The birthday of local representative for the Citizen Movement (MC), Luis Octavio Vidrio Martínez, which was celebrated last Friday, June 6, in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, sparked a wave of criticism after the release of a video in which singer Chicho Castro can be heard performing narcocorridos in honor of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho” and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
During the celebration, which was attended by other legislators from his local party and Mayor Gerardo Quirino Velázquez himself, the artist—known for his repertoire, which includes the famous war corridos—sang “Let the Game Begin,” a song that directly references the “Cartel of the Fourth Letters.”
A fragment of the song reads as follows:
“A bunch of devices… CJNG to put it briefly… we are people from the Lord of the Roosters.” Elsewhere, the following can be heard: “I’m from the old school. If I don’t have a gun, I’m out of my depth.”
These images, released by Milenio Televisión and journalist Alex Domínguez, show Chicho Castro pouring tequila into the mouths of several attendees. This outlet and journalist estimate that the event cost more than 200,000 pesos, as does a presentation priced between 150,000 and 300,000 pesos.
Although the event was private, controversy erupted due to the political and legislative context in which it took place, amid a state process to ban content glorifying criminals from public events.
Jalisco “Hardens” Stance on Music that Exalts Drug Trafficking in Mexico
Just last March, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro signed an executive order prohibiting artists who glorify crime from participating in public events organized by the state:
“Earlier today, I signed an executive order… any group or singer who has a history of glorifying crime will not be able to perform in a public event sponsored by the state government. That’s over,” declared the governor of the Mexican National Assembly (MEC).
Lemus Navarro made it clear that the measure will apply to venues such as the Telmex Auditorium, the Plaza de Toros, and bullrings. The measure was supported by a legislative initiative his administration sent to the state Congress to formalize this ban through legal reforms.
Representative Brenda Carrera García, from the National Electoral Commission (MEC), introduced a bill to reform the state’s Penal Code and toughen penalties for condoning crimes at entertainment venues:
“The goal is clear: to curb content that glorifies organized crime, which affects the perception of young people and contributes to normalizing violence,” Carrera said.
Meanwhile, Julio Hurtado, a local representative for the National Action Party (PAN), proposed that city councils be required to review the content of shows before granting permits. This is part of a joint effort to “reclaim public spaces as zones free of drug-related advocacy.”
Jalisco is one of ten states in the country that have implemented measures against narcocorridos, although their effectiveness remains debated. At the federal level, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has rejected a total ban, although she has supported initiatives to prevent the “glorification” of violence:
“We are not banning a musical genre; that would be absurd… we want the lyrics to not glorify violence,” he said recently.
Ultimately, for Governor Lemus, the goal isn’t to censor, but rather to send a clear message: “We all have to cooperate with this. We need to set limits, especially from the public authorities,” he said.
Source: infobae
