MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥� Mexico's said Monday she has a plan to reduce the popularity of 鈥渘arco corridos,鈥� a musical genre often linked to drug cartel violence.
Sheinbaum vowed to launch a campaign to promote other, less violent musical styles that aren鈥檛 as in an effort to stop glorifying them.
The campaign includes 鈥渁 competition among corrido bands that have some other kind of lyrics, that glorify other behaviors, other cultural visions,鈥� Sheinbaum said, noting that 鈥漰rohibiting them is not an option." Instead, she said, "it's about promoting another vision."
Her secret weapon is a 47-year-old northern governor who occasionally sings more traditional 鈥渂anda鈥� songs.
鈥淥ne of the ideas we came up with was in Durango,鈥� said Sheinbaum. "We talked about it with the governor, I don鈥檛 know if you knew, but he is a 鈥榖anda鈥� singer.鈥�
Gov. Esteban Villegas has taken a few turns on stage singing , which while it is also driven by horns and bass, is more likely to praise cowboys and poor working people.
, one of the biggest names in regional Mexican music, on the other hand, prides himself on signing 鈥渂elicon" or aggressive 鈥漷umbado" songs sprinkled with references to trafficking drugs.
At varying times, some Mexican cities have tried to with mixed success.
Marco Antonio Gordoa Obeso, the leader of a musicians' union in the northern city of Mazatlan, said he would like to see other types of music succeed, but some audiences prefer narco corridos.
鈥淧eople ask for it,鈥� Gordoa Obeso said. 鈥淲ho am I to deny somebody their preference?鈥�
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