Música regional mexicana singer-songwriter Christian Nodal rejected measures to censor his colleagues who make narcocorridos, both in Mexico and the United States, and emphasized that the public is the one who accepts or rejects their proposals.
The issue, discussed for years in political forums, the media, and social media, gained prominence last week when the group Los Alegres del Barranco projected images of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the imprisoned leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho," leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a concert in Guadalajara.
Videos of the concert went viral, not only sparking condemnation online and in the media, but also drawing comments from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and the U.S. State Department have weighed in on the matter.
In Mexico, the "Mexico Sings for Peace and Against Violence" initiative was launched this Monday. This is a contest through which Mexican authorities seek to encourage Mexican and Mexican-American musicians to create songs that support the country. The contest seeks songs "without content that condones violence or drugs; therefore, it is part of our greater campaign for peace and against addiction."
"About 70% of Spanish-language music consumption is about songs that glorify violence, so we have to change that," Sheinbaum said. "We want a different narrative, not this false idea that joining a criminal group is a lifestyle choice."
Concrete consequences
In various states and municipalities across Mexico, authorities have issued orders and launched investigations against artists who sing corridos that address issues of organized crime .
However, the harshest consequences so far have come from the United States. After it was reported that the State Department decided to revoke Los Alegres del Barranco's US visa, it has begun to emerge that other artists and bands are suffering the same problem.
According to the Mexican press , other artists who sing narcocorridos, such as Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano, Grupo Firme, and Luis R. Conriquez could face the same problem.
Nodal disagrees
For the king of mariacheño music, his colleagues simply report on what's happening in the country. "We live in a reality where Mexico is what it is. Whatever they want to do is fine," Nodal said.
For him, "every artist is responsible for what they're going to release to the public: music, videos, the visuals on stage, they're all very important, why? Because you're supposed to be making a game to convey what the song says."
Furthermore, Nodal also placed the responsibility on the audience: "If you come to a concert of someone who sings corridos, I don't think you'll be scared."
