The Deputy Secretary of State stated that glorifying criminals harms public safety and will not be tolerated.
**US Revokes Visas for Mexican Band Over Drug Cartel Praise**
**US Revokes Visas for Mexican Band Over Drug Cartel Praise**
U.S. action follows a concert where Los Alegres del Barranco glorified a notorious drug lord.
The U.S. State Department has taken a significant stand against the glorification of crime, revoking visas for members of the Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco. This decision came after the band displayed an image of the infamous drug kingpin, Nemesio Oseguera Ramos—commonly known as El Mencho—during a concert in Mexico. El Mencho is the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a group recently classified as a "foreign terrorist organization" by the Trump administration due to its extensive criminal activities.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau emphasized the seriousness of the U.S. government's stance on such matters, asserting that allowing glorification of known criminals undermines public safety. His comments on social media resonated with concerns about promoting a culture that praises violence and lawlessness.
Los Alegres del Barranco were gearing up for multiple performances across the United States, including venues in Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, and California. The band’s music, categorized under the norteño genre, has garnered a large following in areas with significant Mexican-American populations. However, the controversy erupted after the band projected El Mencho's image while performing a song that valorized him as a “man of war who loves his family.”
The performance coincided with troubling revelations surrounding the CJNG, as recent investigations unveiled a ranch allegedly used for training and extermination by the cartel, where disturbing artifacts, such as abandoned shoes and bone fragments, were discovered.
President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico has criticized the band's actions, stating that such occurrences "shouldn't happen" and demanding an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, the lead singer of Los Alegres del Barranco responded positively to the attention, expressing gratitude for the support received from fans.
Narcocorridos—songs that praise drug lords—have become a controversial aspect of Mexican music culture, often reflecting the complex relationship between entertainment and drug trafficking in the region.
