“Stop Thinking You’re Protected”

Ernesto Barajas, singer of Enigma Norteño, had already received threats from narco traffickers prior to his murder.

The singer tragically lost his life and now disturbing details have emerged about the threats he received before the attack.

Now, details about the threats he received in the past have come to light again, and they resonate with the singer’s unfortunate death. Here’s what we know about the intimidating messages he received.

Previous threats in Baja California

The tragic event occurred on Monday, August 19, in the Arenales Tapatíos neighborhood, in the municipality of Zapopan, Jalisco; however, two years ago, the celebrity was the target of threats.

In July 2023, Barajas was the target of direct threats allegedly attributed to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). A narco-banner appeared in Rosarito, Baja California, warning him not to perform at that municipality’s fair.

“Stop thinking you’re protected, you’re not going to come here to sing narco ballads for your team,” one of the messages read.

The message also alluded to the singer’s alleged ties to Alfonso Arzate García, alias El Aquiles, and René Arzate García, nicknamed La Rana, alleged members of a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. In response to this warning, Enigma Norteño canceled its scheduled appearance on July 23, 2023, a decision supported by authorities and event organizers.

According to initial reports, the artist was at a parking lot with another man when, as they were about to board their vehicle, they were intercepted by armed individuals. The assailants opened fire at least 15 times, killing Barajas and his companion on the spot.

Members of the Municipal Police and the State Attorney General’s Office immediately responded to the area to cordon off the area and begin an investigation.

So far, no arrests related to the attack have been reported. The crime has caused a stir in the music world, given Barajas’s leading role in the regional Mexican genre.

Who was Ernesto Barajas?

Originally from Culiacán, Sinaloa, Ernesto Barajas was the vocalist, producer, and director of Enigma Norteño, a group he founded in 2004. With a style marked by corridos and the norteño genre, the band achieved great notoriety both in Mexico and the United States, where their songs were strongly positioned on radio and digital platforms.

Among their best-known hits are “Mayito Gordo,” “Los Lujos del R,” “Quemándose un Gallito (El Rambo), “Chavo Félix,” and “El Ondeado.” Although his fame was consolidated primarily through narco ballads, Barajas insisted on several occasions that he had no ties to organized crime, despite acknowledging that criminal groups had sought him out to compose corridos for them.

Sources: Milenio, Culiacanazo News