Narco ballads, or corridos, are being discouraged in Mexico
Controversial Narcocorrido Performed at Mexican Festival
A controversial narcocorrido titled "Dámaso" was performed by popular Mexican singer Gerardo Ortiz at a Barbacoa festival in Actopan, a town north of Mexico City. The concert, which was the highlight of the festival, saw the audience, dressed in traditional cowboy attire and heavily intoxicated, showing their enthusiasm throughout the performance.
The narcocorrido, which implies a connection between Ortiz and the Sinaloa cartel, is about Dámaso López, alias "El Mini-Lic," a former baron of the Sinaloa cartel. The lyrics of the song also mention Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, a longtime close associate of López Núñez, also known as "El Licenciado," who was a advisor to Guzmán in the Sinaloa Cartel.
During the concert, Ortiz declared, "Yes, Sir, I am Dámaso, son of the 'licenciado,' I've always had the support of Culiacán and its inhabitants!" This statement further fuelled discussions about the normalization of narcocorridos in mainstream culture.
The presence of the mayor of Actopan backstage during the concert raises questions about the role of local authorities in promoting controversial music. Despite the controversies surrounding the song, the audience did not miss a word of the performance, even while consuming liters of beer.
It is important to note that "El Mini-Lic" is directly related to El Chapo as the son of his former advisor Dámaso López Núñez. "El Licenciado" was considered a potential successor to El Chapo after his 2016 arrest but was later arrested himself in 2017. His son, "El Mini-Lic," emerged as a cartel figure involved in ongoing conflicts against the Guzmán family faction and has faced U.S. court charges related to fentanyl trafficking as recently as 2025.
The conflict within the cartel reportedly led to violent confrontations resulting in over 140 deaths from 2016 to 2017, primarily along Mexico’s Pacific coast. This underscores the serious implications of glorifying drug trafficking in music and the potential danger it poses to society.
[1] BBC News. (2017). El Chapo's son-in-law arrested in Mexico. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-41142898
[2] Insight Crime. (2018). Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel: A New Generation of Leaders. [online] Available at: https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/mexicos-sinaloa-cartel-new-generation-leaders/
[3] Reuters. (2017). Mexico arrests son of drug kingpin 'El Chapo' lieutenant. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-security-drug-idUSKBN1E4290
[4] Al Jazeera. (2017). Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel in turmoil after 'El Chapo' lieutenant arrested. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/mexico-sinaloa-cartel-turmoil-el-chapo-lieutenant-arrested-170110084441488.html
- The controversy surrounding Gerardo Ortiz's narcocorrido performance at the Barbacoa festival, as he publicly declared his association with the Sinaloa cartel, has sparked discussions about the normalization of such music in the realm of general-news.
- The lyrics of Ortiz's narcocorrido, "Dámaso," which mention El Chapo and El Licenciado, suggest a connection to the ongoing conflict within the Sinaloa cartel and the serious implications of this glorification in the entertainment industry, as evidenced by the violent confrontations and subsequent deaths from 2016 to 2017.
