I don't believe most of the stories that come with these videos. I think the original people who found them online make shit up when they upload them for clicks, and then the video spreads along with the fake back story.
Edit: OK, this back story was legit. I didn't realize it was the cartel forcing them to do it. The cartel videos usually have legit stories behind them, especially CJNG. They proudly upload and boast about all gory details, just like ISIS.
Mexico's Jalisco cartel releases video showing final distressing moments of kidnapped college stude… https://mol.im/a/12417537 via https://dailym.ai/android
@OP yes, you would do it. I would do it. Of course, neither of us "would do it" as we're sitting in front of our screens and watching those scenes, but having shotguns pointed at you (or, worse, blades near your throat), you'd most certainly do it. You'd 120% do it, if you'd have the guarantee that, by doing it, they'd let you live and you'd 100% do it, if you'd have the certainty that, after doing it, you're going to be killed too, but by means of getting shot in the head instead of being, slowly, chopped to pieces. Of course it would be hard to live your whole life (which might as well be just another 10 minutes) with the fault of committing such atrocity towards your friends, but it you'd find a way. You have no idea what people are willing to do just to keep living. In my country we have a poet who wrote "before death all living beings tremble". Of course, all sane beings. Whatever you'd like to tell yourself, you're able to say that solely because death never stood in front of you and looked you in the eyes with its empty sockets : )
Stab his heart, perhaps... and then stab my own, because them wankers would definitely wanna' do awful things to me for not giving them a show they wanted.