On the eve of the Holy Week and Easter holiday period, the Musicians’ Union in Mazatlán called on its members to comply with current regulations and avoid performing songs that glorify crime.
This warning comes after the recent controversy generated during the 2026 Mazatlán Carnival, where a local singer was arrested and fined for performing a narcocorrido (drug ballad).
Marco Antonio Gordoa Obeso, general secretary of the Musicians’ Union in Mazatlán, pointed out that the restriction on this type of repertoire is a well-known regulation that has been enforced in the port city for years.
“We all know that this restriction has been in place for many years (…) Norteño bands know that we shouldn’t play those kinds of songs.
These are rules that both the Institute of Culture and the government require us to follow; even seafood restaurants have put up signs prohibiting this type of music.
We all know we shouldn’t play it, and if we do, well, that’s what happens,” the union leader stated. Caution at events outside the city: Given the insistence that clients sometimes show on hearing these kinds of songs, Gordoa Obeso recommended that musicians take their own precautions, especially when hired for private events outside the city, such as in towns or rural communities.
“If you take a contract outside the city, you know that the authorities might not go there to protect you, so it’s at your own risk (…). Everyone is free to do as they please, but we have always told them to take precautions and not ignore the regulations that require us not to promote crime,” he explained.
The precedent of the carnival in Olas Altas The union’s reminder takes on relevance after the events that occurred on Carnival Tuesday in the Olas Altas area, near the Sinaloa Shield.
