In Mexico, men armed with assault rifles watch as their colleagues distribute groceries to a crowd of women. The men record footage of their relief distribution, claiming the aid packages come from an unnamed crime boss said to "run things" in the city of Apatzingan.

Various criminal groups in Mexico take advantage of the pandemic by placing themselves in positions with the most leverage.

Two decades of successive Mexican administrations have proven themselves incapable of eradicating illegal armed groups as they continue to expand their territories and control, bringing worsening levels of conflict.


Taking Over

According to a local research group, there are close to 200 criminal groups in Mexico, most of which are responsible for the surging homicide records in recent years.

In 2019, over 34,500 homicides were recorded. It was the bloodiest year since modern record-keeping began in the 1990s. The first half of the previous year saw 95 murders each day. In December 2019, Mexican authorities reported 127 fatalities in a single day.

Rival crime factions continued to clash throughout March and April despite lockdown measures. More than 2,585 homicides were recorded in March alone.

Experts warn the government that criminal groups will take advantage of the crisis and rise to power. At the same time, authorities concentrate resources on controlling the spread of the pandemic.

A criminal group reportedly "instructed" local government officials to set up a food bank where their men can take charge of organizing hand-outs.


Alejandrina Guzman, daughter of notorious Sinaloa drug overlord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, posted a video on a social media platform the previous week. The footage featured her and several other women distributing "Chapo packages" of toilet paper and other necessary supplies.

Analysts say the criminal groups were using the lockdown policies to build up political capital.


Self-styled Public Defenders

Mexico's criminal groups and drug cartels are known for persecuting the areas they rule over. They exert heavy tolls of businesses and civilians through illicit acts such as extortion, kidnapping, and violence.

However, when the state fails to provide security to the public, the groups act as guardians and protectors. Their self-styled public defender act draws residents into their orbit.

This behavior is sometimes used to garner local support---a force that can insulate them against hostile incursions from state officials.

Mexican cartels are not the only ones stepping up amid the COVID-19 crisis. Organized criminal groups in other Latin American countries, including Colombia and Brazil, have also displayed their might despite strict quarantine protocols.



On April 7, a large funeral procession made its way through a suburb in Medellin. Hundreds joined to commemorate Edgar Perez Hernandez, better known as "El Oso."

Hernandez was the head of a powerful criminal gang in Medellin who reportedly died of a heart attack while in jail on April 6. A local newspaper said members of the crowd applauded the criminal leader while others fired shots into the air.

Experts say cartels are also affected by the stay-at-home policies. The lockdowns have closed businesses where they rely on for supplies. The border closures also made it harder for the groups to smuggle drugs.

Despite being affected by the COVID-19 crisis, the continued violence will likely present a challenge to state authorities who are already stretched thin due to health emergencies across Latin American nations.


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