Guadalajara Concert Turns Viral as Band Pays Homage to Mexican Cartel Bosses El Chapo Guzmán y El Mencho

The Auditorio Telmex, one of Guadalajara's most prestigious cultural venues, found itself at the center of a national controversy this weekend after issuing a statement distancing itself from a viral concert that paid homage to two of Mexico's most notorious drug lords: Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "El Mencho."

The venue, which is linked to the University of Guadalajara (UdG), defended itself after social media exploded with footage showing Los Alegres del Barranco — a popular regional Mexican band — performing corridos dedicated to the notorious drug lords.

In a statement, Auditorio Telmex said it does not control the setlists or visuals presented by artists. "We do not intervene in the selection of songs or audiovisual content," the venue explained, adding that it will review its policies with promoters to prevent similar situations. However, the damage was already done. Millions had already seen the viral clips showing thousands of fans cheering while images of cartel leaders were projected on the venue's massive screens.

It all happened on the night of March 29, when Los Alegres del Barranco, a group famous for its narcocorridos, performed before a sold-out crowd. During the concert, the band sang El del Palenque, a song explicitly referencing El Mencho's origins and leadership of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). As the corrido played, images of El Mencho filled the screens, turning the performance into an apparent tribute.

The controversy didn't stop there. Later, the band performed 701, a narcocorrido dedicated to Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the infamous former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. The song's title refers to the ranking El Chapo received from Forbes in 2009 when he was listed as one of the world's richest people. The crowd roared as the number "701" was projected behind the band, followed by a stylized image of a young El Chapo, based on his first arrest mugshot from 1993.

"Estoy en la lista de los más buscados en el mundo entero," the band sang — "I'm on the list of the most wanted in the whole world."

Los Alegres del Barranco, originally from Sinaloa, have long courted controversy with songs that often narrate the rise of cartel figures. Tracks like Soy Cuatro Letras, La Belikiza, and El Doble R are among their most-streamed on platforms like Spotify. But this time, the backlash hit harder, as the performance took place inside a university-affiliated venue, raising questions about whether narco-culture is being normalized in Mexico's most respected cultural spaces.

While the venue has tried to close the chapter, the debate — and the viral videos — are far from over.Guadalajara Concert Turns Viral as Band Pays Homage to Mexican Cartel Bosses