Latest news with #LosAlegresDelBarranco
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Los Alegres del Barranco Cancel Show in Michoacán for ‘Security Concerns'
Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco canceled their scheduled performance on Friday (May 30) in the municipality of Maravatío, in the Mexican state of Michoacán, citing security concerns, the group's spokesperson, Luis Alvarado, confirmed to Billboard Español. 'In agreement with the event sponsor, local authorities, state security agencies, and members of the band, it was decided to postpone the event due to security concerns,' Alvarado said in a brief statement, without providing further details about the postponement or a new date for the performance. More from Billboard A Timeline of Narcocorrido Bans in Mexico Shakira's D.C. Pride Concert Canceled a Day After Boston Show Is Called Off Niko McKnight, Brian McKnight's Estranged Son, Dies at 32 After Cancer Battle Previously, the event's sponsor, Chilangos Grill, had announced on Thursday (May 29) that the show would be rescheduled 'for reasons beyond the control of the company and the band.' Organizers reported that the concert was sold out. 'Our priority has always been and will continue to be the well-being and safety of our audience, artists, and everyone involved with the company, which is why a new date for the performance will be scheduled,' read the statement on social media. The group had recently secured a legal injunction allowing them to perform narcocorridos in Michoacán, despite a state decree that prohibits the dissemination of music or expressions that glorify crime in public spaces, which went into effect in April. Los Alegres del Barranco became the first act from the regional Mexican genre to be formally accused by the Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office of alleged glorification of criminal activities. Authorities in that state, located in western Mexico, are investigating the group after images of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho,' leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), were projected during their performance of the song 'El del Palenque' on March 29 at an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara. This incident even led the U.S. to revoke work and tourist visas for the band members, as announced on April 1 by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in a statement on X. The band, its representative, and the promoter are facing investigation from the Jalisco Prosecutor's Office for four performances in different municipalities of that state in which they allegedly glorified criminal activities, according to information published on May 9 by the same office. Ten out of Mexico's 32 states have implemented various bans against narcocorridos or any expression that promotes or glorifies criminal activities, though such bans have not yet become federal law. The cancellation of Los Alegres del Barranco's concert also comes after five members of Grupo Fugitivo — a locally known regional Mexican music group — were found dead in the state of Tamaulipas on May 29, four days after being reported missing. The deaths are allegedly linked to a faction of a drug cartel operating in that region of the country. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
The Guardian
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Mexican singer cancels show in Texas citing visa revocation
A popular Mexican singer had to cancel a concert in Texas scheduled for Saturday after the Trump administration allegedly revoked his visa, preventing him from entering the country. The singer, Julión Álvarez, was supposed to perform for 50,000 fans at the Arlington, Texas, stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play but was informed that his visa was revoked with no further information, according to a video statement he posted on Instagram. 'We don't have the ability to come to the US and fulfill our commitment to you,' the singer said. 'The event will be postponed, until we hear what comes next.' A state department spokesperson declined a request from CNN to comment on the visa status of Álvarez, who has been nominated for numerous Grammy and Latin Grammy awards. In April, the state department revoked the visas of members of another Mexican band, Los Alegres del Barranco, after they projected the image of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho', during a concert. El Mencho is the leader of Mexico's Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), which has been designated a terrorist organization by the Trump administration. Earlier this year, El Mencho's son was sentenced to life in prison by a federal judge in Washington for helping run the cartel. The alleged revocation of Álvarez's visa comes eight years after the musician's prior trouble with US authorities. The US treasury department sanctioned Álvarez in 2017 for allegedly working with a Mexican organized crime group allied to the CJNG, leading to the cancellation of a scheduled US tour. Álvarez has denied all allegations of ties to the cartels. In June 2022, the sanctions were removed and he was permitted to re-enter the US to perform. Now it appears he is in the US government's crosshairs once again. Others in the Mexican music world have also been targeted by US officials for alleged criminal ties. In March, the chief executive of Del Records, Ángel Del Villar, was found guilty by a federal jury in Los Angeles of working with a Mexico-based music promoter who was laundering money for the CJNG. Another prominent Mexican singer, Gerardo Ortiz, had pleaded guilty to related charges and testified against Del Villar, his former boss. The music promoter in question, who had laundered money for the criminal groups, had previously pleaded guilty in the US. He was murdered in Mexico City in December. The