Ruthless Mexican gang threatens to kill famous singer and other artists: “This is the last time you will receive a warning”

Authorities in Mexico are offering state protection to popular regional Mexican singer Nataniel Cano and other artists after a ruthless drug cartel in northern Mexico openly threatened them, prosecutors confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Photos of a banner threatening the lives of Cano, singer of corridos, a musical genre often associated with drug gang violence, and several other artists in the Sonora region, circulated on social media over the weekend.

The banner appears to be signed by “Jalisco Matasalas”, a group within a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as “Chapito”, which has sowed terror in northern Mexico in recent months in a bloody power struggle. Chapitos – which includes Children of famous drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman They used keys, electric shocks, and hot pepper Torturing their competitors While some of their victims, alive or dead, were “fed to tigers,” according to the indictment issued by the US Department of Justice.

The Chapitos family accused the singers of “financially assisting” a rival gang known as the “Salazares.”

“This is the last time you’ll get a warning, just in time to stop being foolish. Mind your own business,” the sign read. “If you do not heed this warning, you will be shot.”

The Sonoran District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday told the Associated Press that the threatening letter was found hanging at a school and that they had opened an investigation.

Alan de la Rosa, a spokesman for the Public Prosecution Office, said authorities had offered state protection to the artists “to prevent any assault related to the direct threat presented on the sign.” He did not clarify the nature of the protection.

Kano’s communications team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Corridos,” composed of folk songs from northern Mexico, is a musical genre that has long been associated with drug violence, but it also depicts the harsh realities faced by many Mexicans living under drug violence. This genre, along with Mexican regional music, is experiencing a revival with young artists such as Cano and Peso Pluma who mix classical styles with other genres such as trap music.

Over the past five years, Mexican music streams have increased 400% on Spotify, and in 2023, Mexican artist Peso Pluma overtook Taylor Swift as the most streamed artist on YouTube.

These artists have long faced sharp criticism from the authorities and threats from drug gangs.

In 2023, featherweight – who had paid tribute to El Chapo in songs – was forced to cancel his show in Tijuana after the 25-year-old received threats from a Sinaloa cartel rival, warning it “would be his last performance” if he continued working. With the party.

In the same year, Violent threats Authorities were forced to cancel a planned concert by Norteño band Grupo Arriesgado in Tijuana.

Tijuana later banned the performance of popular drug-related songs completely to protect the “eyes and ears” of young people as it tried to contain the violence. Local authorities in the northern states had previously banned musicians from singing narcocoridos.

In November in Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum He pledged to launch a campaign to promote other less violent styles of music that are not Linked to drug traffickers Trying to stop glorifying them.

The threat against Cano comes in the wake of escalating violence in Sinaloa and other states in northern Mexico.

The threats against Cano come in the wake of escalating violence in Sinaloa and other states in northern Mexico due to the kidnapping and arrest of the drug gang leader. Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada And what followed An all-out war between rival factions From the Sinaloa Cartel, including the one who allegedly threatened Cano.

Bodies appeared all over the state of Sinaloa, often left lying in the streets or in cars with neither Hats on their heads Or pizza slices or boxes with knives attached to them. Pizza and Mexican hats became unofficial symbols of the warring cartel factions, underscoring the brutality of their war.