Of all the online conflicts involving Anonymous, the cyber-activist movement born on 4chan, the one with Mexico’s Los Zetas cartel is particularly notable. More than 10 years ago, after the disappearance of one of their members in the Los Zetas stronghold of Veracruz, Mexico, the young Anonymous movement launched an online vendetta against the cartel and its associates, provoking the fury of the organization. This is the story of an online conflict that escalated to the point of forcing the cyber-activists to retreat – a rare occurrence.
Anonymous vs Los Zetas: Genesis of a conflict
The conflict between Anonymous and Los Zetas goes back to 2010, during the peak of the cyber-activist group’s movement. Born on the online forum 4chan, Anonymous gained global attention through the online actions and cyberattacks it carried out in the name of internet freedom. The group launched campaigns against the Church of Scientology and Operation Payback, targeting opponents of internet piracy.
Anonymous’ global reach and elusive nature allowed it to launch massive operations. On December 18, 2010, the group initiated Operation Paper Storm, a global event aimed at spreading awareness of the suppression of free information.
Anonymous activists took to the streets of the United States, Europe, Russia, and Latin America, posting flyers about the issue. The operation proved extremely dangerous in some countries, particularly Mexico, where drug cartels hold power in certain areas.
That night, an Anonymous activist was kidnapped in Veracruz, marking the first event in a conflict between Anonymous and the Mexican cartels.
The group’s member was captured by Los Zetas, one of Mexico’s most powerful and dangerous cartels. Established by former members of Mexico’s special forces, Los Zetas experienced a rapid rise to power in the early 2000s due to their military expertise and brutality. The cartel was involved in several massacres, including the San Fernando massacres and the Casino Royale attack, which resulted in hundreds of victims.
Anonymous threatens one of the most dangerous Mexican cartels
Accustomed to taking on countries, multinationals, and high-profile individuals, 4chan members and Anonymous did not hesitate to use their formidable tactics against Los Zetas. In an online video published a few months after the kidnapping, the group publicly threatened the Mexican cartel.
“We want you to know that you have kidnapped one of our members while they were carrying out #opPaperstorm in our city. We demand their release […] We are tired of the Zetas criminal group that has been dedicated to kidnapping, stealing, and extorting in various ways,” begins the video’s virtual speaker. In the video, Anonymous threatens to target one of the drug cartel’s most valuable assets: its collaborators.
“We are tired of the journalists and newspapers […] of the taxi drivers, commanders, and municipal police-Zetas in Córdoba, Xalapa, Orizaba, Nogales, and Río Blanco. For now, we will not publish the names and photographs of the taxi drivers, journalists, or newspapers, nor of the police officers, but if necessary, we will publish them, including their addresses, to see if the government arrests them,” the statement continued before ending on a threatening note: “We all know who you are and where you are. You made a big mistake by taking one of us. Release them, and if anything happens to them, you sons of bitches will remember this November 5.”
Los Zetas reacts
When the Mexican cartel failed to respond to Anonymous’ demands, the group decided to take action. In a new online operation named #OpCartel, they accused Gustavo Rosario, a government official, of being involved in discussions about a cocaine deal. They hacked his website and posted a message that read, “Gustavo Rosario is Zeta.”
The operation caused a significant stir in Mexico, as few dare to directly confront the powerful cartels. While the initiative was praised by some, many warned about the immense danger of taking on Los Zetas. The intelligence agency Stratfor cautioned that members of the group could no longer hide behind anonymity, as the cartel had the resources to hire top hackers to track them down.
The story, however, took an unexpected turn. In a message posted on the Anonymous Iberoamerica blog, the collective announced, “Today, our anonymous companion held by the Zetas cartel has been freed.”
But the release came with a stark warning from the Mexican cartel: “If Anonymous reveals any name related to the cartel, the family of the anonymous member held will suffer the consequences for each name of the cartel revealed,” adding that 10 people would be killed for any identity leak.
In a final statement, Anonymous announced how it intended to respond to the cartel’s threat. “The collective of Anonymous has decided by consensus that the information we have will not be disclosed for the moment, as we understand that we cannot prevent the threats that involve innocent civilians who have nothing to do with our actions,” it announced.
The story of the Anonymous’ challenge to the Los Zetas cartel has acquired a legendary, almost mythical status. Although widely reported, many have questioned its veracity, noting that there were no reports of missing persons in Veracruz at that time, and the chronology of some videos does not align with Anonymous’ online campaigns. The videos and messages posted online remain, nonetheless, as enduring evidence of one of the most tense and closely followed internet clashes.