed instantly.
Valeria Marquez live-streaming in the moments before she was shot dead - Social media
In another case, 23-year-old beauty creator Valeria Marquez was shot dead while broadcasting from her salon; the camera continued rolling as she bled. She had told viewers moments earlier that someone wanted to kill her. Other victims include Kevin Kaletry, shot while filming at a Mexico City hotel, and José Carlos González Herrera, killed during a livestream at a market.
Why Influencers Are Targeted
Security analysts and investigators say some influencers have ties to organised criminal groups and can be used for money laundering, recruitment and propaganda. In exchange, creators may receive payments, protection or access to luxury lifestyles—traits that can also increase their visibility and risk.
Kevin Kaletry was shot in the head while filming at a hotel in Mexico City
"A lot of these influencers reflect the trend we see online of the 'cartelisation' of the internet in Mexico," said Chris Dalby, a senior analyst at Dyami Security Intelligence.
Experts say introductions between creators and criminal groups often come via musicians, promoters, nightlife operators or mutual acquaintances. Some creators openly display allegiances; others are accused—sometimes publicly via leaflets—of providing financial or logistical support to factions.
Factional Violence and Regional Hotspots
The killings are concentrated in states with strong cartel presence, notably Sinaloa, Jalisco and Mexico City. Sinaloa alone has seen a marked rise in influencer killings since 2024, amid intensified fighting between rival factions. Analysts link the surge in violence to pressure on cartel leadership from arrests and extraditions, which can accelerate internal fragmentation and reprisals.
A leaflet distributed in Mexico threatening 25 content creators - Social media
Footage associated with Gastelum showed references to Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, and U.S. federal authorities said his murder appeared connected to posts that alluded to a specific criminal faction.
Money-Laundering Allegations
In January, pamphlets were dropped over Culiacán naming 25 content creators accused of financing and laundering money for a cartel faction called La Mayiza; the pamphlets named individuals but, according to publishers, independent reporters had not verified the accusations. Six people named on those leaflets have since been killed.
Cesar Gastelum was killed during a livestream - Instagram/cesarselectivo/REUTERS
U.S. authorities have also sanctioned figures such as rapper and influencer El Makabelico, alleging events and royalties were used to channel cartel funds. Analysts say cartels can launder money through legitimate fronts—salons, labels, events—or by inflating sponsorships and routing proceeds from streaming, advertising and licensing through friendly businesses.
Intimidation, Justice And The Wider Toll
Many of the videos and images of these attacks spread quickly across social platforms, amplifying their intimidation value. Public executions and mutilations are a long-standing tactic used by cartels to enforce loyalty, punish rivals and terrorise communities.
Agustin Paul, known as 'El Pinky', was killed for passing on information about a drug cartel's location - Social media
Mexico has seen dozens of journalists and musicians killed over the past two decades for their proximity to cartel activity. The government faces an uphill battle: conviction rates for homicides remain low, and officials acknowledge the difficulty of securing justice in cases tied to organised crime.
Mexico's security secretary confirmed some of the killings have been examined in security meetings and pledged investigations. Still, with conviction rates for homicides under 10%, many families fear justice will be slow or unobtained.
Valeria Marquez, 23, was shot to death during a TikTok livestream in the beauty salon where she worked - via REUTERS
Human Costs
Beyond the high-profile influencer cases, violence disproportionately affects women and communities across Mexico—an average of roughly 10 women and girls a day are reported killed nationwide, many by people they know. The killings of content creators intersect with these broader patterns of insecurity and impunity.
Observers warn that creators who chase clout by aligning with criminal figures or broadcasting cartel life risk becoming targets. As one expert put it: influencers can gain followers and notoriety through association, but they can also pay the ultimate price.
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