Cartel Propaganda is Fuelling Mexico’s Drug War | The War on Drugs

Like any war, the War on Drugs runs on propaganda.
Mexican cartels stop at nothing to control their public image and the flow of information.
From creating entirely new genres of narco-rap music to the emerging generation of Cartel TikTok superstars, drug cartels are becoming pop culture brands.
This plays a key role in how they recruit young soldiers and cement their place within Mexican society.
But there is also a very, very dark side. Anyone who tries to report on cartel violence and corruption can be attacked and murdered. Mexico is now the most dangerous country in the world for journalists outside of active war zones.
00:00 Intro
01:10 The Rise of Narco-Propaganda
02:29 Cartels on Social Media
03:40 Narco-Music
06:44 Cartels & Social Aid Programs
07:38 The Danger of Being a Journalist in Mexico
Watch more from this series:
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• The Opioid Crisis Swee...
Why Mexican Cartels Use American Guns
• Why Mexican Cartels Us...
The Female Cartel Bosses of Latin America
• The Female Cartel Boss...
Check out the VICE World News playlist for global reporting you won't find elsewhere: • World News
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[@VICE]

¿Quieres ver el video en español? Haz clic en el botón de configuración para cambiar la pista de audio. Want to watch this in Spanish? Head over to the settings button to change the audio track.

[@marcourzuasanchez-ju3mm]

soy el gangas marco estoy en matlan calle avenida las americas entre calleb lazaro cardenas colinia sta elena en grupo renacer vengan x mi hijo18axilioooooo x mi hijo x que me engañaron no querisa estom para mi hijo mi axilioo maztlan quemo dina la precidenta de valle monino CACHORRO ZALAZAR DE LA EMPRESA MAS GRANDE DEL MUNDO DEJEME TRABAJAR LE LLAMO AL PATRON

[@grumpycat9065]

Being Mexican, I am genuinely ashamed of where the Mexican culture is going. Celebrating drug cartels as part of Mexican culture is heartbreaking.

[@the_real_idoit8166]

Yet u won’t do anything will u you’ll just complain about it just like every Mexican who complains about the government yet does nothing about it

[@nightspeed8372]

Its no different than white peopel celebrating billy the kid and al capone in movies and media

[@SNEED_FEED]

Those American movies depicting outlaws and mafia came decades afterwards. Narcoculture promotes a negative aspect of Mexican society that continues to get worse. Not the same thing. Think harder.

[@nightspeed8372]

@@SNEED_FEED Its absolutely the same thing. Gun culture from mafia movies and westerns promote gun violence in America.

[@russelldevaney7001]

This is hardly just a Mexican phenomena. In the US we have had gansta rap for years, glorifying drug sales and shootings. It's not as directed as in Mexico, but the result is the same.

[@jsandiego2394]

Quick to comment about Mexico! Like your own country isn't corrupt with retarded half asleep leadership! 🤣💯

[@sinaloa_mob_6665]

It's worse because the rap in the USA promotes shooting anybody/everybody and in México we don't kill innocent people.

[@jorgequiroz1027]

Yeah cartels and gansters are black and white.

[@russelldevaney7001]

@@sinaloa_mob_6665 Sí, vivo acá y no me siento inseguro

[@russelldevaney7001]

@@jsandiego2394 I live by choice in Mexico, and am in no way blind to issues in the US. However, the corruption here is endemic, at all levels, and is, in my opinion, the direct reason why Mexico, with all its resources, is not rich.

[@yingyang8190]

Sad to see so many younger people growing up in Mexico being influenced by corruption and violence.

[@victorvalladolid729]

This happens everywhere, USA is not far behind with this influence when it comes to music

[@underdogtv2855]

Ever hear of Thug Rap and hells Angels biker club?

[@edwardtorres9347]

It’s been like this for generations

[@edwardtorres9347]

Nothing new.

[@AngelicoCiudad]

​@Victor Valladolid That's because the US has lots of Heespanic/Leetinos, which so many of them have narco and gang culture.

[@17Perez]

One very important point to add in the video: Many of the people posting Narco propaganda in TikTok don't own what they are showing in the videos. The luxury items and the money is usually owned by the higher ups, family members of the cartel boss or key people within the cartel. These higher ups don't engage in narco gunfights, they only give out orders. The average member of the cartel is usually the one who takes the biggest risks for the lowest payout. Example: On Monday you joined because the cartel offered you $1k and by Thursday you are already dead because of a gunfight or you came out as one of the names in a narco interrogation. Not everyone in the cartel is a "soldier" many work handling the drugs/money, others work carrying the product, money or guns from point A to point B. Then there are the halcones in towns to keep an eye out for police and rival cartel movement. The average street dealer and the soldier or "Sicario". Depending on the region in Mexico you are in and the cartel that controls that area, a Mexican can be forced to join the cartel or can willingly join for salaries of 1-3k a month. Being a transporter of product or packaging drugs in a city like Culiacán is relatively safe compared to being a soldier fighting to take or defend a territory or plaza. Add the poor training, been drugged or drunk right before a gunfight and it is clear why cartels are always in need for more soldiers. Most cartel soldiers don't reach the 5 year mark, they die or go to prison. In really hot plazas or disputed territories, soldiers don't last a week after being recruited. The narco propaganda is probably one of the most efective and powerful in the world. It offers the illusion of a life of luxury for joining a cartel, but in reality the cartel members sign their lives away to be used as cannon fodder to make the cartel boss and the higher ups richer.

