In the digital age, groups organized crime in Mexico have found in social networks a strategic space for propagandacoordination and expansion of its influence.
Platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram y TikTok have become battlefields and a clear example are ‘Los Chapitos’ and ‘La Mayiza’, the two factions of Sinaloa Cartel that in addition to having unleashed hell in Culiacán and its surroundings, they have also transferred the war to social networks.
In these networks, criminal groups spread messages, threaten rivals and recruit new members. One of the tools The most ingenious ways they use to evade censorship and tracking on these platforms are emojis, used as codes to identify different factions, leaders and territories.
This phenomenon illustrates how cartels have adapted their language and strategies to the digital environment, complicating the work of authorities and technology companies.
In the context of the internal war of the Sinaloa Cartel, emojis have acquired a central role. On the one hand, “Los Chapitos”, led by the children of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, use the emoji of pizza as a reference to “La Chapiza”, nickname of his faction.
On the other hand, “La Mayiza”, which includes the allies of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, use emojis of sombrerorepresentations that allow their members and supporters to recognize their affiliation without having to mention explicit names or terms, which reduces the risk of being detected by the platforms’ algorithms.
The hat is linked to “El Mayo” Zambada, known for his penchant for wearing hats, which has earned him the nickname “El Señor del Sombrero.” This image has become a distinctive emblem of his faction within the Sinaloa Cartel.
Within these two factions, other subgroups are also distinguished, such as, within Los Chapitos, the emoji of the bandera from France. This association arises from the nickname of its leader, Jorge Humberto Figueroa Benítez, known as “La Perris”, and its phonetic similarity with “Paris”, the capital.
Another is the emoji of a arco represents the “Grupo Flechas”, a cell aligned with La Mayiza. Similarly, the Russian flag emoji is associated with “Los Rusos”, another of the groups that supports “El Mayo” Zambada. In this case the symbol refers to its founder, Juan José Ponce Félix, known as “El Ruso”.
The emoji of a lemon It is used to identify the “People of P1,” a group of hitmen affiliated with Los Rusos. This symbol refers to the nickname of its leader, Cipriano Alfonso Peralta Medina, known as “El P1” or “Poncho Limón”.
The emoji of a deer or deer represents the “People of Los Venados”, a group aligned with the Mayitos. This symbol alludes to Germán Villavicencio, known as “El Venado”, and César Villavicencio, nicknamed “El Venadito”, both leaders.
There is also the use of the emoji bead necklace, which is associated with the “Gente del Güero Pulseras”, a cell aligned to La Mayiza that is led by Jesús Esteban Machado Meza, known as “El Güero Pulseras”.
Another group related to Los Chapitos is Los Pelones. They make use of a black billiard ball or 8whose name refers to its founder, Omar Félix Loaiza, known as “El Pelón” or “El 8”. The nickname comes from their shaved head, a characteristic also adopted by many of the group’s original members, resembling a billiard ball.
The use of emojis is not exclusive to the Sinaloa Cartel. Other criminal organizations have developed their own digital symbols:
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) use the emojis of gallo and the letters “of”. These symbols refer to their leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho”, nicknamed “The Lord of the Roosters”.
Within this same cartel, the emoji of a bouquet of flowers represents the “Gente del Jardinero”, a group of hitmen affiliated with the four-letter group. This symbol alludes to Audias Flores Silva, known as “El Jardinero”, one of the main leaders of this criminal organization.
“Los Metros”, a faction of the Gulf Cartel, use the emoji of a ghosta reference to its relationship with iconography linked to the occult.
Likewise, the “Group Scorpion” makes use of an emoji of said animal. However, the emoji has also been used by members of La Mayiza in Durango and by “Los Deltas,” a cell affiliated with Los Chapitos in Sonora.
There is also the emoji of a swirl o cyclonewhich is associated with “Los Ciclones”, a faction of the Gulf Cartel (CDG).
The emojis of one of Japanese elf or demon They are used to represent “Los Chukys”, a group linked to the Northeast Cartel (CDN) and the Zetas. The group’s name refers to the character Chucky, the demonic doll from the horror film franchise.
The emojis of a strawberry and a fish are used to represent La Familia Michoacana. These symbols make direct reference to their leaders: José Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, known as “El Strawberry”, and Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, nicknamed “El Pez”. Both are key figures in this criminal organization.
The flags of Mexico and Guatemala are used to represent the Chiapas and Guatemala Cartel (CCYG). These emojis refer to the areas in which the group operates and the origin of its members.
On the other hand, the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, known by its leader José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, “El Marro”, uses the emoji of a red triangle and a hammer. The first refers to a region of its territory known as the “Bermuda Triangle” a key area for your operations; while the hammer refers to its leader, José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, nicknamed “El Marro”, a term that in Mexico is used as slang to refer to a heavy mallet or hammer.
Social media posts go beyond emojis. The videos and messages usually show weapons, armored vehicles, large amounts of money and luxury images, seeking to project power and attract young people. Explicit threats to rivals and celebrations of acts of violence are also part of this digital narrative.
On platforms like TikTok, narcocorrido songs accompany videos that glorify the leaders of the racketeering. These publications, in addition to serving as propaganda, reinforce the internal narratives of the cartels and send messages of intimidation to their enemies.
Platforms like X and TikTok face difficulties in detecting and removing this type of content, especially due to the creativity of cartels to circumvent censorship. Emojis, combined with ambiguous terms and the use of local languages, make it difficult for algorithms to identify suspicious posts.
In this context, social networks are not only a showcase for violence, but also a strategic tool that allows cartels to extend their influence and perpetuate their power.
