- Mexican authorities have offered state protection to famous local singer Nathanael Cano and other artists after a drug cartel in northern Mexico made public threats, prosecutors said.
- A social media post, believed to be from Jalisco Matasalas, a group within the Sinaloa cartel, accused the singers of “financing” a rival gang known as “Salazares.”
- Kano is a singer of Corridos. Corridos and other traditional Mexican genres are experiencing a resurgence in popularity.
Mexican authorities are offering state protection to artists including famous local singer Nathanael Cano after a drug cartel in northern Mexico made public threats, prosecutors confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Photos of banners threatening the lives of Cano, a singer in the Sonora region of Corridos, a music genre often associated with drug cartel violence, and several other artists circulated on social media over the weekend.
The banner appears to have been signed by the Jalisco Matasalas, a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as the Chapitos, which has sown fear in northern Mexico during a bloody power struggle in recent months. The gang accused the singers of “financially supporting” a rival gang known as the “Salazares.”
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The banner read: “This is the last time you'll get a warning. Get off your feet now. Look after yourself.” “If you don't heed this warning, you'll be shot.”
The Sonora Prosecutor's Office told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it had launched an investigation after threatening messages were found hanging at the school.
Prosecutor's spokesman Alan de la Rosa said authorities had provided state protection to the artists to “prevent any attacks related to the direct threats displayed on the banners.” He did not elaborate on the nature of the protection.
Mexican singer Nathanael Cano will perform at the Are Music Festival in Mexico City on September 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)
Mr. Cano's public relations team did not respond to requests for comment.
Comprised of ballads from northern Mexico, corridos are a musical genre that has long been associated with drug violence, but also depict the harsh realities faced by many Mexicans living under drug violence. The genre, along with Mexican regional music, is experiencing a resurgence by young artists like Cano and Peso Pluma, who fuse classical styles with other genres such as trap music.
Over the past five years, streaming of Mexican music on Spotify has increased by 400%, and in 2023, Mexican artist Peso Pluma surpassed Taylor Swift as the most streamed artist on YouTube.
These artists have long faced harsh criticism from authorities and threats from drug cartels.
In 2023, Peso Pluma, who paid tribute to drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán with a song, announced that the 25-year-old had to cancel a performance in Tijuana after receiving threats from rivals in the Sinaloa cartel. I had no choice but to do it. If you continue with the concert, it will be your last performance. ”
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The city of Tijuana subsequently banned the performance of drug ballads to protect the “eyes and ears” of young people trying to contain the violence. Local authorities in northern states had previously banned musicians from singing narcocorridos.
The threats against Cano come after a spike in violence in Sinaloa and other northern Mexican states.
The threats against Cano come in the wake of the kidnapping and arrest of drug boss Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and the ensuing all-out war between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel, which has sparked violence in Sinaloa and other northern Mexican states. This is in response to the sudden increase in the number of cases. He is said to have threatened Kano.