[@jesustorresruiz6146]

La mayoría de tu información no es real los que aparecen en videos con lujos son en su mayoría gente de alto rango...no es dinero de el jefe ni cosas de el jefe están alentando a otros a subir en la escala de poder Pero es cierto que nadie puede subir en esa escala todos mueren en semanas o meses antes de comprarse un tigre y una Urus 😂 No ganas mucho dinero 200 dólares aveces menos es lo que cuesta eliminar a alguien de poco rango en la calle,un salario promedio son 1500 dólares por semana 6k al mes puedes ganar más pero depende de que tan peligroso sea donde te manden Vez porque la gente migra a tu país,ganan 20 veces más de lo que ganarían en México trabajando honestamente...los mexicanos quieren trabajar honestamente pero en México hasta los negocios tienen que pagar al cartel por protección y al gobierno impuestos La gente que no tiene un negocio tiene que trabajar en fábricas o en servicios que pagan muy poco y de vez en cuando matan a alguien que conoces en la calle o a un familiar...los jóvenes quieren un arma para cuidar a su familia y dinero,es una vida difícil puedes ser un profesor o un doctor y ganarás menos que un lavaplatos en USA el cartel te va a encontrar y vas a pagar Algunos son desplazados los más pobres abandonan sus casas porque el cartel ahora quiere ese lugar el ejército no hace nada porque el jefe es el gobernador el presidente también es dueño de el cartel La próxima qué veas a José tu jardinero o a Mari piensa que ellos no están en USA porque querían conocer Disney La gente que está trabajando en tu país no quiso trabajar para el narco Los que llegaron en los 40s querían trabajar y regresar a México eran los que trabajaban porque los americanos estaban en guerra Los que llegaron en los 50s60s70s querían tener una economía estable y vivir en tu país porque México era muy rural y no había educación tampoco industria Los que llegaron en los 80s querían ganar 20 veces más que en México y regresar a México Los que llegaron en los90s2000s eligieron no ser narcotraficantes son los que huyeron de México porque no querían que sus hijos fuesen narcotraficantes

[@AlexSmith-gw5kw]

When you have basically and literally no options to choose in a country with jobs that pay 100-200 bucks a week the options are sometimes easy to take a risk when have nothing to lose sometimes they are forced into joining as well depending the regions

[@17Perez]

@@jesustorresruiz6146 Buenos puntos. La verdad es que la vida en todos lados es difícil. Dependiendo de tu nivel intelectual, color, sexo, status social, o region dónde naciste la vida puede ser mucho más difícil. Es 100% mejor vivir en Estados Unidos que en centro america o Haiti. Pero Estados Unidos no es el paraíso que muchos piensan. No hay duda que se vive mejor, pero la vida es difícil si eres ilegal. En México se gana poco, se tiene poco y se gasta poco. En U.S.A un inmigrante gana el salario mínimo pero tiene que hacer gastos que no son opcionales y se requieren para sobrevivir. Una visita de emergencia al hospital $3k, servicios de ambulancia $10k, una semana en el hospital >$25k, medicinas >$100. Renta de domicilio ~$1k, comida $200-$400, gasolina, aseguranzas, facturas de agua, luz, celular, internet,etc >$100. Agrégale que se vive con miedo de ser deportado, hay racismo, no tienes los mismos derechos que los ciudadanos y que tus empleadores se pueden aprovechar de ti con el sueldo, mal trato, horas de trabajo extra sin paga, trabajar en condiciones peligrosas, etc por tu estatus legal. Lo peor es que día festivo, si estas enfermo o estés lastimado tienes que ir a trabajar, las facturas no esperan y puedes ser reemplazado fácilmente. Sin trabajo, no hay dinero. Sin dinero, no hay comida, no hay transporte y no hay hogar. Desde la pandemia la vida en U.S.A se ha complicado hasta para los que son ciudadanos. Hay muchos problemas mentales, suicidios, cada vez hay más adictos a las drogas y gente viviendo en las calles. La gente vive con tanta presión y estrés día a día que muchos usan el alcohol, tabaco, o las drogas (legales o ilegales) para poder lidiar con la rutina diaria. Es el capitalismo americano. Vive una vida de excesos y consume en exceso. No trabajas para sobrevivir, trabajas para consumir. Si en México hay tiempo para disfrutar la vida pero no trabajo o dinero, en U.S.A, para un inmigrante ilegal, hay trabajo y dinero pero no hay tiempo para disfrutar la vida. Cada quien tiene formas diferentes de interpretar y de opinar. Nadie tiene la verdad absoluta. Asumiendo que vives en México. En tu opinión, crees que sea posible eliminar el narcotráfico en Mexico?

