Grupo Firme, a prominent Mexican band, calls off its U.S. performance, citing visa suspensions initiated by the Trump administration.
The US authorities have revoked visas for several Mexican musicians playing the genre of 'narco-corridos', a music style perceived to glorify cartel violence. The latest artist to be affected is Grupo Firme, who announced the cancellation of their performance at a California music festival over the weekend due to visa issues. This move comes shortly after the discovery of the bodies of five Mexican musicians along the Texas border.
Gruppo Firme's visa review by the US Embassy has made it impossible for them to perform at the La Onda Fest in Napa Valley, California on June 1. The band's Instagram account revealed this development, albeit without revealing long-term implications for the group. The US Embassy in Mexico, on the other hand, remains tight-lipped on the matter, citing confidentiality according to US law.
This visa suspension is part of a series of actions taken by the administration of US President Donald Trump targeting Mexican artists in the 'narco-corridos' genre. In some cases, these artists have depicted cartel leaders as almost heroic figures, causing controversy while also addressing the harsh realities faced by Mexican youth caught in cartel violence.
Two months prior, the Mexican musical group Los Alegres del Barranco was sanctioned after projecting images of a Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader at a concert in Jalisco.
The genre's controversial nature extended beyond Mexico. Mexican artists have been targeted by criminal groups who pay them to compose and perform songs glorifying their leaders. These musicians often live in close proximity to their cartel patrons, sometimes becoming entangled in turf battles.
A recent example was the tragic event on Thursday, when the bodies of five musicians from Grupo Fugitivo were found, two days after their alleged kidnapping. Nine suspects believed to be associated with the Gulf Cartel, which has a strong presence in the city, have been arrested.
The debate over 'narco-corridos' has reached the highest levels of government. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum launched a music contest promoting peace and countering addiction, aiming to reduce the popularity of the music among young people in Mexico and the US. Several regions in Mexico have even banned the genre, leading to a recent riot during a concert.
Incidents involving musicians being targeted by cartels have been ongoing for years. In 2018, armed men kidnapped two members of the musical group Los Norteños de Río Bravo, whose bodies were later found. In 2013, 17 musicians from the group Kombo Kolombia were executed by alleged cartel members in Nuevo Leon, presumably due to links with a rival gang.
[1] Grupo Firme Cancels California Performance after US Government Suspends Visas, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/grupo-firme-cancels-california-performance-after-us-government-suspends-visas-n1231356[2] Mexican musicians refused visas to perform in US, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-music-visas/mexican-musicians-refused-visas-to-perform-in-us-idUSKCN1PW2FN[3] US Official Says Visa Revocations for Mexican Musicians Promoting Cartels a Matter of National Security, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/us-official-says-visa-revocations-mexican-musicians-promoting-cartels-matter-n870616[4] Mexican Music Controversy: What is Narco-Corrido?, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39699073[5] Mexico's Controversial Narco-Corrido Music Line in Crosshairs of US Government, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/mexico-s-controversial-narco-corrido-music-line-crosshairs-us-government-n1143726
- The US government's decision to revoke visas for Mexican musicians playing 'narco-corridos' has extended beyond just Grupo Firme, causing a controversial debate about the genre's potential impact on national security and youth culture.
- Amidst this heated debate, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum launched a music contest promoting peace and countering addiction, aiming to reduce the popularity of 'narco-corridos' among young people in Mexico and the US.
- The genre's controversial nature has made it a target not just for US authorities, but also for Mexican criminal groups, with several musicians being targeted or even killed for composing and performing songs glorifying cartel leaders.
