On mute: Tijuana passes law banning ballads praising Mexican drug trade

Source: The Guardian

On mute: Tijuana passes law banning ballads praising Mexican drug trade

Politicians have long sought to silence the genre, but previous clamp downs have only boosted its popularity

Thomas Graham in Mexico City
Fri 10 Nov 2023 11.00 GMT
Last modified on Fri 10 Nov 2023 13.32 GMT

A typical song by Peso Pluma, one of Mexico’s most popular singers, might start with a guitar and a trumpet, sounding like something for the older crowd – but then come the lyrics telling of drug shipments, stacks of cash and diamond-encrusted pistols.

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This week, local politicians voted to ban narcocorridos from being performed or even played in the city, in the latest attempt by politicians to censor the genre – even though previous such efforts seem to have, if anything, only boosted its popularity.

Corridos originate from northern Mexico, where they once recounted the lives and bloody deaths of notorious bandits and revolutionaries. In recent decades, however, they have focused on the country’s drug bosses with lyrics describing drug deals and brutal killings.

Famous songs include tributes to organised crime bosses like Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Sometimes the artists are paid by traffickers to write and perform songs about them, portraying them as heroic outlaws.

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Read more: https://archive.li/chSg3

Original Guardian link (registration required): https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/10/tijuana-mexico-drug-ballads-narcocorridos-ban