[@jesustorresruiz6146]

@@17Perez la solución que buscamos los ciudadanos en los estados más violentos es tener armas,el gobierno miente diciendo que el acceso a las armas existe la realidad es que son demasiados requisitos e inmediatamente el asesinar a un criminal es un crimen en México Si los ciudadanos tuviésemos acceso a armas portarlas libremente y que no interviniera el estado o los derechos humanos cuando eliminamos a un criminal,no existiría este problema que afecta México y USA La solución es que la población extermine a los carteles,el gobierno está corrompido,las instituciones están corrompidas,las autoridades son corruptas los soldados y policías protegen a los delincuentes Solo el pueblo puede exterminar a los carteles y por lo mismo evitar el trasiego de drogas desde México,surgirán grupos de mexicanos corruptos pero otros mexicanos terminarán con ellos y tras algunas dos o tres generaciones no existirían grupos de la magnitud de los carteles La razón de que Estados Unidos tenga pandillas pero no esté bajo la amenaza constante de estás a la población es que los estadounidenses tienen armas y cuando un grupo violento busca someter a los ciudadanos los ciudadanos lo exterminan En México eso no es posible y las otras soluciones no funcionarían,confío en que es la única solución que realmente podría servir

[@17Perez]

@@AlexSmith-gw5kw There are three main problems with that logic. 1. Morally: Anyone joining the cartels is aware that the likelihood of them killing, at some point, is very high. Even if people start as mules or halcones, many times they get forced to become soldiers. Like the military, once you are part of the organization, deserting has consequences. Very bad consequences when dealing with the cartels. Knowing that, is killing other people for 200-300 bucks a week worth it? Is getting involved in kidnapping, extortion, organ trafficking, and torture worth 200-300 bucks a week? If execution videos are too extreme for most viewers behind a screen imagine being in front of the victim when it happens in real life. Is that worth 200-300 bucks a week? Mexico is not Afghanistan, Yemen or an African country where people are starving. Sure there is a lack of jobs, but the land is rich. Immigration, legal or illegal, is also an opinion due to how close the US & Canada are to Mexico. The problem is that some people prefer to live 1 to 5 years as a narco with "luxury" rather than a humble life of eating beans and tortillas. 2. Economic stability long term: An example, a small family of 3. The mom doesn't work but takes care of the house & kid, the kid is too young to work & the dad has been out of work for 6 months. One good thing about life is that, the bad times never last forever. Hardships happen, there are ups and downs. The dad has 2 options: 1) to keep applying for jobs for the next 6 months until he finds something. 2) Engage in criminal activity, more likely join a cartel. In option 1, the family will struggle for 1 year but will survive and eventually things will get better. In option 2, the dad joins a cartel and he is dead in less than 1 year. Hopefully, the mother saved up because without him, she is going to really struggle for more than a year to raise that kid. Her life and the life of that kid will be much more difficult without the dad. 3. Cycle of violence: Anyone that is part of the cartel is part of the problem. The cartels are the cancer that is not letting Mexico grow to his full potential. Good, honest journalists, politicians, entrepreneurs, educators, scientists, etc have left Mexico or died because of the cartels. Cartels make progress/growth slow, which means less jobs, less jobs means people are more likely to join the cartels, and as long as the cartel keeps running growth will continue to be slow. I understand, that as long as the cartels have money they can hire people from central and South America as sicarios, but their numbers, power and reach will be much more manageable if mexicans stopped joining the cycle. The way I see it, the father who joins a cartel hoping to earn money and give his family a better future is hurting the future of that family in the long run. Not only will he get himself killed, his family will be at risk, his kid will grow up without a father figure, and that kid will continue to live in a Mexico run by the cartels. That is not the future the father wanted for his family, but is the future he will give his family because of his actions.

[@galamotshaku]

Sadly this guy is just describing what most Mexicans have known for years. It's a major issue in the country, years of corruption and impunity let them grow until it got out of hand and it doesn't seem like it's going to end any time soon.

[@19ars92]

Yet people vote over an over for the same ruling party Dumb people=poor country

[@thealternative9580]

US Soldiers are going to have to put boots on the ground and root them out. Really it's the only way.

[@JasperPeters]

@@thealternative9580 Yeah that'd totally work and not cause issues at all. /s

[@thealternative9580]

@@JasperPeters What issues? At this point Mexico is 1-2 years from descending into a total narco state.

[@bossk3697]

@@thealternative9580 They need to be declared terrorists and we should have no respect for the corrupt Mexican government the president is on cartel pay roll. Also full legalizing weed will take away a majority of their income and make it so US citizens can properly make the money off of it.

[@kennyg2610]

Social media has done more harm to society than help us

[@ConsensusX]

Humans have done more harm to society, and the planet than good. Every major problem on this planet can be linked to a human. Tools are powerless alone, but in the hands of a human, they can be used to inflict unlimited harm. The only solution really, which is extreme, is a war against mankind.

[@kennyg2610]

@@ConsensusXJeremiah 10:23. “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” We’re living in the last days

[@izzatfauzimustafa6535]

Even before social media, drug cartels already have some forms of "advertising" via use of regional music bands/singers who sing songs of praise about cartels and kingpins as a form of mockery towards low-paid police officers and military members who are involved in War on Drugs. Social media promotions of drug cartels is a rather recent phenomenon aimed at attracting millenials and influencing them to think that narco cartels are cool and trendy.

[@youwantshum9860]

@@izzatfauzimustafa6535 it's not just drug cartels. The accessibility to most things online in general these days is concerning. There are younger foot soldiers using platforms to sell to younger kids.

