Before last weekend, most expats in Mexico had probably never heard of the band Los Alegres del Barranco, a ranchera outfit from Sinaloa that often performs “narcocorridos” — narrative ballads that recount the exploits of drug traffickers.
Their name has since become one of the most Googled in recent days.
The band made headlines following their March 29 concert at the Auditorio Telmex in Zapopan, when they projected mugshots of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” on a large screen behind the stage. The images accompanied a song which extolled Oseguera as “a man of war who loves his family.”
Outrage began within hours of the concert’s conclusion, as videos were widely shared on social media. The fallout was swift.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus was among the first to respond, stating, “This shouldn’t happen in our state or anywhere else.”
Calling for an investigation, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum added, “It’s not right … We can’t glorify violence or criminal groups.”
In response, Lemus quickly ordered the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office to investigate whether any laws had been broken by displaying the images. Under the Jalisco Penal Code, both the band, the concert promoters and the venue could face sanctions.
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