The United States Department of State withdrew the work and tourist visas of the members of the Mexican Corrido Band Los Alegres del Barranco after the group showed photos of the Nemesio Oreguera Cervantes in its concert in Guadalajara, Mexico.
During its March 29 show at the University of Guadalajara, the band put an enlightened representation of Cervantes, a key player in the new generation of Jalisco (CJNG), on a mega screen while playing their song “The owner of the Palenque”. The videos of the incident were captured on social networks.
The actions of the State Department finished the band's plans to tour the US.
On Tuesday, Christopher Landau, Undersecretary of State, confirmed the report in X.
“I firmly believe in freedom of expression, but that does not mean that the expression is free of consequences,” Landau said in his position. “A Mexican band, the cheerful of the ravine, portrayed images glorifying the Kingpin drug 'El Mencho' – Head of the CJNG poster grotesquely violent, in a recent concert in Mexico,” he wrote.
“I am pleased to announce that the State Department has revoked the work and tourism visas of the band members. In the Trump administration, we seriously take our responsibility for the access of foreigners to our country. The last thing we need is a welcome carpet for people who extol criminals and terrorists.”
A month before Landau's announcement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared That the State Department designated eight posters and transnational organizations, including the poster of the new generation of Jalisco, as specially designated foreign terrorist organizations and terrorist terrorists.
The criticism of the joy of the ravine came from both sides of the border, since there has been increase public shout In Mexico about the praise found for the chiefs of crime in Mexican regional music. One of the vocal criticisms of the band's actions was the president of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum.
“That should not happen. It is not well,” Sheinbaum said about the incident for March 31 press conference. “You cannot apologize for violence or criminal groups.” The president also requested that there be an investigation of what happened at the concert.
But this is not the first time that CJNG is associated with regional Mexican artists.
Last month, A federal jury Condemned to the Executive Director of Del Records, a stamp based in Bell Gardens that produces Mexican music, to conspire to violate the Kingpin statute that prohibits US residents and companies from doing business with known drug traffickers and their associates.
In April 2018, Ángel del Villar and his entertainment agency worked with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a music promoter based in Guadalajara who had been sanctioned by the Department of the Treasury, according to the evidence presented in the Court.
Officials of the Department of Treasury said at that time that Pérez had washed drug money for the CJNG and an affiliated traffic group, the cuinis.
Pérez was accused of combining the profits of traffickers with legitimate income from ticket sales and refreshments. He also promoted narcocorridos singers, ballads that critics say that traffickers “glorify” and their crimes, declared treasure officials.
Pérez declared himself guilty of conspiracy to do business with sanctioned people related to drug trafficking. He promoted concerts for Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019. He was killed in Mexico in December 2024.
According to the Office of the United States prosecutor, Villar and Entertainment did business voluntarily with Pérez “by continuing to have A musical artist of entertainment Acting in concerts in which Pérez and Entertainment had a financial interest. “
In a statement issued by email, Villar's legal team said they disagree with the verdict on March 27 and plan to appeal. Del Vilar will be sentenced on August 15 and faces up to 30 years in prison for each position. From the Entertainment will face a five -year sentence of probation and a fine of $ 10 million for each count.
The Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.