[@KayGeee86]

Antisocial Media

[@AwokenEntertainment]

seeing the recent evolution of this on social media has been crazy

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

As a Gen Z i fucking despise the things that TikTok and FB do. I wish we lived in a world where they didn’t exist. Their marginal upsides/positive qualities are so so far outweighed by the criminal actions they help propagate. The fact that FB was literally used to aid ethnic cleansing campaigns is utterly revolting. Like how can sharing your photos ever justify the sort of horrible stuff they’re used for, and breaches in privacy and intelligence-gathering

[@Jorgeo0]

I feel old for saying this, but the first time I created my myspace account, I remember it was a great way to connect with people you hadn't heard of since high school. Now, social media has changed into something I cant even describe in one sentence because it is so many things.

[@daywalker0988]

Also a gen z, but I completely agree. Social media (especially the platforms you mentioned) are ruining things

[@astrumstellar]

Honestly bro, thanks for saying it

[@TheMuari]

I deleted mine YESTERDAY and have a deal with my son, he deleted tictoc. I was / am sooo addicted,it was sometime 12 hours a day online.

[@c0ya1]

​​@@astrumstellar I'm a GenZ aswell, and I strongly agree that Facebook, TikTok, and twitter had made society become the worst it had ever been in decades. It made people fucked in the head.

[@Just_another_turtle]

This is the kind of VICE content that we want. Reminds me of vice like 10 years ago.

[@seancase71]

What?? you don't enjoy all the leftist propaganda

[@Crocthunder]

You guys say this in like every other fucking video

[@a2pabmb2]

@@Crocthunder Right? It's almost as if they never stopped doing the good journalism. But how dare they branch out and do other stuff too!!1!1!

[@HShango]

Vice has been doing this for a very long time, this is not new 😶

[@Ahahahhaaah]

@@Crocthunderwhy you so triggered lmfao, you hate facts or you on your male period ? both probably.

[@Weah702]

I like the ending bit there - "I'd like to congratulate drugs for winning the war on drugs." The war on drugs has been a complete failure, all the way back since prohibition - they even decided to just legalize alcohol because of how redundant it was.

[@lizbethartemis4886]

It was not legalized until the only family who had license to import alcohol became a multimillionaire.

[@BEEFYJERKY214]

U must be new here cause it always says that when they cover a drug related topic

[@captainmeowzers]

Anyone supporting narco culture forgets they will cut your limbs off while you are alive and beat you with them for fun.

[@mariovanandchairzardvan1227]

2024 Trump is gonna put a stop to this maximum damage to these terrorist organizations

[@Flaubert]

It made a lot of people in the military industrial complex very rich. Like every other war.

[@guitarmansam2661]

I really like the way you summed it all up in the end.

[@mochis.]

like how he keeps it short and always interesting,got a new subscriber 👍

[@thisisthewayyoda]

Im from Laredo Texas, the next door neighbor is Nuevo Laredo. About a week ago a couple of kids from my hometown died in a shootout in Mexico, they were what we call sicarios

[@Saturnia2014]

How long has this been happening in that area?

[@patricianoftheplebs6015]

@@Saturnia2014 decades

[@geekin707s]

​@Tuna sandwich CJNG another cartel had hit squads in texas and in Arizona

[@helbergalinda9141]

Calm down 😂 I’m from El Paso TX bordertown with Cd. Juarez this is not even news anymore.

[@BigFists2024]

Kids Ahahahahahahahahahah

[@Percussionists]

By far my favorite series on this channel, the reporter is always on point

[@DETRACT0RD00M]

Same

[@victorpapillon1487]

He's a femmeboy

[@whateverwhatever4026]

Vice is all trash....The best turd is still just poop.

[@pinoygal6232]

Total propaganda funded by Soros, but what do you know?

[@Percussionists]

@@victorpapillon1487 ok?

[@JesusSanchez-ul1qq]

Yes that's perfectly correct. And not just Narco, gang life portraiment is just as praised and well achieved in mexican rap. Most people feel is harmless, but youngsters are definitely and almost inadvertently growing with a careless mindset. Worst part: there's no counterpropaganda. Government seems blind to this phenomena.

[@tlamatini4617]

I mean there is no counter propaganda against “Mexican,” I mean... European propaganda media in Mexico where they flood the Mex media with nothing but Europeans, paint Europeans as holy grail picture perfect, while they paint the locals with the worst stereotypes and as the bad guys. So don’t suspect them to have counter propaganda when it comes to gangs, etc.

[@haggard1378]

Dude its the government that promoting this stuff

[@honeycomb4286]

✝️⏰

[@THISBOXINGERA]

This type of music has been a thing since the 90s or before that chalino sanchez , tucanes, los invasores etc all talked about these same topics

[@crumbtember]

Gov is afraid and corrupt.

[@pantheraonca3635]

Narco songs (narco corridos) and narco culture has actually been around for quite a while. This stuff has been around since the 70s. But the narco violence escalated in the 2000s.

[@bobthealpha67]

2010s was at peak

[@the_real_idoit8166]

Narco violence escalated due to los zetas which was the fault of the PRI party’s years of uncontested rule of corruption and greed that formed cracks in our military with individual soldiers being influenced by bribes they did not esculate because of some corridos

[@BIGGUNNDON]

The Best thing of being bilingual is being able to understand music from both Spanish and English

[@antoniobanderas9769]

I don’t follow that kind of songs .

[@alex-gx4yg]

@@antoniobanderas9769 thanks for your input buddy…

[@Kevin-rs8pq]

@@antoniobanderas9769 we do not care

[@myreasonforlife.9511]

No I get tired of pressing one for f****** English. I told him no you press one. What about German.

