U.S. Identifies Key Figure in Cartel Propaganda Network
The U.S. government has publicly named a major operator of a cartel propaganda network tied to one of Mexico’s most notorious terrorist groups. This individual presented himself as a human rights activist, gaining credibility through frequent citations by international news organizations, which have, perhaps unintentionally, amplified his pro-cartel messages.
This announcement corroborates earlier reports from Breitbart Texas, which had already highlighted the individual’s connections to the Los Zetas Cartel del Norest faction.
Jesús Raimundo Ramos Vázquez, who claimed to lead a local human rights organization, was actually orchestrating a “CDN disinformation campaign” aimed at undermining Mexican authorities, according to the latest information from the U.S. Treasury Department.
U.S. financial officials contend that Ramos was merely using human rights allegations as a cover to defend cartel members. There are claims that he paid individuals to protest against authorities, all in a bid to create misleading narratives that would protect the reputations of cartel members who had been killed or arrested. For over ten years, Ramos has worked to shift public opinion in favor of Los Zetas while discrediting Mexican law enforcement actions against the cartels.
Breitbart Texas began tracking Ramos and his organization, the Nuevo Laredo Human Rights Commission, back in 2019. The group propagated a narrative suggesting that Tamaulipas state police were responsible for the kidnappings and murders of innocent factory workers, alleging they staged crime scenes while posing as cartel gunmen. In reality, state police were targeting and neutralizing a cartel strike team. This misinformation was widely disseminated by both Mexican and international news outlets. Facing the ensuing media backlash, the Mexican federal government intervened, compelling state police to cease cartel enforcement and even sought to prosecute them for alleged extrajudicial killings.
As noted by Breitbart Texas, Ramos is specifically mentioned in Mexican court documents as an official linked to the cartel, receiving payment for promoting its propaganda and safeguarding its interests.
