About this Video

• Video Title: El Cártel Chamula y la explotación sexual en comunidades tzotziles
• Channel: MILENIO
• Speakers: Óscar Valdés (reporter), Interviewer (unidentified)
• Duration: 00:07:53

Introduction

This MILENIO video discusses the Cártel Chamula, an indigenous cartel in Chiapas, Mexico, and its involvement in the sexual exploitation of women, particularly minors. The interview features a reporter who has investigated this issue, detailing the cartel's methods, its connections to larger cartels, and the challenges in combating this crime.

Key Takeaways

• The Cártel Chamula is the first and only known indigenous cartel in Mexico. It operates in Chiapas and is involved in the sexual exploitation of women and minors.
• The cartel produces and distributes pornographic content ("ETN porno") featuring indigenous women and children, often using drugs to coerce victims.
• The cartel leverages the vulnerability of displaced or marginalized individuals, including those expelled from their communities for religious reasons.
• The cartel operates with a degree of impunity due to its armed wing ("los motonetos") who make the area inaccessible to authorities.
• The conservative nature of the communities and the shame associated with reporting the crime make prosecution extremely difficult.

The Cártel Chamula uses drugs, specifically a cheap and highly addictive variant of cocaine called "cristal," to coerce victims into participating in the production of pornographic videos. They initially offer a sample dose, leading to addiction. Once addicted, the victims are compelled into a "barter" system, exchanging sexual acts for continued drug access. This creates dependence and removes the possibility of consent.

The Cártel Chamula's origins trace back to the Sinaloa Cartel's attempts to control the southern border in the year 2000. Initially, members of the Zetas defected from the Sinaloa Cartel and sought protection, offering their expertise in illicit markets. Eventually, the Cártel Chamula also broke away from the Sinaloa Cartel, forming its own independent operation, though it initially used the Sinaloa Cartel's methods and strategies. It currently maintains an independent structure but seems to be composed of former members of larger cartels and displaced individuals.