The popular Mexican regional music band Grupo Firme announced on Friday that it was canceling a performance in a music festival in California over the weekend after the United States government suspended the musicians\u2019 visas. <\/p>\n
It comes after the US State Department has revoked visas of a number of Mexican musicians for playing a genre of music that it says glorifies cartel violence. <\/p>\n
The group, which has soared to international fame playing Mexican regional music, said in a statement posted on its Instagram account that the visas of them and their team are currently under \u201cadministrative review by the US Embassy\u201d and that it would make it \u201cimpossible\u201d for them to perform in the La Onda Fest to be held in the city of Napa Valley, California on June 1. <\/p>\n
But the post didn\u2019t detail what it would mean in the long term for the musical group. <\/p>\n
The US Embassy in Mexico and the State Department said that visa cases are confidential according to US law and couldn\u2019t provide more information on the case. <\/p>\n
The suspension is just the latest in a series of moves the administration of US President Donald Trump has taken targeting Mexican artists in the genre, who in some cases have glorified the leaders of cartels as sort of Robin Hood figures. <\/p>\n
While the genre of \u201cnarco-corridos\u201d has stirred controversy, much of the music also speaks to the harsh realities facing Mexican youth caught in cartel violence. <\/p>\n
Two months ago, the Mexican musical group Los Alegres del Barranco was sanctioned after it projected images of the leader of the feared Jalisco New Generation Cartel at a concert in the western state of Jalisco. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn\u2019t mean that expression should be free of consequences,\u201d US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said at the time. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists.\u201d <\/p>\n
But Grupo Firme has taken steps in recent months to distance itself from the facet of the musical genre glorifying criminal groups, announcing in April shortly after the controversy that it would not sing such music in concerts. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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