Mexico investigates video of alleged cartel-linked recruits in Ukraine war

Reporting and context

Mexico’s government is investigating a video that appears to show men in military clothing praising the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday. The recording has raised questions about the possible recruitment of Mexican nationals as mercenaries in the war involving Russia and Ukraine, although the video’s authenticity and the identities of the men have not been established.

According to El País México, the footage shows men speaking Spanish in a forest while wearing military equipment. One voice refers to a man in the video as having been part of “La Chapiza,” a name associated with a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, while another voice praises the CJNG. The men also mention Mexico, Colombia and Panama.

Sheinbaum said authorities were examining whether the men were recruited by a private company, a government or another armed force, and whether any recruitment was coerced. El País México reported that Mexico had not asked its Foreign Ministry to seek information from Ukrainian authorities about the people shown. The report also cited broader cases of Latin American former soldiers being recruited through WhatsApp and Facebook groups since 2024, but it did not establish that the men in the video belong to any specific military or criminal organization.