Tijuana: Grupo Arriesgado Threatened by CJNG, Shots Fired At Event, Concert Canceled

"HEARST" and "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

In Tijuana, the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) threatened the Sinaloa Cartel-associated band Grupo Arriesgado by firing shots into the air near an autograph signing and placing threatening banners in the city.  The band canceled their upcoming concert.

3:00pm, approximately

February 10, 2023 

Shots Fired at Grupo Arriesgado Event

On February 10, the narco-ballad band Grupo Arriesgado hosted an autograph signing event on the eastern side of the border city of Tijuana. 

The Sinaloa Cartel-associated band hosted the signing with radio station La Invasora 94.5 at Plaza 2000, a shopping center which includes a Cinépolis movie theater, a Walmart, and a Telcel electronics store, among other businesses. The event was meant to promote their upcoming Tijuana concert which was taking place the next night, on February 11.

During the event, armed men showed up at Plaza 2000 and fired into the air, which caused the crowd of people at the signing to panic. The video below shows the band and the crowd reacting to the shots.

Video contains no graphic content. Video Source: Calvarie Locus

The band was quickly escorted by their team to a safer location and police arrived. 

Some initial reports, like those from La Jornada, alleged that the shots were due to the armed robbery of a cell phone vendor however it later emerged, in articles like this one from El Universal, that investigators now believe the shots were meant to intimidate Grupo Arriesgado. 

10:00 pm, approximately

February 10, 2023 

CJNG Banner Threatening Grupo Arriesgado Singer

Later that day, at approximately 10:00 pm a narco banner from the CJNG was discovered hanging from a bridge in Tijuana.

The banner read as follows, as translated by Sol Prendido: 

Arturo Gonzalez, or ‘Panther Bélico’, from Grupo Arriesgado,

This is not a place where you can act violent/aggressive and sing your songs. See, this place has an owner. But we’re not some common thugs, so we have not killed you for it yet. Instead, we give you this official warning: 

You’re not in your territory here, nor are you with your people. You have hours to leave Tijuana, or else. So, go grab your gun and your radio and go back to where you are allowed to sing your songs. Because if you stay here, you’re going to get fucked . 

Yours Truly, 

CJNG 

1:00 pm, approximately 

February 11, 2023 

CJNG Banner Threatening Grupo Arriesgado Singer

The next day, at least two narco banners threatening Arturo Gonzalez appeared in Tijuana. 

One appeared outside the offices of Uniradio, a local media outlet, a funeral wreath of flowers and a narco message were placed. 

The banner reads as follows, as translated by Sol Prendido: 

If that faggot El Panther doesn't show up for his event you guys will pay for the loss of money. Therefore, stop bringing in gunmen from Sinaloa. The only thing it does is sicken the youth. 

CJNG

Meanwhile, another similar narco message against the group was placed at the Tijuana Heroic City monument on Aguacaliente Avenue, in Tijuana.

2:00 pm, approximately 

February 11, 2023 

Singer Posts Video Saying the Concert Will Still Happen

Arturo Gonzalez posted a video on social media, shown below, in which he confirmed that they would still be performing that night. 

Video Source: Jhair Jimenez

It's worth noting that Arturo Gonzalez was wearing a diamond encrusted skull ring in this video. 

Skull rings were famously worn by members of the CDS - Mayo group “Los Antrax”, so the ring maybe be signaling his continued allegiance to the CDS - Mayo faction, however the specific design of Arturo ring’s varies significantly from the design seen on Antrax members. 

6:00 pm, approximately 

February 11, 2023 

Grupo Arriesgado Concert Cancelled 

A few hours later, Arturo Gonzalez posted a video on social media in which he said that, by order of the government, they were now cancelling their show.

Video Source: Regional Mexicano

He said, as translated by Sol Prendido: 

Fans, we were ready. But we won't be able to hold this concert until next time. On the orders of the government, this event has been canceled. 

Shortly after, the official instagram account of the band posted the following image which confirmed the cancellation.

Source

Who is Arturo Gonzalez? 

Arturo Gonzalez is the lead singer of Grupo Arriesgado, a band which releases and performs narco-corridos, which are ballads which celebrate various cartel figures

These songs are almost always commissioned by the cartel figures themselves, who pay the artists to create songs which praise them and their various escapades, creating a kind of musical propaganda which glorifies them.

Some narco-corrido artists will write songs celebrating cartel figures from just one cartel group (such as the artist Panchito Arredondo who only sings about CDS - Chapitos). Other artists (such as Los Alegres del Barranco) will sing about cartel figures from multiple cartel groups.

Groups which sing about multiple cartel groups often find it easier to tour across the country because they can adjust their setlist to only include songs which praise the cartel groups local to the venue they are playing. 

Grupo Arriesgado appears to only sing corridos which praise CDS - Mayo cartel figures.

Arturo Gonzalez has previously taken a photo with the CDS figure “El 30”, who operates in the state of Sinaloa (not to be confused with CDS figure El 30 from the state of Aguascalientes, who is a different person). 

El 30 is known to be a more public CDS - Mayo figure, posting often on social media under the name “Chitooon___”.

Arturo Gonzalez is rumored to be financially sponsored by the high-ranking CDS- Mayo faction figure Héctor Manuel Avendaño Ojeda, alias "El Meño". 

El Meño is one of the three Avendaño Ojeda brothers, who are: 

Héctor Manuel Avendaño Ojeda, alias "El Meño" 

Martín Avendaño Ojeda, alias “El Chiquilín”  

Sergio Avendaño Ojeda

The Avendaño Ojeda brothers were shown on a chart in 2011 by the US Treasury Department. El Meño’s assets were frozen and he was economically sanctioned by the US in 2016 and his brother El Chiquilín was captured later that year in Jalisco.

El Meño was arrested in 2016 as well. Meño then spent years in prison fighting US extradition. In 2020, a judge denied Meño’s appeal against extradition. 

In November 2022, Zeta Tijuana named El Meño as one of the top prisoners who could be extradited but had not been extradited yet. El Chiquilín and El Meño are both alleged to be actively involved in the CDS Mayo faction.

As far as El Meño being a financial sponsor of Grupo Arriesgado, its unclear but its safe to say that the band has dedicated a number of songs to him.

Grupo Arriesgado’s song El Fugitivo describes a time when El Meño was attacked and El Mayo ordered the rescue of Meno because “he loves him and wants him working with him.”

Sources: Grupo Arriesgado Instagram Statement, El Universal, La Jornada, Zeta Tijuana, El Financiero, La Jornada, Zeta Tijuana, Punto Norte, US Treasury Chart on Avendaño Ojeda 2011, Previous BB Article, Noroeste, Mundo Now