The US State Department abandoned the work and tourist visas of members of the Mexican corridor group Los Alegres del Barranco after the group posted photos of Nemesio drug lord daresgue cervantes will During his concert in Guadalajara, Mexico.
During their show on March 29 at the University of Guadalajara, the group put an illustrated representation of Cervantes – a key actor of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) – on a mega -screen while playing their song “El Dueño del Palenque”. The incident videos were captured on social media.
The actions of the State Department ended the group's plans to tour in the United States, which would have started on April 4 in Tulsa, Okla, and included a judgment of May 25 in the county of the Pico Rivera Sports Arena.
Tuesday, Christopher Landau, the deputy secretary of state, confirmed the report on X.
“I firmly believe in freedom of expression, but that does not mean that the expression should be exempt from consequences,” said Landau in his post. “A Mexican group, Los Alegres del Barranco, represented of images glorifying the King 'El Mencho' drug – CJNG chief of CJNG Grotesnement violent – during a recent concert in Mexico,” he wrote.
“I am pleased to announce that the State Department has revoked the working and tourism visas for group members.
A month before Landau's announcement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the State Department has appointed eight cartels and transnational organizations – including the Jalisco New Generation cartel – as a specially designated foreign terrorist and terrorist organizations.
The criticism of Los Alegres del Barranco came on both sides of the border because there were increase public outcry In Mexico on the praise found for the bosses of crime in regional Mexican music. One of the vocal criticisms of the group's actions was the president of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum.
“It shouldn't happen. It's not good,” said Sheinbaum about the incident on March 31 press conference. “You cannot apologize for violence or for criminal groups.” The president also asked that there was an investigation into what happened during the concert.
But this is not the first time that the CJNG has been associated with regional Mexican artists.
Last month, A federal jury Condemned the director general of DEL Records, a label based in Bell Gardens who produces Música Mexicana, of a conspiracy in order to violate the ankle status
In April 2018, Ángel Del Villar and his entertainment agency worked with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a music promoter based in Guadalajara who had been penalized by the Treasury Department, according to proofs presented in court.
The officials of the Treasury Department declared at the time that Pérez had whitened money for drugs for the CJNG and an affiliated traffic group, Los Cuinis.
Pérez was accused of having concluded the benefits of traffickers with legitimate income from ticket sales and refreshment. He also promoted singers from Narcocorridos, ballads that criticisms say the “glorifying” the traffickers and their crimes said the treasury officials.
Pérez had previously pleaded guilty of conspiracy to do business with sanctioned persons related to drug trafficking. He promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019. He was murdered in Mexico in December 2024.
According to the office of the American lawyer, Del Villar and Del Entertainment deliberately did business with Pérez “continuing to have A Musical Artist from Del Entertainment Unlock during concerts in which Pérez and Del Entertainment had a financial interest. »»
In a statement published by E-mail, Dellar's legal team said it was strongly disagreed with the verdict on March 27 and planned to appeal. Del Villar is expected to be sentenced on August 15 and risks up to 30 years in prison at each charge. Del Entertainment will be sentenced to a sentence of five years of probation and a fine of $ 10 million for each charge.
Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.
