Legendary musician Germán Lizárraga says the band may have been forced to perform cartel-themed song as prosecutors dig deeper into glorification of crime case.
The controversy surrounding regional Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco deepened this week as both legal pressure and public commentary mounted. The group, currently under investigation for alleged glorification of organized crime, appeared once again before the Public Prosecutor’s Office but refused to testify.
According to the Jalisco State Attorney General’s Office, five individuals—members and representatives of the band—chose to exercise their right to remain silent during a scheduled appearance related to one of four open investigations. These proceedings stem from a May 3 concert in Cihuatlán, where the band allegedly performed songs referencing criminal groups and reportedly projected an image of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, aka “El Mencho”, the fugitive leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
“These elements will be analyzed as part of the case file officially opened following the concert,” the state agency said. Each case will be judicialized in the district where the events occurred, and Los Alegres del Barranco are expected to return for another hearing on Wednesday, May 21.
Amid mounting public scrutiny, Germán Lizárraga—a respected figure in regional Mexican music and son of Banda El Recodo’s founder—offered his perspective on the case. While expressing sympathy for the group, he didn’t shy away from calling their actions a potential misstep.
“We’re supporting them, poor guys. They made a mistake or were forced into it,” Lizárraga said in an interview. “That’s the issue—sometimes people say, ‘You’re going to do this,’ and you feel like you have no choice.”
Now leading Banda Estrellas de Sinaloa, Lizárraga criticized the shift in corridos bélicos, warning that current trends—marked by violent lyrics and glorification of criminal figures—are drawing the ire of authorities.
“I think the authorities are really clamping down on the newer stuff. I think they’re going to end up in jail,” he added. “Corridos are a tradition in Mexico, but not the ones being made nowadays—where they’re cursing and talking about people who are up to no good.”
Lizárraga emphasized that his band avoids controversial content and prefers to stick to traditional storytelling based on lived experiences. While he acknowledged the commercial success of newer acts like Natanael Cano and Luis R. Conríquez, he made it clear that his musical philosophy lies elsewhere.
“Everyone does their own thing, but we don’t make that kind of music,” he said. “We want the tradition to continue—with the kind of corridos that tell real stories, not glorify violence.”
As Los Alegres del Barranco face growing legal and public scrutiny, the question remains whether the group’s silence will protect them—or deepen the suspicions against them.
