Trump administration sanctions a Mexican rapper over allegations of cartel ties
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MEXICO CITY — The Trump administration said Wednesday it was sanctioning Mexican musician Ricardo Hernández, known as El Makabelico, over allegations that the artist was laundering money for a drug cartel.
The move comes after the administration has stripped the visas of some of Mexico’s most famous musicians, targeting those whose genres often explore themes related to cartels.
The U.S. Treasury Department accused Hernández, a musician it refers to as a “narco-rapper,” of being associated with the Cartel del Noreste, or CDN, an evolution of the former Zetas cartel. According to the department, he laundered money for the criminal group through concerts and events.
The cartel is one of several Latin American organized crime groups that the Trump administration has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
Narcocorridos — or drug ballads — are more popular than ever in Mexico, where a generation that came of age during the drug war has embraced songs that recount both the spoils and the excessive violence of organized crime. But the genre is increasingly under attack.
The administration alleges that 50% of Hernández’s royalties on streaming platforms go directly to the cartel, leading to his sanctioning alongside leaders of the cartel on allegations that he acted for or on behalf of the criminal group.
Hernández did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“CDN depends on these alternative revenue streams and money laundering methods to boost their criminal enterprise, diversifying their income beyond criminal activity like drug trafficking, human smuggling, and extortion,” wrote the Treasury Department in a news release.
The sanctions would block the rapper’s properties in the U.S. and freeze financial transactions with any businesses owned by those sanctioned, and threaten secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions that do business with them.
The U.S. has revoked the visas of members of Los Alegres del Barranco, after the Mexican band flashed big-screen images of a reputed drug lord during a concert.
Hernández, whose stage name is a play on words relating to cartels, performs his songs wearing a black ski mask and often sings songs related to the criminal groups, making reference to street life, cartel lifestyles and the realities faced in cartel-dominated areas.
In recent years, young artists like Peso Pluma have brought Mexican genres into the international spotlight by mixing traditional rhythms with trap and other styles, competing with global stars including Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny on streaming platforms.
The genres — primarily “narcocorridos” — have also become the center of controversy because a number of artists sing about cartels and “narco culture” associated with them. Some songs romanticize criminals, while others speak to the harsh realities of youth living in cartel-controlled areas, similar to rap music in the U.S.
The music has long fueled a debate about the fine line between artistic expression and censorship, as a number of Mexican states have previously banned performances of certain genres.
In recent months, the Trump administration has revoked the visas of a slew of different artists related to the genre.
Grupo Firme cancels appearance at La Onda festival, becoming latest international act to face visa issues
Grupo Firme canceled its scheduled June 1 appearance at Napa Valley’s La Onda festival after becoming the latest musical act to face visa troubles.
In May, the famous northern Mexican band Grupo Firme, which has taken steps to distance itself from the cartel-centric themes of the genre, announced they would have to cancel an upcoming show in California because their visas were suspended.
In April, the administration said it was revoking the visas of the band Los Alegres del Barranco after they flashed the face of a cartel boss behind them at a concert, prompting a controversy and even criminal investigations in Mexico.
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