• Director(s):

    GOHARI (Alex), MATTEI (LEO)

  • Producer(s):

    NOVA PRODUCTION, ARTE GEIE

  • Territories:

    Worldwide.

  • Production year:

    2020

  • Language(s):

    German, English, French

  • Rights:

    TV, DVD, NON-THEATRICAL, INTERNET, VOD

In Mexico, the coronavirus crisis is weakening an already faltering state. This creates an opportunity for cartels to extend their power and influence by playing the Good Samaritan.

More than half of those who were living hand to mouth in the underground economy now find themselves without a source of income. As the health and social emergency worsens, Mexican drug mafias are taking advantage of the situation by helping those the state cannot. The virus’ spread has severely disrupted drug trafficking. So while they are waiting for business to pick up again, the criminals are restoring their social image and ridiculing the authorities.
Cartel “good deeds” videos are posted daily on social networks. They show hooded and heavily armed men distributing food in the most remote and deprived areas of the country. Anti-bacterial gel, bags of food and even cash; the contents of the parcels distributed, stamped with the donors’ logo, vary according to the criminal groups. But the objective remains the same: to attract the local population’s sympathy and support while demonstrating the Mexican government's inefficiency.