Trump administration sanctions Mexican rapper for alleged cartel ties

New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 7, 2025 00:42 IST

The Trump administration announced on Wednesday (local time) that it was sanctioning Mexican musician Ricardo Hernndez, known as “El Makabelico,” over allegations that the artist was laundering money for a drug cartel.

This move comes after the administration stripped the visas of some of Mexico’s most famous musicians, targeting those whose genres often explore themes related to cartels.

The US Treasury Department has taken action against the musician who is also identified as a "narco-rapper," for his alleged ties to the Cartel del Noreste (CDN), which evolved from the Zetas Cartel. The musician, named Hernndez, is accused of laundering money for the criminal organisation through his concerts and events. The CDN is among several Latin American crime groups designated as foreign terrorist organisations by the Trump administration.

According to the Treasury Department's allegations, Hernndez has been sanctioned because he is believed to be acting for or on behalf of the CDN. The department claims that half of his streaming royalties are funnelled directly to the cartel. The sanctions also extend to leaders of the cartel.

There has however, not been an official response from the rapper about the sanctions imposed on him.

STATEMENT FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT

“CDN depends on these alternative revenue streams and money laundering methods to boost their criminal enterprise, diversifying their income beyond criminal activity like drug trafficking, human smuggling, and extortion," wrote the Treasury Department in a news release.

"The Treasury Department will continue to be relentless in its effort to put America First by targeting terrorist drug cartels. These cartels poison Americans with fentanyl and conduct human smuggling operations along our southwest border," said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The US Treasury Department also took it to their social media handle on X to announce the sanctions on the rapper along with three high-ranking members of the CDN.

THE SANCTION

The sanctions imposed will result in blocking the rapper's properties in US and freeze financial transactions with any businesses owned by those sanctioned, and threaten secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions that do business with them.

In recent years, emerging artists like Peso Pluma have propelled Mexican music genres onto the global stage by blending traditional sounds with trap and other contemporary influences, rivalling international stars such as Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny on streaming services.

These genres — particularly “narco-corridos” — have sparked much controversy, as many performers reference drug cartels and the broader “narco culture.” While some tracks glorify criminal figures, others reflect the difficult realities faced by youth in cartel-dominated regions, drawing parallels to themes often explored in American rap.

This style of music has been at the heart of ongoing debates over the boundaries between free artistic expression and censorship, with several Mexican states previously prohibiting live performances of certain songs.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S PREVIOUS STEPS

In recent months, the Trump administration has taken action by revoking visas for several artists associated with the genre. In May, the well-known northern Mexican group Grupo Firme, which has worked to move away from cartel-related content, announced the cancellation of a planned California concert due to visa suspensions.

In April, the administration said it was revoking the visas of the band Alegres de Barranco after they flashed the face of a cartel boss behind them at a concert, prompting a controversy and even criminal investigations in Mexico.

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With inputs from agencies