Mexico’s top security official is trying to downplay a cartel-produced video purportedly showing an armored paramilitary unit. The unit includes a large contingent of cartel gunmen wearing high-end tactical gear and posing by what appears to be dozens of factory-made armored trucks and SUVs. The release of the video comes just one day after Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador visited the region.
The incident took place Friday afternoon as suspected members of Mexico’s Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion leaked a two-minute-long video. The video shows what appears to be hundreds of gunmen in military-style uniforms next to a long line of armored SUVs. The video also reveals a large contingent of gunmen who are perhaps better armed and equipped than Mexico’s own security forces.
In the video, the men shout their allegiance to CJNG, praise their leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, and claim to be part of a special forces unit from the cartel.
Details of the video have not been made public. However, several security officials claim the video comes from Jalisco. The timing of the video raises questions about CJNG openly challenging the government as just one day earlier, Mexican President Lopez Obrador visited that state as part of a work visit.
Just hours after the video surfaced, Mexico’s Public Security Secretary Alfonso Durazo took to social media to claim that authorities were analyzing the video to determine its authenticity.
The top security official also claimed that despite the appearances of the video, no criminal organization has the capability to successfully challenge Mexico’s government.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
Tony Aranda from Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report