[@just_a_turtle_chad]

"El Chapo bros" 💀💀💀

[@brucelee4996]

*Excellent report.*

[@kingricoj345]

This has been happening since the 80’s. I learned absolutely nothing new but it’s nice that it’s being shown to people who don’t know.

[@mikeyfn-a6684]

Wondering if they put a rush on this after what just went down..or wait, this came out before that was news? Talking about the people from S.C. if it isn't clear.

[@danielsoto9073]

It is stronger than ever now. Not the narcotraffic, that's probably as cruel as 10 or 15 years ago, but the narco propaganda is massive.

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

The tiktok social media propaganda is new. It reaches even bigger audiences, thats a major change

[@AngelloDelNorte]

What happened to the USA nowadays? Back in the days (30s, 40, abs 50s), the USA ceased out the US/italian mafia, but now a bunch of 3rd world crooks is making usa as a laughing stock USA used to be a "stuntdevil" where it did what it wanted and no carp is giving (making enemies to fear it), but now usa needs q permission from a drug lords (amlo or Mexico presidents) to cease out their crooks.

[@the_real_idoit8166]

Not really because they’re making people think it’s the music fueling that narco culture when in reality it’s continuous years of shitty governments and parties ruling over mexico

[@thraxxxsd]

Dude, I always hated how sensitive it was the comment on the issue in Mexico. Other citizens literally get offended if you even comment on the reality of the state of the nation. Significant part of the population is brainwashed. I say this as a Mexican-American born and raised in the USA that travels frequently to visit family.

[@bossk3697]

People in the US don't want to address the route cause of all the migration issues. They think everyone comes here isn't fleeing cartel violence and it just for better opportunities which some are but to ignore the other reason is seriously inhumane.

[@danielceja3729]

Pointing fingers ain't reality. It's about who can stop it. Who can't. Both sides suffer. All the money is in American Cash. They don't blow money on BMWs. They reinvest most of there money once its stacked up..All GM armored Trucks and Military Grade Made in USA guns. Follow the money.

[@danielceja3729]

20% of Chevy and GMC stock relies on Mexico lol

[@danielceja3729]

Moral of the story.. these cartels and corrupt dea agents are keeping the economy going! Doing lines in the DA break room for national security purposes

[@TheGamingMEL0N]

​@@danielceja3729 Takes a special kind of stupid to blame another country for all these problems just because all the vehicles used are manufactured in that country. If US vehicle and gun manufacturers stopped selling to Mexico, do you seriously think that would solve all this? It wouldn't btw (feel the need to actually point this out to you as you seem too slow to have came to this conclusion yourself). There will be another company, from another country manufacturing guns and vehicles. Mexicans need to stop playing the blame game and just admit their country is in a dire state and the blame rests mainly on themselves.

[@ronin_yakuza8009]

I am from Montenegro. A country with 600,000 inhabitants. Currently, the four largest importers of cocaine in Europe are from Montenegro. The two largest clans are also from my country. All of them are connected with cartels from Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Panama. Darko Saric is a man from Pljevlja (a town in Montenegro with 30,000 inhabitants) who sold cocaine to the Russian mafia. All of them were created by the National Security Agency. And the National Security Agency is something like the American CIA or the Israeli Mossad

[@JoseJuarez-rb9zr]

Just how the Zetas in Mexico were formed. Most the leaders were trained by the CIA in the 80s to combat communism.

[@ezmcklennon4798]

Thanks for the video Tommy Shelby❤

[@jefflemmon1326]

Excellent piece!

[@Nezy]

Vice putting out good content recently

[@MrCota208]

Nothing less then simply great reporting

[@jenskarlsson4744]

Old Clips Put together Amazing work Vice !! what happened to Vice ??

[@redbaboonass4416]

As long as demand exists so will supply, unfortunately these cartels just can't go back to how it was in the 80's-90's when they each had a territory and it was respected.

[@mattgraver3604]

Please make these videos longer

[@Sasquatchbones]

This was a great one Vice, thank you for all the work y’all did covering this

[@romebutterboarder]

'NARCO Propaganda is fueling Mexicos drug war". Ummmmm im pretty sure the drugs are fueling the drug war in Mexico lol jesus vice....

[@anon681]

I’m pretty sure double r was not captured. RR and Apa escaped when the military tried to capture them, Leading to caos fires and roadblocks in GTO and parts of Jalisco. resulting in their escape or maybe they were let go. He was just giving out toys to the plebes a couple months ago during the festivities.

[@honeycomb4286]

✝️⏰

[@28goldenboy]

That job posting at 1:15 is hilarious 😂

[@DraxTheDestroyer]

They could not have been able to grow this powerful without extreme case of corruption in the government.

[@lilfrycook4172]

This is my absolute favorite series on KZbin period, to anyone reading this have an absolutely amazing day and all the love to you and your loved ones 😁🙏

[@broteinsheikh]

This is the type of content vice should be posting

[@PiOfficial]

Yes I love this stuff. The woke political stuff less so.

[@PiLLO360]

@@PiOfficial this is “woke political stuff”.

[@pr54642]

Gracias VIce por traducir al Español este video, estoy segura que le abrirá los ojos a muchos. GRacias en verdad

[@Demigod_3scrub]

You gotta love it !!

