{"id":2682,"date":"2011-10-07T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-10-07T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fpisani.wpengine.com\/mexico-social-networks-against-narcos-1\/"},"modified":"2011-10-07T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-10-07T07:00:00","slug":"mexico-social-networks-against-narcos-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.francispisani.net\/en\/mexico-social-networks-against-narcos-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Mexico: Social networks against narcos – Francis Pisani"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\"mexico<\/a><\/div>\n

Mexican web users are perhaps in the process of creating, however gropingly, something new: using social networks to make up for the absence of civil society acting against the government and against narcos. Paradoxically, it is those in power who, with their preoccupation with social networks, show the phenomenon\u2019s power.<\/p>\n

First, institutions<\/strong>. In the beginning of September, the state of Veracruz\u2019s government\u00a0sentenced two Twitter users to prison, accusing them of terrorism<\/a>\u00a0for having tweeted erroneous information about a narco attack on a local school. The accusation was so ridiculous that they had to be freed before a\u00a0new law was approved<\/a>\u00a0(article in Spanish), punishing \u201cdisturbances of public order\u201d caused by spreading rumors over social networks. This is serious.<\/p>\n

Several days later, two mutilated bodies were found hanging from a bridge in the city of Neuvo Laredo, along with a sign saying \u201cThis is what\u2019s going to happen to all internet snitches. Watch out. I\u2019m watching you. Signed, Z.<\/a>\u201d (article in Spanish) \u2018Z\u2019 is a reference to Zeta, the narco group (drug cartel) formed by ex-military personnel. On October 4th, the corpse of a journalist and blogger was left with a message\u00a0saying more or less the same thing<\/a>\u00a0(article in Spanish).<\/p>\n

Linking the two is not the wild claim some might\u00a0 think.<\/strong>
Relationships between narcos and government institutions are not rare.\u00a0Ernesto Priani<\/a>, professor of philosophy at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, revealed to me that he is not \u201cconvinced that the narco is the other, the enemy, no matter what the president \u2013 has who \u2018declared war on them\u2019 \u2013 says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cacique (the local political boss) has become a narco, so has the neighborhood leader, who could be their cousin or uncle,\u201d Priani explains. \u201cThe structure is not well-defined, but it is intimately linked to structures that we know. It includes invisible elements of power, as well as those that are visible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those in power are thus in fear, and express this fear by punishing people however they see fit. The Zeta form of communication, through mutilated corpses and signs, can be efficient. But they are facing a complex, and in some ways new, animal.<\/p>\n

The movement (not to suggest organization), is more and more widespread, with at least two faces. Numerous Mexicans circulate news\u00a0to help each other survive, as shown in the New York Times<\/a>. It\u2019s real-time information that matters.<\/p>\n

There are also those who use social networks to continue to disseminate information<\/strong>, providing an important type of public service, one that traditional media tends to neglect. Among these relays are @sanjuanamtz, @nomassangremx and @mxfallido.<\/p>\n

Can social networks contribute to long-term awareness? Can they be useful against invisible powers that are even more difficult to fight, since they\u2019ve infiltrated everything?<\/p>\n

This usage, very particular to the situation in Mexico, is even more fascinating to me because the answer is so unclear.<\/p>\n

If you have any ideas on this subject, do not hesitate to share them.