U.S. revokes visas of Mexican band for glorifying drug cartel leader
- Los Alegres del Barranco projected an image of cartel leader El Mencho during a concert in Jalisco.
- This led to visa revocations by the U.S. State Department and investigations by Mexican authorities.
- The incident highlights the ongoing cultural debate about narcocorridos and their effects on society.
In early April 2025, Los Alegres del Barranco, a Mexican band performing narcocorridos, sparked controversy during a concert in Zapopan, Jalisco, when they projected the face of drug cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Ramos, known as 'El Mencho', onto a large screen. This incident led to public outrage, prompting the U.S. State Department to revoke the work and tourism visas of the band members citing national security concerns. The revocation of their visas is part of broader efforts by U.S. authorities to address the influence of criminal organizations, especially since the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has been named a foreign terrorist organization. In light of the event, Mexican prosecutors launched investigations to determine whether the band's actions amounted to glorifying a criminal and violent lifestyle. This controversy reflects a larger cultural debate in Mexico regarding narcocorridos, a genre of music that narrates stories about drug traffickers and has both supporters and detractors who see it as either a reflection of societal realities or a glorification of violence. Several Mexican states have responded by imposing bans on public performances of this genre, intensifying the ongoing discussions on how Mexican society should confront the portrayal of drugs and violence in music, and what the implications are for artists involved in such expressions.