[@nerd26373]

This drug war going on in Mexico seem to be getting out of hand. We appreciate Vice for giving us straightforward content on this channel.

[@firstlast8258]

Speak for yourself

[@tyronebiggums1316]

Is this supposed to be sarcasm?

[@joshuaday3980]

At this point, it seems pretty obvious that this is being either a situation where we are looking the other way or it's being allowed? We go crazy trying to stop illegal immigration and it's a main focus. Seems like we only give a token effort to dealing with the cartel issue. It's hard to believe that this is allowed right on the border of the US and we don't do much about it? We can go to Pakistan and take out one guy, but we don't do the same for these cartel leaders? Makes me think that the powers that be are benefiting from the situationn? I think that we should just legalize everything and stop telling grown people what they can and can't put in their own bodies? Yes it will be a little bit of a problem at first but we can't keep spending all this money fighting the drug war

[@SIGSEGV1337]

@@joshuaday3980 It's not being allowed, it's being actively funded and facilitated by the CIA.

[@SIGSEGV1337]

It's pretty clear at this point that they're effectively regional quasi-governments at this point.

[@likemy]

every time you buy drugs, this is where your money goes.

[@key713htx]

Vice coming with that good shiii

[@ouicestbien]

5:37 Narcocorridos have nothing to do with mariachi, the style is norteño/banda.

[@ahmidouchkhalid2524]

😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@kingandon4279]

YESSS VICE KEEP POSTING DRUGS AND GANGS AND CRAZY STUFF WE LOVE IT NOT THE BORING STUFF VICE USED TO POST WOOOOO

[@MattyPastaNYC]

Tell them I said “Stop messing with the prices!”

[@KnarfStein]

Even if you hate drugs, you have to be pragmatic and support legalising and regulating ALL drugs. The status quo of the cartels growing even more in power is unacceptable.

[@MexicanForLife220]

this would only do some damage to their income as they'd just have to regulate the prices and sell for less cash. Cartels commit a lot more crimes than just the trafficking of drugs btw

[@JoseJuarez-rb9zr]

Drugs aren’t even the main source of income for most cartels anymore. They have diversified into many different businesses.

[@KnarfStein]

@@MexicanForLife220 Yeah, it won't be easy, since they have had over half a century to build up their business model, infrastructure, and reach, but beginning dismantling them today is better than tomorrow.

[@arithgutierrez]

​@@KnarfSteinI'd argue legalizing all drugs and regulating it would make it worse. Its expanding there potential customers and being sponsored by the government. The moment government taxes get too high they will be back in business. Or the cartels will get involved in agriculture or sex industry and tax citizens doing business in their territories.

[@raymondparnell439]

They will just be legal power holders then. That just makes them more powerful. They can openly give money to politicians.

[@phillipesquivel2421]

Government said I don't qualify as a Veteran because it was the War On Drugs. Tell my PTSD that.

[@mikalasegatto3486]

This is very informative. Enjoyed watching this video. Will definitely share with my friends and family that enjoy these videos.

[@Atmost11]

Glamourous: being on the winning side Non-glamourous: being a loser on the losing side Glamourous: having top law enforcement officials and elite units in your pocket Non-glamourous: being a martyr with absolutely no benefit to anyone

[@adriandephantomhive]

Thank you for talking about the murdered journalist

[@702_el_maloso5]

The beginning skit tho. Stupid funny, had me spitting my food out

[@User-54631]

Doesn’t this also make social media culpable in the promotion of violence?

[@sethcooper4519]

Not really. They arguably have more control than the government so there’s no one to prosecute them.

[@fortunategambler8494]

Its always has been link towards violence and hate. check shootings, check about races and religion people that some people just hate, check on people being mean to others by video taping bullying/blackmailing. As well other atrocious stuff people do and say on the internet.

[@itsawill9268]

No, you don’t see average influencers getting in on this lol

[@zoey8977]

Someone else already said it but Social Media is just a tool, and like most other tools it can be used for good and bad. What you’re getting at is almost completely irrelevant. And if youre trying to say because it can be used for bad, it is bad or something like that, thats just stupid. I dont wanna put words in your mouth but it very much looks like you’re trying to say that, and in that case i could give you an easy example to reevaluate ur opinion; You’re probably smart enough to be able to kill someone. Does that mean you will? Not really. Should you be locked up because you COULD? Not really either So just because something can be used for evil, doesnt make it inherently evil.

[@michaeloreilly4256]

This lad is the best journalist on vice

[@salvadorramirez4114]

This is why i don't associate with pot heads, hippies or even people that vape

[@423alonso]

To my opinion the biggest problem is that narcos and politics need to be punished together and equally life sentence....

[@alexs1429]

So you want the whole USA/Mexican government to serve life sentences? Might as well crumble civilization while you’re at it.

[@423alonso]

@@alexs1429 If it is needed so be it, if we don't make drastic changes soon our feature will be hell.....

[@alexs1429]

@@423alonso I’d say it’s theoretically “hell” already, no?

[@423alonso]

@@alexs1429 Almost there, but I'm not one to give up or back down easy, not to mention this country gave me a new life i never thought i deserved or had the opportunity to do. I pray and hope we open our eyes more to what we really need and less to what we want, that way it helps us making better decisions when we elect politics and laws...

[@WayneW3st]

It’s interesting to see the cartel gang sending necessaries to the local community like their some political parties before an election

[@mikefuckingjones]

Even drug cartels are rebooting their images like they did in the 80s.

