El Chapo’s daughter and Mexican drug cartels hand out coronavirus aid

One of the daughters of famed drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and several Mexican cartels have been doling out aid packages to help cash-strapped residents ride out the coronavirus pandemic.

On a video shared on Facebook, Guzman’s daughter, Alejandrina, can be seen stuffing toilet paper and food into a cardboard box bearing slick logos and a designer stencil-style image of her father, the former Sinaloa cartel chief who is now in a maximum-security U.S. prison.

The oil, sugar, rice and other items in the boxes, which the video narrator calls “Chapo’s provisions”, were distributed in Mexico’s second largest city, Guadalajara, in western Jalisco state.

Alejandrina’s handout was linked to her company, which legally markets clothing and alcohol associated with her father’s image under the “El Chapo 701” brand.

However, active members of cartels have also been courting publicity, with images and video on social media showing gang members providing succor to local residents.

A Reuters witness on Thursday visited an “El Chapo 701” warehouse, which was stacked with boxes to be distributed around Guadalajara. Some workers wore medical-style facemasks bearing the El Chapo image.

“We are working and contributing. A great pleasure to visit your homes and give you these Chapo handouts,” said a post on the company’s Facebook page showing Alejandrina, wearing a black facemask with Chapo’s face, handing out parcels.

Several Mexican cartels have given away branded food boxes in recent days.

In one video shared on social media, dozens of people can be seen tussling for packages stamped with the logo of the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG).

A printed logo on the boxes states: “From your friends, CJNG, COVID-19 contingency support”.