"Never stepping in Mexico": Zacatecas flaying video resurfaces online, leaves users scarred

Modified Dec 11, 2023 11:16 GMT

A flaying video that was filmed in Mexico’s violence-ridden state of Zacatecas has resurfaced online. Research on Google Trends shows that netizens have expressed interest in the video, leading to it being circulated online. Several internet users expressed distress once they watched the clip. One Reddit user said:

Netizen reacts to the viral flaying video (Image via Reddit)

YouTuber Plagued Moth was one of the many who released the Zacatecas flaying video. In July, he released a 13-minute-long clip titled The Zacateca Flaying, Worse Than FunkyTown? I Goremas In July. The content creator narrated what took place in the disturbing video. He also showed netizens the shocking video, which he blurred on his channel.

At the time of writing this article, the YouTuber’s video had amassed over 160K views.

Trigger Warning: The following article contains disturbing content. Reader’s discretion is advised.

Some netizens claimed that the victim was pushed to the ground while his limbs were tied. Before the shocking flaying, he was also reportedly under the influence of substances, which would have likely eased the pain. According to netizens, the victim was not heard shouting in pain as Zacatecas cartel members tortured him.

“Compared to this, a simple bullet to the head is a mercy kill”: Internet users express distress as Zacatecas flaying video resurfaces online

As the video was released on YouTube in July, as mentioned above, netizens could not fathom what they had watched. Despite the flaying being blurred, many shared that the act was still very much visible. Several people expressed that they were scarred after watching the video. Others said that it was jarring to see the victim not shout in pain. A few reactions to Plagued Moth’s video read:

Netizens react to the distressing video (Image via Plagued Moth/YouTube)

Who was behind the flaying?

Reddit users claim that Mexico’s Cartel del Noreste was behind the flaying. According to Historica Fandom, the cartel is also called the Northeast Cartel. It was reportedly founded in 2014 by Juan Gerardo Chavez Trevino.

The Zacatecas cartel was formed after Los Zetas’ leader, Omar Trevino Morales, was arrested. Due to a power vacuum, Los Zetas split into two fractions, the Old School Zetas and the Cartel del Noreste, who frequently battled with each other. The cartel not only fought with the Old School Zetas but also Nuevo Laredo, Gulf Cartel, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

According to El Pais, Zacatecas has been plagued with wars between cartels and intense violence for years. In September, seven friends and cousins between the ages of 14 and 18 were kidnapped by armed men.

In an extortion attempt, the cartel members shared a video of the victims walking down a hill to their families. Sadly, six of the kidnapped boys were killed, with only one managing to survive. In August, five police officers were kidnapped and found dead in Zacatecas as well.

Speaking about the kind of men who join the cartels, Carlos Perez Ricart from the Center for Economic Research and Teaching revealed that often, men between the ages of 17 and 24 who live in poor urban areas and those who lack opportunities get recruited. Typically, the recruits are also survivors of shootings. Sometimes, the recruits are reportedly forced to join the cartels.

According to Mexico United Against Crime, there have been 4548 victims of homicide and femicide in the last five years in the state. There have also been 2371 people who have suffered from kidnappings, illegal detentions, and other forms of crime against humanity in Zacatecas in the past five years.

Edited by Shreya Das