Mexican cartels are increasingly executing influencers and social media stars as the online celebrities are dragged into gang wars.
Many of the country’s influencers looking to cash in on the various gang’s popularity have taken to promoting and praising individual cartels.
But in doing so, they risk painting a target on their heads - with several now paying the ultimate price.
Many are slaughtered publicly in particularly brutal ways, as if to send a macabre message to their followers and other influencers.
Experts said that influencers in the country, particularly the regions of Sinaloa, Jalisco and Mexico City – where cartel activity is high – are increasingly becoming targets of murder. At least nine have been killed in Sinaloa since 2024.
Last week, Mexican influencer Cesar Gastelum was shot dead while livestreaming on social media outside a fast food restaurant in Sinaloa.
Mr Gastelum, who had more than 600,000 followers on TikTok and was famous for his comedy stunts, was broadcasting with two friends – all dressed as food delivery workers as part of a challenge.
Two masked men pulled up on a motorcycle as the trio messed around. One of the assassins pulled out a pistol and clinically shot Mr Gastelum in the head.
The influencer was killed in an instant.
Last May, 23-year-old influencer Valeria Marquez was shot and killed while livestreaming from her beauty salon on TikTok.
A masked man shot her in the head and chest, and footage of the horrific killing, which happened in the Jalisco city of Zapopan, was broadcast to her followers.