Inside Mexico's growing army of child cartel assassins

Key Concepts

• Minors in Organized Crime: The increasing recruitment of children and adolescents into drug cartels.
• Vulnerability Factors: Reasons why young people are susceptible to cartel recruitment, including poverty, broken homes, parental absence, and desire for belonging or revenge.
• Cartel Advantages: The benefits cartels gain from employing minors, such as shorter sentences for crimes and ease of manipulation.
• Recruitment Dynamics: The process by which cartels attract young people, often driven by financial incentives and a sense of purpose.
• Rehabilitation and Prevention: Strategies proposed to address the issue, focusing on providing alternatives and support for at-risk youth.

Surge in Minors Joining Drug Cartels in Mexico

There is significant concern in Mexico regarding the escalating number of young people joining drug cartels. Experts, law enforcement, and even cartel members themselves have indicated a surge in child recruitment into organized crime over the past five years.

Statistics on Child Involvement

• US Bureau of International Labor Affairs: Estimates that approximately 30,000 minors in Mexico are already involved with criminal groups.
• Advocacy Organizations: Warn that up to 200,000 children are considered vulnerable and at risk of being lured into cartel activities.
• Child Protection Groups: Estimate that between 250,000 and 400,000 minors across Mexico could be at risk of cartel recruitment.
• Leading Children's Groups Coalition: States that hundreds of thousands more are at risk of involvement.

Case Study: Ciudad Juárez

John Hullman traveled to Ciudad Juárez, identified as one of Mexico's most violent cities, to gain insight into the issue. He had a rare opportunity to speak with young individuals involved in cartel activities.

"Guero," a 14-Year-Old Hitman

• Background: "Guero" (a nickname) is a 14-year-old who works as a hitman for a criminal group in Juárez. He visits a roadside chapel dedicated to the "saint of death" for protection.
• First Kill: He committed his first killing a year prior. Initially, the act caused him significant guilt and distress, lasting for about two weeks.
• Current State: He has since carried out numerous killings, to the point where he no longer feels much remorse.
• Operations: He works in groups with other children, carrying out kidnappings and killings, which he refers to as "missions."
• Motivations for Kidnapping/Killing: "We kidnap them for things they do like being involved in the same business, stealing money, or not paying for drugs. We go after them to kill them."

"Flaco," a 15-Year-Old Hitman

• Perspective on Recruitment: "Flaco," another 15-year-old hitman, acknowledges the ease with which children are recruited. He states, "An adult will think twice. They're offered a certain amount and it'll seem like nothing to them. They're more aware. They catch on faster. But when you're a kid and someone says, 'I'll pay you 5,000 pesos.' It seems like a ton. So they rope us in easily."
• Financial Incentives: Cartels do not need to force children into joining; they are attracted by the money. Flaco earns approximately $200 per week, with an additional $650 for a successful hit.
• Sense of Belonging: Beyond financial gain, many young recruits come from broken homes or have lost their parents, seeking a sense of belonging and purpose. Flaco's parents are in prison, and Guero's father was a cartel leader who was killed. Guero expresses a desire for revenge: "I wanted revenge to find the man who did this to my dad and kill him. I still feel it now."

Cartel Advantages in Employing Minors

Multiple sources on both sides of the law agree that criminal groups have recognized the utility of employing children and adolescents.

• Legal Loopholes: When minors are detained by police, they are aware that their sentences will be significantly shorter than those for adults, allowing them to rejoin the cartel quickly. This is a considerable advantage for cartel leaders.
• Ease of Manipulation: Children are perceived as easier to manipulate than adults.

Recruitment Dynamics: "They Come to Them"

Experts, law officials, and recruits consistently state that cartels do not need to actively trap children; the young people often approach the cartels themselves. The primary drivers are financial incentives and a desire for belonging or revenge.

Proposed Solutions and Government Response

• "Mix," an Ex-Teenage Gangster: Now teaching at-risk youth, Mix emphasizes the need for a nationwide plan to intervene before gangs recruit children. He advocates for:
  • Providing sports facilities and art programs.
  • Investing in these resources for vulnerable youth.
  • Reclaiming spaces in high-crime areas, such as parks.
  • Requiring the involvement of civil society, schools, families, and the government.
• Government Stance: The Mexican government has acknowledged the issue and expressed similar sentiments. However, a unified and focused plan to help children avoid or escape cartel involvement has not yet been implemented.

Despair and Lack of Future Prospects

For individuals like Guero and Flaco, the situation is dire, and they express a sense of hopelessness.

• Guero: "I don't see a long future ahead for me because of all the things I've done. I don't feel anything anymore. I feel like if I die, I'll be with my family." He anticipates his remaining years can be counted on one hand, with death being his only perceived hope.

The report highlights the critical and urgent nature of the problem of child recruitment into Mexican drug cartels, driven by a complex interplay of economic hardship, social vulnerability, and the strategic advantages offered to criminal organizations.