Luis R. Conriquez lamented on Saturday (April 12) the chaos that prevailed during his performance the night before (April 11) at the Feria del Caballo, in the State of Mexico, for excluding narcocorridos in his repertoire due to the ban on expressions that make apology of violence implemented in three municipalities in that area. He announced that from now on he will make “significant changes” in the lyrics he interprets, adhering to the new rules subscribed by the Mexican government.
“For me, the most important thing is to please my audience, to whom I owe what I am. However, as an artist, I adhere to the new norms that the government requests regarding the interpretation of corridos,” said the Mexican singer in a statement posted on his social media.
Conriquez, one of the leading exponents of war corridos – famous for making apologies for drug trafficking and its most well-known characters – said he hopes for the understanding of his audience for this decision. He pointed out that he will continue working in his greatest passion: music.
“The regrettable events that occurred last night at the venue not only threatened the safety, and therefore the lives of the public, but also the integrity of my team and mine,” he added in the letter.
Attendees at his concert at the Feria del Caballo, in the municipality of Texcoco, booed, hit and caused damage in the palenque (a more intimate format in popular fairs) where Conriquez performed on Friday when he announced that there would be no corridos. The musician had previously announced on his Instagram account that his controversial songs would be excluded that night.
Although he tried to explain to the audience the reason for the absence of his controversial corridos, the people protested with whistles and shouts, as can be seen in videos posted on social media. Faced with this reaction, Conriquez left the place, which caused a rain of chairs and objects.
In Texcoco, and two other municipalities in the State of Mexico (Metepec and Tejupilco), neighboring the Mexican capital, expressions that make apology of violence have been prohibited since April 9 after the implementation of a measure in popular fairs and mass events with penalties of up to six months in prison. This was reiterated on Saturday by the Security Secretariat of the Government of the State of Mexico through a statement, urging authorities in the three municipalities to avoid the apology of crime in fairs and festivals.
The prohibition of narcocorridos in municipalities of the State of Mexico adds to the growing trend of banning these types of songs in various parts of Mexico, as they are seen as glorifying violence and drug trafficking. This has sparked a debate about freedom of expression and the role of music in society. While some argue that these songs are a reflection of the reality of certain regions in Mexico, others argue that they promote and normalize criminal behavior.
In any case, it seems that Luis R. Conriquez will have to adapt his repertoire to the new regulations if he wants to continue performing in certain areas of Mexico. This could also lead to a change in the content of his songs, as he stated in his statement that he will make “significant changes” in the lyrics he interprets. Only time will tell how this will affect the career of this popular corrido singer.