Narco-mantas o el confín de lo criminal

Abstract

This article draws upon J. L. Austin's speech act theory for a textual analysis of "narco-banners"-public messages signed by criminal organizations. In these short and fragmentary texts, it is possible to perceive the emergence of an incipient political discourse. In particular, these banners display an idea of justice, a search for public legitimacy, and fragile attempts to occupy the voice of a popular "We." The distinction between the criminal and the political is at stake in the interpretation of the violence that these banners attempt to impose.