Corridos Portray El Wicho's Alleged Rise
Original reporting: Infobae México
What happened
Infobae México analyzed three corridos that depict Luis Enrique Barragán Chávez, known as El Wicho or R5, as a heavily armed leader in Los Reyes. His reported death was unconfirmed in this source, and the songs' claims are not proof.
Reporting and context
Infobae México said three songs about Luis Enrique Barragán Chávez, known as El Wicho or R5, depict him as an armed boss in Los Reyes, Michoacán. It said he may have died in a fight with federal troops on August 31. The state had not confirmed his death as yet.
The corridos are songs, not formal records. Infobae said their words claim R5 began in 2005, led armed men and trucks, had big guns, and worked near Jalisco. The report called this his own image, not a fact.
Infobae said names and roles in the songs resemble later news and state reports. It linked some aliases to people said to hold posts near Los Reyes and Cárteles Unidos. One name had no known match, and more points were unclear. The songs may offer clues to the group's claimed ranks, but they do not prove its true form or R5's fate.