Trump administration has reportedly also started to revoke the visas of prominent Mexican politicians that US authorities believe have ties to drug-trafficking organizations. So far, two Mexican politicians have publicly acknowledged their ban from the US: Marina del Pilar Ávila, the governor of the state of Baja California, and her husband, former congressman Carlos Torres Torres. ProPublica reported this month that there is a list of prominent political figures who are being targeted by the US for visa revocations. The list of officials, compiled recently by the White House, reportedly overlaps with another 2019 list compiled by DEA agents of allegedly corrupt Mexican officials. That year, Mexico's then president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, severely limited DEA agents' work in the country, infuriating the agency, which saw it as an attempt to block its work in attempting to stem the flow of fentanyl. The DEA still operates in Mexico, alongside other US law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and others.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Mexican band's bizarre excuse after Trump banned them from US for honoring drug lords during concert
A member of Mexican band barred from performing in the US after blaring images of cartel leaders at a concert blamed the show's producers and claimed the group had protested the display beforehand. Los Alegres del Barranco singer Pavel Moreno said the band expressed their displeasure when pictures of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Ruben 'El Mencho' Oseguera and jailed Sinaloa Cartel cofounder Joaquín ' El Chapo ' Guzmán were flashed on the screen behind the stage during walk-through at the Telmex Auditorium in Zapopan, Jalisco hours before the March 29 concert. 'During the rehearsal, we said, "Hey, the images are a little too strong, aren't they?" Moreno recalled during an interview with Mexican journalist Luis Chaparro on the YouTube program 'Pie de Nota' on Sunday. 'We did tell him we didn't agree, but by the time we realized it, at the concert, it was all over.' Footage of the concert showed Los Alegres del Barranco getting ready to sing its hit narcocorrido, or drug ballad, 'El Del Palenque,' when multiple pictures of El Mencho displayed on the screen. They included mugshots, which were taken during El Mencho's arrests in California, followed by a sketch of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader. Images of the infamous drug lord El Chapo were also shown during the concert. Moreno stressed that the band never paid homage to any of the cartel honchos. 'What I can also emphasize is that it was not a tribute to anyone ever in my life,' he said. At least 10,000 people attended the concert at the Telmex Auditorium, which is owned by the University of Guadalajara, and located about 35 miles from where authorities discovered a death camp operated by El Mencho's criminal network. Moreno claimed that Los Alegres del Barranco, whose members are all natives of the neighboring state of Michoacán, were not aware of the proximity between the concert venue and the death camp. 'We're not from this state, we didn't know the news was so strong, the impact it had,' he said. 'Maybe we heard a little bit, but we weren't really in the loop. If they had told us, "Don't sing corridos," believe me, we wouldn't have sung.' The band's performance didn't sit well with the Trump administration. The US Department of Homeland Security revoked the work and tourist visas of its four members on April 1. The Jalisco State Attorney General's Office launched an investigation and charged Los Alegres del Barranco, their manager and the concert promoter with glorifying crime on May 12. They each were ordered to pay $10,000 and are required to present themselves in court once a week while the legal process plays out. 'No one has explained to us yet where the apology lies. The song doesn't encourage crime, it doesn't incite violence,' Moreno said. 'It's a narrative, like many others.' 'We respect the law, even though we disagree with the judge's ruling,' he added. 'But we have never committed a crime. We are musicians, not criminals.' Moreno argued that 'El Del Palenque,' which was released in 2021, was performed on many occasions and never drew any condemnation. 'No one has explained to us yet where the apology lies, he said. 'The song doesn't encourage crime, it doesn't incite violence. It's a narrative, like many others.' The group had been slated to perform five shows in Texas, California and Oklahoma and do three promotional appearances in April before the Trump administration announced its ban. El Mencho's Jalisco New Generation Cartel was among six cartels designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist in February 2025. It is considered the most powerful in the country, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration's 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment. The report indicated that the cartel has a presence in 24 of Mexico's 32 states and its capital, Mexico City, as well as every state in the US. The US government is currently offering a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of El Mencho, one of the 10 most-wanted men by the FBI list.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Los Alegres del Barranco Will Face Formal Charges Over Cartel Lyrics, Imagery in Jalisco
