Censorship or public safety? Tijuana bans ‘narco’ ballads.
Brass horn, acoustic guitar, and a punch of accordion notes spill out of a restaurant on a recent rainy evening in this bustling border city. Customers sway in their seats – and some stand up to dance – while the corrido, or ballad, blasting from the speakers tells a familiar story of love, struggle, and triumph.
Corridos have been popular in Mexico for more than a century. The song playing this evening is an old-school classic. Modern versions land Mexican and Mexican American artists at the top of international billboard charts.
