The popularity of these songs to the glory of the cartels embarrasses the Mexican authorities. The “Narcocorridos” (“Narcoballades”) recently made the headlines of international news, after the concert of a singer known for his ballads picking up the drug traffickers turned to riot on Friday evening. The artist had indeed announced that he would not interpret these songs, in accordance with the law.
Songs that unleash passions
The incident took place in the city of Texcoco, in the State of Mexico City (Center), during the concert of Luis R. Conriquez, several songs of which praised the leaders of the Sinaloa cartel. Video images broadcast by the press and by spectators show the singer to explain to the public, under the hoots, that he would not interpret these “narcocoridos”. “This is a law that must be respected,” he said. I too feel bad not to sing you what you want to listen to. »»
The furious public then begins to launch objects towards the scene, following which the singer and his musicians leave the room under the jibes and projections of all kinds. About twenty spectators rushed on the stage and demolished musical instruments, screens and sound equipment, before a melee with the vigils who came to prevent them.
Songs prohibited in several states in the country
The singer’s impressario, Freddy Pérez, explained on Instagram that Conriquez had complied with an order from the authorities not to sing “narcocorridos”. The situation “turned to violent assault against our artist, his musicians and his work team,” he said.
The government of the State of Mexico City confirmed the incident, specifying that there had been no wounded, and repeated its appeal to the municipalities so that they prevent any “apology for violence, or reference to characters linked to criminal acts or to the consumption of narcotics” during shows. In addition to that of Mexico City, other states, including those of Nayarit (West), Basse-California (northwest), Chihuahua (North) and Quintana Roo (Southeast), as well as several municipalities across the country, have prohibited this type of song.
The president prefers “a social consensus” to the ban
The growing popularity of “narcocorridos”, as well as its variants called “tumbados” or “belicicos”, is a phenomenon that embarrasses President Claudia Sheinbaum which launched a binational music competition “for peace and against addictions” intended for young people in Mexico and the United States. The latter also judged on Monday that it was “absurd” to ban this very popular genre in Mexico, preferring “consensus” for “words do not make drugs apology”.
“We do not prohibit a musical genre, it would be absurd. We propose that words do not praise drugs, violence, violence against women or to see women as sexual objects. “Our position is to build a social consensus that should not praise violence. We refer to songs, but also to television series, ”she added.