Los Alegres del Barranco will face formal charges in a Jalisco court after being accused of glorifying crime during their now-infamous March concert in Zapopan. A judge in the Mexican state ruled on Monday that the band must remain in Jalisco and pay a hefty guarantee amid their criminal proceedings over the allegation. The criminal proceeding affects all four band members, along with the group's manager and concert promoter, and accuses them of glorifying the criminal activities of cartels. More from Rolling Stone Megan Thee Stallion's Attorneys Want Tory Lanez Held in Contempt for Making 'Mockery' of Court Los Alegres Del Barranco Apologize Over Cartel Kingpin Visual as U.S. Revokes Their Visas Eminem's Ex-Employee Charged With Selling Rapper's Unreleased Music The six people charged will have to attend weekly court appearances, pay a guarantee of approximately $15,500 per person accused, and they'll have to stay in Jalisco for the following three months, according to Rolling Stone en Español. (The band was given an exception to perform preplanned shows on May 30 and June 6 and 27.) The band's spokesperson, Luis Alvarado, defended the band to the press outside of the courtroom, calling for the group's right to freedom of speech. 'All of us who tell stories, whether with a pencil or an accordion, have the right to do so. If those stories make someone uncomfortable, that shouldn't take away our right to freedom of expression,' Alvarado said. 'This process will take a long time, but we are strong. We will continue to fight for our rights. The group remains united, we are grateful to those who support us.' The band was accused of making reference to Ricardo Ruiz Velazco, or 'El Doble R,' during its corrido of the same name, and 'El Del Palenque.' During a recent show, the band played an instrumental version of the song and displayed the lyrics onscreen like karaoke. The band has continued to play its narcocrrodiso and obtained legal permission in Michoacán to freely perform its songs, despite state law that prohibits music that glorifies crime. In early April, the band issued an apology after the State Department revoked the band members' visas for displaying a visual of a cartel kingpin during the Zapopan show. 'As a musical group, it was never our intention to create controversy, much less to offend. We acknowledge that, as artists, we have a great responsibility to our audiences, especially to the new generations who follow our music,' the band wrote. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Los Alegres del Barranco Obtain Legal Protection to Sing Narcocorridos in Michoacán
A federal judge granted an injunction on Friday (May 9) to musical group Los Alegres del Barranco, allowing them to sing narcocorridos in the Mexican state of Michoacán despite a state decree that prohibits the dissemination of music or expressions that promote the glorification of criminal activities in public spaces since last April. The legal measure, identified as injunction case number 518/2025 and to which Billboard Español had access, was filed on April 28 by a representative of the Mexican band. With this ruling, Los Alegres del Barranco will be able to sing narcocorridos provisionally in the state without facing penalties, as the federal judge determined that the decree violates fundamental rights to freedom of speech and labor protected under the Mexican Constitution. The band's next show in Michoacán is scheduled for May 30 in the municipality of Tziritzicuaro. More from Billboard A Timeline of Narcocorrido Bans in Mexico Alice in Chains Cancel Tour After Drummer Sean Kinney's 'Medical Emergency' - UPDATE 'Monster' Hit: Volbeat Tops Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart For now, the ruling only benefits Los Alegres del Barranco. The federal judge has scheduled a new hearing for May 15 to decide whether the temporary suspension granted to the group will be upheld or revoked. The government of Michoacán enacted a state decree on April 17 that prohibits the performance and/or reproduction of music that promotes the glorification of criminal activities at public events. The regulation includes musical genres derived from regional Mexican music, such as corridos tumbados, narcocorridos, progressive corridos, war-themed corridos, and altered corridos, as well as any other subgenre that promotes illicit acts or glorifies criminal activity. The Michoacán government announced that it would file an appeal against the judge's decision to overturn the prohibition for the musical group, according to the newspaper Reforma. Billboard Español attempted to contact the Secretariat of Government of Michoacán for comment but has yet to receive a response. Billboard Español is also awaiting responses from the Federal Judiciary Council and representatives of the musical group. Los Alegres del Barranco became the first act from the regional Mexican genre to be formally accused by the Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office of alleged glorification of criminal activities. Authorities in that state, located in western Mexico, are investigating the group after images of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho,' leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), were projected during their performance of the song 'El del Palenque' on March 29 at an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara. This incident even led the U.S. to revoke work and tourist visas for the band members, as announced on April 1 by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in a statement on X. A federal judge will now decide whether or not to initiate legal proceedings against the members of the band, their legal representative, and the promoter of their concerts in a hearing scheduled for Monday (May 12). The band, its representative, and the promoter are facing investigation from the Jalisco Prosecutor's Office for four performances in different municipalities of that state in which they allegedly glorified criminal activities, according to information published on Friday (May 9) by the same office. Ten out of Mexico's 32 states have implemented various bans against narcocorridos or any expression that promotes or glorifies criminal activities, though such bans have not yet become federal law. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
