The United States has revoked the visas of a Mexican music group after they opened a show praising the leader of Cartel Jalisco New Generation, a cartel that President Donald Trump has classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Four members of the Mexican music group “Los Alegres del Barranco” opened their show on March 29 in the Mexican city of Zapopan, Jalisco, with images of Ruben Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG).
In front of the packed crowd, the group praised the cartel leader and showed images that were obviously meant to celebrate him.
This incident prompted action from both the U.S. government and the Mexican government.
The shocking performance immediately went viral in Mexico, causing controversy and leading to the Mexican government opening an investigation into the group for the charge of “crime apology or advocacy.” The Jalisco Attorney General’s Office launched the investigation immediately and Mexican law enforcement have already begun conducting interviews and viewing security video of the event.
Avance informativo
Sobre la proyección de imágenes con aparente alusión a un personaje vinculado a un grupo criminal durante un concierto el 29 de marzo, estas son algunas de la actuaciones que se han ejecutado como parte de la investigación: pic.twitter.com/w6JGO82rVw
— Fiscalía del Estado de Jalisco (@FiscaliaJal) April 2, 2025
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also took immediate action in response to the performance, announcing that the U.S. government had revoked the work and tourist visas of four members of Los Alegres del Barranco. In revoking the visas, Landau noted that the U.S. does not welcome individuals who “extol criminals and terrorists.”
“I’m a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn’t mean that expression should be free of consequences,” he wrote in a post on X. “A Mexican band, ‘Los Alegres del Barranco,’ portrayed images glorifying drug kingpin ‘El Mencho’ — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel — at a recent concert in Mexico. I’m pleased to announce that the State Department has revoked the band members’ work and tourism visas. In the Trump Administration, we take seriously our responsibility over foreigners’ access to our country. The last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists.”
I’m a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn’t mean that expression should be free of consequences. A Mexican band, “Los Alegres del Barranco,” portrayed images glorifying drug kingpin “El Mencho” — head of the grotesquely violent CJNG cartel — at a recent concert… pic.twitter.com/neSIib7EC4
— Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) April 2, 2025
The performance also prompted the concert venue, Auditorio Telmex, to issue a statement distancing itself from the group and denouncing its actions. The statement also noted that the venue was looking into legal ways to prevent similar performances in the future.
Meanwhile, that isn’t the only performance where Los Alegres del Barranco celebrated the cartel boss. Just one day after the first performance, they did the exact same thing in another Mexican city: Uruapan, Michoacan. There, they celebrated “El Mencho” in an identical way. This also prompted another investigation from the leaders of that Mexican state. However, Michoacan officials have since noted that, because “apology or advocacy of crime” is not listed in the state’s penal code, the case will likely go federal.
