Mexican Authorities Offer Protection to Singer Natanael Cano and Other Artists After Threats from Drug Cartel
Authorities in Mexico have offered state protection to renowned regional Mexican singer Natanael Cano and other artists after a ruthless drug cartel in northern Mexico publicly threatened them. The threats, which appeared on social media over the weekend, were signed by “Jalisco Matasalas,” a group within the Sinaloa cartel known as the “Chapitos,” which has been involved in a bloody power struggle in recent months.
The threatening message, which was found hanging from a school, accused Cano and several other artists of “financially helping” a rival gang known as “Salazares” and warned that they would be shot if they did not heed the warning. The Sonoran Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the incident and offered state protection to the artists to prevent any aggression related to the direct threat displayed on the banner.
Cano’s communications team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The singer is a prominent figure in the corrido music genre, which has long been linked to drug violence but also depicts the harsh realities many Mexicans face living under narco violence. The genre has experienced a resurgence in recent years, with younger artists like Cano and Peso Pluma blending classic styles with other genres like trap music.
The threat against Cano follows a surge in violence in Sinaloa and other northern Mexican states, triggered by the kidnapping and capture of narco boss Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and the ensuing all-out war between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. Bodies have appeared across Sinaloa, often left slung out on the streets or in cars with informal symbols of the warring cartel factions, underscoring the brutality of their warfare.
The incident highlights the risks faced by artists who have chosen to sing about the harsh realities of life in Mexico, and the efforts of authorities to protect them from harm.
