MEXICO CITY — The Trump administration said Wednesday it was sanctioning Mexican musician Ricardo Hernández, known as “El Makabelico,” over allegations that the artist was laundering money for a drug cartel.
The move comes after the administration has stripped the visas of some of Mexico’s most famous musicians, targeting those whose genres often explore themes related to cartels.
The U.S. Treasury Department accused Hernández, a musician they refer to as a “narco-rapper,” of being associated with the Cartel del Noreste, CDN, an evolution of the former Zetas Cartel. According to the department, he laundered money for the criminal group through concerts and events.
The CDN is one of several Latin American organized crime groups that the Trump administration has designated as a foreign