Banco Azteca sues YouTubers: why and who are the defendants

MEXICO CITY.- Banco Azteca , owned by businessman Ricardo Salinas Pliego , filed a civil lawsuit against seven journalists and YouTubers linked to the 4T , alleging that their publications on social networks caused "property and moral damages" to the institution.

The legal action has sparked an intense debate about freedom of expression and the responsibility of communicators on digital platforms.

Banco Azteca filed the lawsuit before a civil judge in Jalisco , arguing that the defendants' criticism on social network X affected its reputation and caused it to lose “millions of dollars.”

Among those named are: Jorge Gomez Naredo, Victor Aramburu, Vicente Serrano, Sandra Aguilera, Hans Salazar, Ignacio Rodriguez, known as "El Chapucero", and Miguel Angel Pelayo.

One of the key points of the lawsuit is the content of Vicente Serrano 's posts, who, according to the legal document, which he shared through his social networks, would have stated on several occasions that Banco Azteca was bankrupt or at imminent risk of falling into insolvency .

Among the statements attributed to Serrano, the following stand out: “There is a strong campaign going around on social media asking people to withdraw all their savings from #BancoAzteca, supposedly due to the danger of imminent bankruptcy.”

The legal document argues that such publications lack evidence and that a “minimal and reasonable exercise of investigation” would have demonstrated the bank's solvency.

Banco Azteca also claims that these comments affected its honor and good reputation , demanding financial compensation for the damages caused.

While some defend the right to criticize, others argue that spreading false information about an institution's financial stability can lead to real financial losses and damage to its reputation.