The main goals are to glorify actions of the drug cartels and their lifestyle, gain control of the Mexican society to the highest extent possible, and to recruit new, educated, high-class members to increase their power even further.
These drug cartels' use of propaganda and scare tactics are used in precise, complex, and clever ways to get the most out of every action, resulting in their enormous power.
They also distribute narco-flyers, used for the same purposes as the narco-banners, by handing them out to people, scattering and posting them around cities, and leaving them near the bodies of homicide victims.
It was shut down by the government after threats were made by cartels in the form of a message left on the bodies of two unidentified homicide victims.
Cartels use high impact, often dramatic communication methods to threaten opponents, announce new policies, and, most importantly, to seek grassroot support.
Deceased drug gangsters have often been honored with tombs of ivory with elaborate paintings to illustrate their contribution and alliance to a particular cartel.
"[11] Also, there are narcomantas (e.g. threats or explanations of criminal activity, left on a cloth banner), narcoblockades, narcomanifestaciones (demonstrations) and narcocorridos.
The music video, El Movimiento alterado,[12] describing the Sinaloa cartel's drug violence, received three million hits on YouTube.
Con un cuerno de chivo y bazuka en la nuca volando cabezas al que se atraviesa With an AK and a bazooka taking aim blowing off the heads of whoever gets in the way[13] The group Los Tucanes de Tijuana has now been banned from the city of Tijuana for having a close relationship with a drug cartel.
Siguen duro trabajando, no hay poder que los detenga, si los siguen provocando pagaran las consecuencias, ya les han dejado claro que sus plazas se respetan Continue working hard, no power to stop them, if you keep provoking them you will pay the consequences, they have made clear that their places are respected[citation needed] Examples of narcocorridos from artist Mario "El Chachorro" Delgado include:
Su cartel ya lo conocen le llaman La Vecindad los contrarios por envidia lo han querido asesinar pero el "8" no está solo su gente sabe trozar His cartel is well-known it's called La Vecindad His jealous enemies want to take him out but "8" isn't alone his people are killers, too The song titled, "El Mercenario", have the following lyrics:
Con la camisa bien puesta del jefe Ismael y don Joaquin Guzman defendere el monasterio el legado, el imperio, que lograron crear R con R cigarro soy un Mercenario a la hora de pelear With the shirt on straight Chief Don Joaquin Guzman and Ismael will defend the monastery, the legacy, the empire, who managed to create R with R cigar I'm a mercenary, time to fight[14] These are a few examples of the narco-corridos.
The threats included using vehicle IEDs against the U.S. consulates which would be carried out by La Linea, Juárez's cartel enforcer group.
[28] Knights Templar propaganda maintains a soft tone to civilians, however, when they murder gang rivals, they use a much more aggressive approach.
[30] In addition, the administrator of the chat site, Nuevo Laredo en Vivo, which is used to share safety and security information, was killed and decapitated.
Their stories of disinformation include ones that discredit the Mexican army, spreading rumors about human rights abuses and exaggerating any misdemeanors by the government forces.
As a result of this, cartels rely on propaganda and other psychological warfare tactics to gain support and recruit new members.
[32] Cartels also recruit "straw buyers", individuals that do not have prior criminal records to buy weapons from licensed dealers.
[32] Cartels attack the education system and its inability to produce role models, idols, or opportunities for young adults.
Cartels provide an alternative for the kids by joining the narcoculture and protracting it as life of money, power, respect, expensive cars, and exciting lifestyle.
Being a cartel with experience in paramilitary operations, they give young recruits the opportunity to join a training program much like a military boot camp.
Media outlets have agreed to follow measures to "avoid turning criminals into heroes or victims, as this helps build support with the populations".
They depicted teams of federal officers, military men, and government personnel bringing peace to Mexico by taking down the drug gangs.
The Mexican government uses these comics to send a message to the youths that "only through strong institutions will Mexico achieve a true and lasting security".
Other counter propaganda campaigns include public service announcements, anti-narcocorridos, and short documentaries about importance of rule of law and democracy.
Drug Cartels use of propaganda also takes a psychological toll on the people of Mexico, including the Mexican culture and their society as a whole.
These threats are a form of psychological warfare because either through coercion or scare tactics they are influencing their targets perceptions, attitudes, and behavior.
[5] Society is always aware of the drug cartels presence, in places where many Americans may feel safe like in schools and medical clinics.
The culture changes significantly as well since many Mexicans live in constant fear, unable to operate some customs that was previously the way of life.
The goal of these different types of psychological attacks, is to limit discussion of the drug cartels in mainstream society, make people fear them, and finally to decrease citizens time outside the home.