The musicians of Los Alegres del Barranco, a regional Mexican music group, appeared at the Attorney General's Office of Jalisco due to an investigation for alleged apology of crime. The Attorney General opened this investigation after they showed images of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho', leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during a concert on March 29 at the Auditorio Telmex.
The four band members and a representative of the company managing the group appeared alongside their lawyers but chose not to make a statement. The investigation relates to the appearance of the photograph of 'El Mencho' during the performance of the corrido "El Del Palenque" at the concert. This corrido refers to the actions of the cartel leader.
The charge under which Los Alegres del Barranco is being investigated is the apology of crime, a local crime that in Jalisco is covered in article 142 of the Penal Code and carries a penalty of one to six months in prison if found guilty. After the video was released, the governor of Jalisco condemned the tribute to the criminal leader and emphasized the need not to normalize violence.
After the concert, U.S. authorities revoked the visas of the band members due to possible links with 'El Mencho'. Additionally, some of their performances in Tequila Jalisco and other places in the country were canceled. The band, originally from Badiraguato, Sinaloa, has excelled in the subgenre of narcocorridos, narrating stories of figures related to organized crime.
In 2008 they released their first album, "Morenita de Ojos Negros", and since then they have produced more than ten albums. Despite the controversy, Los Alegres del Barranco has a large fanbase, with almost 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 700 thousand followers on Instagram.
