Mexico digital racism shifts from jokes to political confrontation

A new study titled ‘Racistómetro’ reveals that digital racism in Mexico has evolved from class-based jokes into a tool for political confrontation and criminal association. Conducted by civil organizations including Fundación Interpreta, the report analyzed 14,153 mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter) between January 2010 and December 2025.

Data analyst Catalina Rolle noted that racial insults are frequently used as political weapons, often without the perpetrators recognizing them as racist. The study identifies three distinct stages of digital racism in the country:

• 2010–2015: Racism was primarily driven by humor and social class prejudices. • 2016–2020: Racial insults became political tools, coinciding with the polarization surrounding the election of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. • 2021–2025: There has been an increase in comments linking skin color to criminal activity and violence.

The research categorizes these expressions into six areas, including colorism, ethnocentrism, the invisibility of Afro-Mexican identity, and racialized classism.