US revokes band members' visas in the face of wanted Mexican cartel leader projected on concert

The U.S. State Department projected the visas of Mexican band members onto the big screen during a weekend show in West Jalisco.

U.S. Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who was the U.S. ambassador to Mexico during the first Trump administration, said on social media late Tuesday that he had revoked work and tourist visas for members of Los Alegres del Barranco.

Visa Revocation Following widespread anger at the concert in Mexico, prosecutors in both states have investigated projected images, and how a larger nation estimates how to deal with the rise of pop genres of romanticized drug cartels.

“I firmly believe in freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean that expression should have no consequences. The last thing we need is a welcome mat for those who are hostile criminals and terrorists.”

The controversy broke out over the weekend Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes During the concert, a falling fire was cast behind the band. Then point the directions in the band, concert producer and venue.

Oseguera is the head of Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which is linked to ranch authorities, said it was used to train the cartel's recruits and possibly dispose of the bodies in Jalisco state, where searchers found fragments of human bones, clothes and shoes. The U.S. government has provided $15 million in rewards for information that led to Oseguera's arrest. In November, his son was Arrested in California North of the border “living a luxury life” after U.S. officials say he faked his death.

Jalisco Cartel is one of other crime groups in Mexico Specified As a foreign terrorist organization under the Trump administration.

While the applause was received during the concert, prosecutor Jalisco quickly announced that they were calling bands to testify in the investigation to investigate whether they were promoting violence, a crime that could result in up to six months in prison. The Micho State also announced an investigation into Los Alegres del Barranco for projecting the same image at a concert in Uruapan.

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus said the state would ban gloriously violent musical performances, adding that violators would “face monetary and criminal sanctions.”

“We know that anger is not enough,” Remus said. “Of course it's possible to ban (music).

As many future performances of the band were cancelled, the government of a town said the show “no municipal permit” to perform the show.

The band’s accordionist and backup singer Pavel Moreno did not answer fans’ questions, asking if his visa had been revoked, simply thanking them for their support and saying “everything is good.”

The band was scheduled to perform in Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 4. Although the event has not been publicly cancelled, the ticket sales website reads: “No tickets are available on our website now.”

“You can’t justify violence or criminal groups”

The dispute coincides with the larger cultural debate in Mexico, as artists such as Peso Pluma, Fuerza Regida and Natanael Cano incorporate a global renaissance of Mexican regional music by mixing classic folk songs with trap music. In 2023, Peso Pluma defeated Taylor Swift to become the most popular artist on YouTube.

Many artists are now criticized for their lyrics often portraying cartel leaders as Robin Hood-like characters. Others say the genre, known as “Narco Coridos”, expresses the harsh reality of many young people in Mexico.

Music performances have been banned in recent years in many Mexican countries, and in recent years it was in the state of Nayarit in February. Some of these bans were the cause of death threats from famous artists from cartels, forcing many of them to cancel their performances.

Others, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, seek a way to target the type of aggressiveness. Opposing the censorship of music, Sheinbaum suggested that the Mexican government has promoted initiatives to promote music in the Mexican region and to more socially acceptable lyrics.

Mexican leaders made worse language on the topic after the Los Alegres del Barranco concert. In a morning news briefing this week, Sheinbaum asked for an investigation into the concert, saying: “You can't justify violent or criminal groups.”

In December, a video posted on social media in a small town in Michogan Prefecture in western showed a sign at the Christmas fair Thanks to the leader of Jalisco Cartel Gift.

“The children of Coalcoman thank Mr. Nemesio Oseguera and his sons 2, 3 and Delta 1 for their noble gestures. Thank you for your gift,” the sign read.

Sheinbaum said any possible contacts between local officials and the sign were being investigated at the time.