Introduction
Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old TikTok influencer with 95,000 followers, was tragically shot during a live stream in her exclusive Zapopan salon. This incident highlights the growing violence against social media celebrities in Mexico, including threats and murders by drug traffickers.
Valeria Márquez’s Final Moments
Moments before being shot, Márquez expressed her fear, stating, “Maybe they’re going to kill me.” The video captures the last moments of her life as she interacted with fans in her beauty salon, located in an affluent area of Zapopan, a municipality near Guadalajara plagued by frequent homicides.
- A man off-camera asks, “Are you Valeria?”
- She responds nervously, “Yes.”
- She turns off the microphone and collapses seconds later from gunshots.
- A woman calmly stops the recording afterward.
Dressed in a pink sleeveless top and holding a stuffed pig she recently received as a gift, Márquez appeared uneasy about the mysterious present and potential kidnapping threats, a common crime in Jalisco often resulting in the victim’s disappearance.
Authorities’ Perspective
Jalisco authorities are investigating the incident as a feminicide, asserting there’s no evidence linking Márquez to organized crime. However, security consultant David Saucedo believes it was a feminicide that should be investigated as such, pointing to rumors about Márquez’s social media connections to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Contextualizing Violence Against Women in Mexico
Gender-based violence is a pressing issue in Mexico, with 70% of women over 15 experiencing some form of aggression at least once in their lives, according to UN Women.
Adding feminicides and dolosous homicides, the average number of murders of girls and women is 10 per day, as reported by the UN.
Objectives of Criminal Activities
Mexico boasts some of Latin America’s most popular influencers, such as Kimberly Loaiza and Luisito Comunica, who have amassed tens of millions of subscribers and followers on YouTube and Instagram through music and travel content.
However, the digital realm has also seen controversial figures linked to criminal organizations. On January 9, reports emerged of a plane dropping threatening flyers in Culiacán targeting around 20 artists and YouTubers for alleged ties to Los Chapitos, one of the factions battling for control of the Sinaloa cartel founded by detained Joaquín “Chapo” Guzmán.
- Four of these individuals were marked as “eliminated,” including influencer Jesús Vivanco (“Jasper”), shot in November 2024, nearly a year after the U.S. accused him of cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking.
- Singer Peso Pluma, whose corridos were involved, has not commented on these intimidations.
- The Sinaloa cartel war has resulted in over 1,200 deaths since September last year.
According to Saucedo, influencers have become part of the criminal organization’s structure, playing roles such as political and criminal event informants, money laundering associates, or romantic partners of criminals.
With over 90% impunity, Saucedo is pessimistic about resolving Márquez’s murder, especially if the perpetrators are high-profile criminals.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who was Valeria Márquez? A 23-year-old TikTok influencer with 95,000 followers who focused on beauty content.
- What happened during her live stream? Márquez was shot while interacting with fans in her salon during a live stream.
- Why are authorities investigating it as a feminicide? Due to the nature of her death and concerns about potential links to organized crime.
- What is the context of violence against women in Mexico? High rates of gender-based violence, with 70% of women experiencing some form of aggression at least once in their lives.
- What are the objectives of criminal activities against influencers? Influencers may be involved in various capacities within criminal organizations, such as informants or romantic partners of criminals.
