By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The recent murder of Ernesto Barajas, a musician known for singing about drug lords, highlights the ongoing violence related to Mexico’s drug cartels. This incident is part of a broader trend of violence targeting performers of “narco-corridos,” a musical genre that glorifies drug cartels. In response, the Trump administration has been taking action, including revoking visas of musicians and sanctioning those with alleged ties to cartels. These actions could be interpreted as a push for additional military aid to Mexico.
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Ernesto Barajas, musician who celebrated drug cartel exploits in songs, shot dead in parking lot in Mexico, a tragic yet unfortunately predictable end for a man entangled in the dangerous world of narco-corridos. It seems the very act of singing praises, of glorifying the exploits of powerful and ruthless drug lords, comes with a perilous price. The news broke late Tuesday: Barajas, a prominent figure in the Mexican music scene, had been gunned down in Zapopan, Jalisco state.
The circumstances surrounding his death are chillingly familiar. Two men, arriving on a motorcycle, opened fire in a parking lot. The attack claimed the life of Barajas and another individual, with a woman also injured. The details paint a stark picture of the world he inhabited, a world where fame and fortune can be fleeting, and loyalty is often bought and paid for in blood.
Ernesto Barajas was the singer for Enigma Norteño, a group that enjoyed significant popularity, boasting millions of monthly listeners on platforms like Spotify. His music, deeply rooted in the controversial subgenre of narco-corridos, told tales of cartel exploits, often glamorizing the violence and power of these criminal organizations. This music, while immensely popular in some circles, effectively placed him in the crosshairs of rival groups and the ever-shifting loyalties of the cartel landscape.
The fate that befell Barajas isn’t an isolated incident. In recent months, several other performers of narco-corridos have met similar ends. The brutal murder of five members of the group Fugitivo in Tamaulipas state, following reports of ransom demands, serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved. It seems these musicians walk a tightrope, balancing artistic expression with the constant threat of violence. Their work, often commissioned by cartels, can become a double-edged sword, attracting both fame and the deadly attention of those they sing about.
The life of a narco-corrido singer is a precarious one, offering little in the way of choice. They are often at the mercy of the cartels, obligated to sing the praises of those who order it, or risk deadly consequences. If they sing for one, they become a target of another. This is likely compounded by the fact that he was facing scrutiny and pressure from multiple sides. The ban on performing or singing corridos threatened his career as it stands and a rival cartel was also after him.
Interestingly, Barajas, in his later career, had transitioned somewhat, hosting a podcast where he interviewed other prominent corrido singers. This would have kept him in the public eye, but also likely exposed him to even more potential conflicts and gossip that ultimately led to his demise. In this case, it seems that speaking out against certain cartel members led to his demise, and the potential that the “news” he was revealing in his podcast may have played a role in the events that led to his death.
The Mexican government has been trying to curtail the genre and limit performances. This is why the government has threatened to take their travel visas if they continue to perform and sing their songs, which puts these singers in a tough spot in their careers. So, they have to balance their ability to maintain a career in their industry, while having to work with members of the cartels and singing songs about their lives.
The situation mirrors the complexities of the gangster rap scene in America but with significantly higher stakes. In the US, while there can be rivalries and personal feuds, the threat of violence is not quite the same as the risk posed by the cartels. There is no risk of the sort that the corrido singers face. The consequences for stepping out of line in Mexico are severe and often fatal. There is no room to cross criminal enterprises publicly.
Barajas’s death is a stark reminder of the power of the cartels and the dangerous environment they create. The fact that these musicians are often involved in cartel business like money laundering makes it even more likely that rival cartels would target them. This could lead to the singer’s death, especially since his songs are already playing into the public’s perception of them.
The reality is that a narco-corrido singer’s life expectancy is not dissimilar to a squirrel suit jumper. This makes the stark contrast between America and Mexico when it comes to the topic of gangs even more apparent. You can live a very peaceful life in Mexico, but you cannot publicly cross these criminal enterprises. It is mind-numbingly ignorant to act otherwise.
The death of Ernesto Barajas is not just a loss of a musician. It is a testament to the dark influence of drug cartels and the fear they inspire. It’s a cautionary tale about the perils of glorifying a violent world and the high cost of fame and artistic expression in a land ruled by the powerful and merciless. The legacy is of course, as always, up for debate and interpretation, with the song that is sung to echo for a long while after.