A Mexican influencer, Jose Luis Esparza, 37, was shot and killed Thursday at a taco shop where he worked in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora. His death is the latest in a pattern of violence targeting social media personalities in Mexico, with at least 20 such individuals executed in the last two years.
Esparza, known online as “El Putirrí,” created lighthearted content about his daily life for platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The Sonora State Attorney General’s Office reported that the shooter entered the restaurant and fired upon Esparza before fleeing on a motorcycle with an accomplice. Esparza died after being transported to a local hospital.
Authorities are investigating a potential link between Esparza’s killing and cartel ties of a relative, suggesting he may have been a collateral victim or that the killing served as a message. "Since he was related to someone deeply involved... It served as a message," Mexican security communications consultant Iván Moile told The Post.
Other influencers have also met violent ends linked to organized crime. In August, César Gastélum, who amassed over 600,000 TikTok followers and reportedly favored a Sinaloa Cartel faction known as “Los Mayos,” was shot and killed while live-streaming outside a KFC in Culiacán. Investigators cited Gastélum's alleged negative commentary about “Los Chapitos,” a group led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, as a motive.
In May, Valeria Márquez was shot and killed during a TikTok live stream at her beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco. Mexican authorities have accused Ramón Álvarez, a regional leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and his son, Márquez’s former boyfriend, of orchestrating her execution, a claim the younger Álvarez denies.
Security analysts suggest drug trafficking organizations target influencers for several reasons. Some influencers may develop organic ties with cartels for activities such as money laundering or acting as fronts, leading to retaliation if discovered by rival groups. "When a rival group discovers that an influencer is acting as a front man or laundering money for the opposition, an attack is automatically triggered," explained Mexican security analyst David Saucedo.
Even influencers not directly involved with cartels can become targets. Saucedo noted that some influencers report on events in their local areas, and drug trafficking groups may seek to control the narrative surrounding themselves, rivals, or authorities. "In some cases, although influencers are not journalists, they do disseminate information and report on events in their home states or municipalities," he said. "Drug trafficking groups are keen to control the editorial narrative—specifically, what is said about them, their rivals, or the authorities."