[@BoomTDB_BSV]

This is never going to stop like it or not

[@robjef622]

It feels like this video has already been published about 80 times.

[@VonGoldfinger]

To people outside watching in it can be tempting. To people that have lived it not so much.

[@cmnweb]

Vice, we need a deep investigation of the big bosses of drugs in Usa and how politics and corruption in Usa allow to be the biggest drug market of the world.

[@Pseudomeaningful]

“Narco cosplaying” never thought I would hear that.

[@drugenforcementadministrat6150]

Okay but where can I buy that Chapo merch tho???

[@thdgcfx]

Trying to paint them as robinhoods who take care of the community is HILARIOUS

[@escribopapelitos]

They feed their kids so they can recruit them when they turn 15

[@lukeskywalker1177]

The Chapo Bros T-Shirt was pretty dope.

[@eurrutia89]

This news for us Mexicans is decades old. It’s part of the culture now, and it looks like it will be here to stay for a very long time.

[@kennethnyhus1337]

The war on drugs should never have started

[@RazPerignon]

Drugs ruin lives and communities, they are just doing the war on drugs all wrong, it should be death penalty for distribution

[@kennethnyhus1337]

@@RazPerignon if you think that then you are part of the problem..

[@RazPerignon]

@@kennethnyhus1337 you are the problem

[@kennethnyhus1337]

@@RazPerignon death penalty for alcohol 👊

[@TheHoodVoice2024]

​@@RazPerignonMexican cartels are terrorists

[@dawn1887]

When your own government won't feed and protect you, why would you not turn to the people who will...

[@izzatfauzimustafa6535]

As long as black market for drugs exist and provide lucrative income for socio-economically depressed folks, these narcos cannot be stopped via hard approach alone. There's a need for some kind of deprogramming efforts similar to how it's been done on former terrorist group members to ensure dissidents coming from cartel groups or family members who wish to leave their past behind for good, can truly able to cut ties from the cartels + drug trade and able to find legal ways of income earning.

[@rs72098]

Drug routes and infrastructure are fragile and easy to destroy. Supply lines are not invincible and take years to build. Demand does NOT determine supply availability, demand only determines price. Eventually demand dwindles if supply dissappears.

[@StandAgainstTheCartels]

@@rs72098 study history and you'll find drug prohibition is more complex

[@BrianBatikaz]

Now it flashes a memory of Ghost recon wildlands ❤️ 💯

[@studiowerkvier6988]

Well VICE knows very well how propaganda works... This medium is one big propaganda operation

[@steelokey]

Wild

[@brucepocalypse4109]

This is the vice I need more of

[@avarosalia4309]

I love how they just brushed off the whole US involvement when they are directly responsible for this mess. Narcos are just symptom of a much broader systemic issue that we have in this country.

[@h7opolo]

essentially, drug legislation is market manipulation in favor of the corrupt pharmaceutical companies who buy the law makers. it's clear as day.

[@iamrobot396]

Awww so easy to blame someone else doesnt it? Its your country at the end of the day. Have some spine and deal with it instead of whinning about it

[@acem1230]

💯

[@aquaticlives2948]

@@iamrobot396 so easy to blame the finished product, but not the cause of it awwwww, its fine tho, keep sticking in that needle and snorting those lines, we're making billions, a new shipment of military grade weapons should be arriving soon too, thank you USA!

[@maggiemae7539]

@@iamrobot396 who do you think put these people in power and furnished the fire power??

[@davebauman4991]

6:45 Ha! They've copied how the Yakuza of Japan also dispense disaster emergency aid strategically.

[@cole1062]

that chapo bros shirt goes hard

[@Freshadventures_]

As long as there is an appetite for drugs all of this madness will never end.

[@StandAgainstTheCartels]

As long as drugs remain illegal the profits will go to gangs and cartels. When alcohol was legalized and regulated the Al Capones and street shootings were replaced with regulated companies and courts. We can end drug prohibition, we can't stop people from wanting to alter their consciousness, we've been doing so since humans developed agriculture. Even animals imbibe.

[@AngelloDelNorte]

Cartels now took over Mexico's agriculture and farms with the same violent method. At this point, cartels are a Meexecan culture thing.

[@jacquelyncorbin8116]

What a waste of a beautiful country. How can you ever get the message to the drug users. Who can afford that crap?

[@eltuna1953]

as long as is looks appealing to the youth i don’t see change soon

[@Atmost11]

what looks more appealing? being a good cop who actually tries to bust drug dealers and be on the losing side of the war on drugs and get martyred for it? while the winners are recruiting top law enforcement officials and elite units?

[@eltuna1953]

@@Atmost11 idk maybe it’s the easy money

[@Atmost11]

@@eltuna1953 Is it supposed to be more appealing to be on the losing side? Than to be on the winning side?

[@fliprhd3758]

@@Atmost11 No obviously not that’s his point. The kids see they’re in poverty and want to help their family, they won’t go work a regular job or as a police when someone can offer them 10x more money

[@rogersampaio7450]

El Chapo's second escape from the government. Best Mexican Music 🤣🤣🤣

[@steveuchiha536]

That’s what I was thinking about all these shows on Netflix.

