The Mexican government has confirmed that a National Guard member who published a viral video accusing his superiors and fellow troops of colluding with a drug cartel was found dead alongside two other victims, according to Breitbart News.
Eduardo Perez Bustos, a National Guardsman stationed in the coastal state of Guerrero, recorded a video last week in which he identified himself and alleged that many of his colleagues were on the payroll of a local cartel known as Los Tlacos. In the footage, Perez Bustos claimed the troops received roughly 100,000 pesos (about $5,900 USD) every two weeks to target and take action against a rival organization called Los Ardillos, which was attempting to expand its control over parts of rural Guerrero.
The soldier went further, naming several specific National Guard troops he said were working for the cartel. He also asserted that local and state-level authorities were complicit in the corruption.
Just days after the video began circulating widely in Mexico, the National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) released a statement confirming that Perez Bustos was one of three murder victims discovered near the town of Plan de Lima in Guerrero. The military said it had deployed troops to hunt down those responsible for the killings.
In the same statement, SEDENA listed a series of prior arrests made by the military targeting Los Tlacos, Los Ardillos, and yet another organized crime group known as Los Rusos. However, the statement made no direct reference to the corruption allegations raised by the deceased soldier.
The murder of Perez Bustos highlights the extreme risks faced by security personnel who speak out against cartel influence within Mexico’s law enforcement and military institutions. Guerrero, a state long plagued by cartel violence and political corruption, has become a flashpoint for such internal conflicts.
Breitbart News reported that the video’s content, which named active members of the National Guard as cartel operatives, raised serious questions about the extent of cartel infiltration into Mexico’s security forces. The fact that the soldier was killed shortly after making those claims public has fueled concerns of possible retaliation.
As of this report, no arrests have been announced in connection with the triple homicide. The Mexican military’s response has focused on the broader fight against the cartels, without addressing the specific allegations of corruption made by the slain guardsman.
The case is likely to renew scrutiny of Mexico’s National Guard, a force created under the administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and tasked with combating cartel violence. Critics have long warned that the force could be vulnerable to cartel infiltration, and this incident may amplify those concerns.
Breitbart’s Cartel Chronicles project, which covers cartel activity and border security issues, noted that the Guerrero region has seen intense turf battles between Los Tlacos, Los Ardillos, and other groups vying for control of drug trafficking routes and other criminal enterprises.
The death of Eduardo Perez Bustos serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of whistleblowing in Mexico’s ongoing drug war. His video, which circulated widely on social media, exposed not only cartel activity but also alleged government collusion—a volatile combination that has proved deadly for other journalists and officials in the past.
The National Defense Secretariat has pledged to investigate the murders, but the lack of direct acknowledgment of the corruption claims in its official statement suggests a cautious approach. The military may be wary of admitting to cartel penetration within its ranks, particularly at a time when the government is seeking to project strength in its security policies.
For now, the families of the three victims await answers, while the country grapples with the implications of a soldier who paid with his life for speaking out.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/09/09/mexican-soldier-publishes-video-exposing-cartel-corruption-is-murdered/