MTV VMA Performer Threatened by Mexican Cartel

Breakout Mexican singer Peso Pluma has been threatened by the Mexican cartel. Just hours before his MTV VMAs debut Tuesday, four large banners threatening the 24-year-old singer, whose real name is Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, and signed by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel appeared in Tijuana, where the musician is currently scheduled to perform on Oct. 14.

The handwritten banners were signed with the letters CJNG, the Spanish initials for the Jalisco New Generation cartel. A translation of one of the banners read: “This goes to Peso Pluma, refrain from presenting yourself on October 14 because it will be your last show due to your disrespect and loose tongue, you show up and we are going to (break you),” according to The Arizona Republic.

Local news outlet Punto Norte reported that a total of four banners were placed on bridges across the city, all threatening Pluma, who launched to stardom this year with his hit single “Ella Baila Sola.” While the musician sings traditional Mexican ballads known as corridos, he also specializes in narcocorridos, a subgenre dedicated to drug traffickers. According to Pitchfork, several of Pluma’s songs, including “El Bélicon” and “Siempre Pendientes,” are rumored to be dedicated to the Sinaloa Cartel, the most powerful l drug cartel in Mexico. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is considered Mexico’s second most powerful drug cartel.

Shortly after the banners threatening Pluma went up, Edgar Mendoza, a regional prosecutor in Tijuana, confirmed that a person was detained in Colonia Libertad, per Billboard. The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, was arrested at around 3 a.m. local time Wednesday by the Municipal Police who were carrying out surveillance tours in Colonia Libertad. José Fernando Sánchez González, head of the Municipal Security and Citizen Protection Secretariat, said the suspect “was at the time and place. When he saw the authorities, he ran away. He was then arrested and found with narcotics in the bag. It was almost three in the morning,” according to Infobae.

Amid the incident, several of Pluma’s have been postponed or canceled, though it is unclear whether it’s due to the threats. His concert at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sept. 14 was postponed “due to unforeseen circumstances,” with his Sep.t 15 and Sept. 16 concerts in Rosemont, Illinois and Indianapolis, Indiana also postponed. 

On Tuesday, the municipal president of Tijuana, Montserrat Caballero Ramírez, suggested the possibility of canceling the musician’s Oct. 14 concert at Caliente Stadium in Tijuana, stating that “singers like Peso Pluma glorifies crime, so there are certain groups that get upset and unfortunately those who suffer the consequences are the citizens who want to attend their concerts and then are put at risk. In the next few days we will determine whether the concert goes ahead or not.” Pluma has not addressed the banners at this time.