Mexican authorities have extended state protection to regional singer Natanael Cano and other artists following a public death threat from a drug cartel. Prosecutors in Sonora confirmed that a banner threatening Cano, a prominent performer of corridos—a genre often associated with drug cartel violence—was discovered hanging from a school over the weekend.
The banner, allegedly signed by “Jalisco Matasalas,” a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as the Chapitos, accused Cano and several other artists of financially supporting a rival gang, the Salazares. It issued a stark warning: “This is the last time you will receive a warning. Mind your own business. If you don’t heed this warning, you will be shot.”
Sonoran prosecutors have investigated the threats and offered protection to the artists to prevent potential violence. Details about the measures were not disclosed.
Cano, a rising star blending traditional corrido styles with modern trap influences, represents a new wave of Mexican regional music experiencing explosive popularity. Platforms like Spotify report a 400% increase in Mexican music streams over the past five years. Artists like Cano and Peso Pluma have garnered international acclaim, with Peso Pluma briefly surpassing Taylor Swift as YouTube’s most-streamed artist in 2023.
However, such popularity has placed these musicians in the crosshairs of cartel violence. Peso Pluma canceled a Tijuana concert in 2023 after receiving threats from a rival cartel, and local authorities have since banned performances of narco ballads to curb the glorification of cartel culture.
The threats against Cano coincide with escalating violence in northern Mexico, including Sinaloa, following the capture of cartel boss Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. Rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel are locked in a bloody power struggle, intensifying regional instability
Source: Switeradio.com
