The remains of five musicians, who were members of a Mexican regional music group and had been reported missing, were discovered in the northern city of Reynosa near the Texas border, as stated by authorities on Thursday.
The musicians belonged to the band Grupo Fugitivo, known for performing at local parties and dances in the area, and had been unaccounted for since May 25. Investigators from the Tamaulipas state prosecutor’s office, who were looking into their disappearance, revealed that the men were abducted around 10 p.m. that evening while traveling in an SUV to a venue where they were scheduled to perform. Their remains were located on the outskirts of Reynosa. Prosecutors indicated that nine individuals, suspected to be affiliated with a faction of the Gulf Cartel, which has a significant presence in the city, have been apprehended.
Authorities were unable to provide an immediate explanation for the killings and did not refute local media reports suggesting that the bodies had been incinerated. The genre of music they performed – Mexican regional music, which encompasses a variety of styles including corridos and cumbia – has recently gained prominence, entering a phase of international musical revival. Young artists occasionally pay tribute to drug cartel leaders, often depicted as figures akin to Robin Hood.
It remains unclear whether the group performed such songs or if the artists were merely victims of the pervasive cartel violence that has overshadowed the city. However, other musicians have received death threats from cartels, and some have had their visas revoked by the United States due to allegations from the Trump administration that they were glorifying criminal acts.