[@E.E.Mac13]

its like the scene where Pinnochio and his fellow naive children are lured into darkness but in real life

[@andrusalian]

VICE, you’re a major news organization and need to do better research. Cano and Blunt wrote Metro Tres on behalf of the golf cartel and one of their top commanders metro tres. Canó and Blunt were from Reynosa, a Gulf Cartel strong hold. Metro Tres got snuffed out by rival Gulf cartel members, his own Cartel and they found him with his pants down to humiliate him because rivals within the Gulf Cartel thought he was a snitch. The killing and song had nothing to do with Los Zetas. Yes when Metro Tres came out around 2010-2011 the Gulf Cartel was at war with Los Zetas, but the song is about the exploits of Metro Tres and Metro Tres killing rival cartel members not the killing of Metro Tres. Blunt was killed years ago, but he would have died years early if He wrote a song dissing the Gulf Cartel while living in “Reynosa Maldosa.” I love VICE but now will always question their reporting in the future. The stories about Metro Tres are well known and easily researched. VICE YOU SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED!!!!

[@mvpcilo2268]

“Love is pain but pain aint love They got the nerve to complain,because we slang drugs But we dont care because life aint fair”. -Doe B

[@everythingallin4905]

Life ain't fair but karma is

[@mvpcilo2268]

@@everythingallin4905 blah blah blah . Get off my dick

[@mvpcilo2268]

@@everythingallin4905 karma is white people being enslaved by blacks selling them white

[@cats.cant.contour8812]

It's sad they have that mind set. Instead of trying to better their country or themselves they will help destroy it.

[@_F0CuS]

0:50 lol my guy has TheWeeknd on loop while counting drug money 🥶

[@SA-np5yy]

So this is why cartel reels keep popping up on my feed

[@besher993]

What a wonderful world ! The better yet to come

[@dillo12567]

Decriminalize all drugs, take the money used for fighting the war on drugs and spend it on rehab and education. Take away their consumer base and they will crumble.

[@dillo12567]

@iLoveJackingOn I would agree to full legalization but that's what keeps the cartels in power. People transporting for them wouldn't be able to get in trouble

[@alrn1282]

sounds like a good idea, Just like communism, until you apply it on field

[@myreasonforlife.9511]

Oh my God somebody has to have a brain to do that. People can't even get damn food stamps. DCFS Burry more children than they help!! But we won't talk about that.

[@2alsen]

Damn after watching Narcvos this hits strong

[@deyaniracastillo4102]

Exijo spanish subtitles please!

[@mex1-4]

If anyone has played Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022), and I know full well that this is a stretch, there is a section where Soap MacTavish says “Kids, guns and balloons” and the section about how the cartels care enough about their PR to hand out food and toys reminded me of that

[@jacquelyncorbin8116]

Maybe a specialized weapon is what is called for - stealth and cover of night. Lasers?

[@OctaviusX]

Everyone loves showing off, then you have narco influencers💀

[@Sasquatchbones]

Seriously, modern life is very surreal

[@Jxshua19]

Fr like TikTok ain’t instagram hombre 💀

[@juanramonvmora]

Excelente

[@rightalman]

We’re can I buy the T-shirts ? I want to resell them

[@patrickwarren2831]

The reason that el Chapo lasted so long is because I think the people loved him. He did good things. It’s so odd to give him life in prison for growing weed in Mexico but The Speaker of the house can grow it here. John boehner

[@louisazraels7072]

Lol, I don't think most people think he deserves life in prison for "growing weed" However being the head of an ultra violent organisation that murdered and tortured thousands might warrant it

[@patrickwarren2831]

@@louisazraels7072 whoops. Didn’t know that part. The murders I mean. Thought he was just a weed farmer for the CIA

[@stancuionela3671]

he did not do good things, this is a behavior bad ppl use o attract the society on their side, they throw some crumbs that are nothing compared to what they have so ppl support him and that is how the society is lured in this smoke and mirrors situation. the harm it causes is incommensurable compared to the crumbs a small town from the middle of nowhere is getting. is like they had tens of millions of dollars and they gave someone 100dollars to shut up. is a type of emotional manipulation.

[@enxling_tyui6190]

i remember asking my dad what the people of his hometown thought of cartels after watching narcos on netflix and i was surprised to hear that kids his age really looked up to these people considering the fact this was after that cartel shooting that killed that high ranking religious figure

[@stancuionela3671]

kids are stupid and gullible, at that age it doesn't matter what they are looking up to.

[@ColbyMoonwalker]

9:53 MADE MY DAY - Lucki

[@Robert-yy9kp]

old corridos will always be better than new corridos

[@SpaceRanger187]

Drugs need to be legal

[@lizbethartemis4886]

The illegal trade is very profitable.

[@Jxshua19]

And might I ask, what exactly would happen if drugs were legal?

[@unknownscp169]

Next far cry or ghost recon game needs to be in Mexico

[@_Delta_P_]

Vice reporters are made in hipster AI generators. I’m convinced.

[@juniorrivera8384]

So what I learned was the Cartel is the government doing the job the official state fails to do. What a shame

[@Tokiohotel192]

The formal Mexican goverment is really just a smoke screen isn't it

[@The1MkII]

Thanks for the coverage Vice. Imo the only long term solution is to end the prohibition on drugs entirely. It's also the only solution that honors the freedom of citizens to alter their own consciousness however they see fit, that is needed if we are ever to be truly free.