Cancun Bans Concerts of Corridos Tumbados And Other Music Genres

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

'We will not continue to allow people to promote the defense of violence', affirmed Jorge Aguilar Osorio, general secretary of Cancun's city hall.

Last Thursday, May 18, one day before the concert of Alfredo Rios, known as "El Komander", the local government of Cancun, Quintana Roo, announced that it will no longer grant permits for concerts by bands of any musical genre that advocate violence and crime.

"Police and Good Government Code establishes that public spectacles must not promote any type of violence and unfortunately we have had incidents every time there are these types of concerts in the Plaza de Toros. Therefore the municipal government made the decision to no longer allow these types of concerts," informed the secretary general of the city council, Jorge Aguilar Osorio.

Following this measure, "El Komander" cancelled his concert scheduled for May 19 at Cancun's Plaza de Toros. Likewise, Grupo Firme announced that it will not give its live performance scheduled for July 1 at the Andres Quintana Roo Stadium, former home of the Atlante Soccer Club.

Grupo Firme's cancellation joins other dates of the band's current tour in Mexico and the United States.

Through social networks, the promoter AdiccSound Mx shared a statement in which it points out that Grupo Firme's cancelled dates are:

June 10 in Morelia, Michoacán

June 24 in Veracruz

July 1 in Cancun, Quintana Roo

The press release indicates that the cancellation is due to a majority ruling and conditions beyond the artists' control. "For the group it is important that the technical and operational conditions are one hundred percent," it explains.

This prohibition by the Cancun government could affect other musicians whose content is considered to be an apology for violence, for example, Peso Pluma. By extending the ban to other genres, concerts of metal, rock and hip-hop bands, among others, could also be impacted if the local government considers that their lyrics promote violence.

"We will not continue to allow people to promote the defense of violence. Of course, we respect freedom of expression, but we cannot continue to encourage events that promote violence," said Cancun's secretary general.

The governor of Quintana Roo and former mayor of Benito Juarez, Mara Lezama, expressed her support for the measure taken by the local government:

"I always say that we promote peace, the culture of values, family, non-violence and the rejection of destructive attitudes. I think my answer is clear," she said.

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