After a two-year hiatus, the Palenque Culiacán 2026 will take place from November 12 to 29. The lineup features several *regional mexicano* artists who have a history of performing ‘narcocorridos’—songs about drug trafficking—or who have faced threats or allegations of ties to organized crime.
The event is being held in the capital of Sinaloa, the very territory where the armed conflict between “Los Chapitos” and “La Mayiza”—the two primary factions that emerged following the fracture of the Sinaloa Cartel—originated. This split occurred after the abduction and capture of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, an operation orchestrated by Joaquín Guzmán López, son of “El Chapo.”
As of now, eight acts have been confirmed for the 2026 edition of the Palenque Culiacán: Los Alegres del Barranco will open the event on November 13, alongside Varones de Culiacán, La Revancha, and Banda Los Populares.
Marca Registrada is set to perform on November 22, followed by Tombochío on November 26. Banda MS and Los Chavalitos will take the stage on November 27, while Pancho Barraza and El Coyote y Su Banda Tierra Santa are scheduled for November 28.
The closing night, set for November 29, will feature Panter Bélico and Arley Pérez.
What most of these artists have in common is that their repertoires include *corridos* dedicated to figures within organized crime, including members of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Some of these performers have already faced serious consequences for singing such songs, yet others continue to defy restrictions and public accusations.
Los Alegres del Barranco serve as a prime example of artists who have come under scrutiny due to their narcocorridos’. In May 2025, the group faced formal legal proceedings for the alleged glorification of crime, following a concert held that March at the Auditorio Telmex in Zapopan, Jalisco. During the performance of the song “El del Palenque,” the group projected the face of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes—known as “El Mencho,” the then-leader of the CJNG—onto giant screens.
The song’s lyrics refer to him as “the lord of the roosters” and list his armed wings: Los Élite, Los Guerreros, and Los Delta, as well as an individual known as “El Jardinero.” Following the incident, the United States government revoked the visas of the group’s members, leading the group to cancel a 16-date tour that had been scheduled in the country.
Since then, the group has removed *narcocorridos* (drug ballads) from its live performance repertoire. Their catalog also includes songs such as “La gente del Chapo,” “El 701,” “El Hijo del Chapo,” “Edgar Guzmán,” and “El Regreso del Chapito Lomas,” among others.
