Mexican Singer Investigated Over Cartel Ties Cancels Texas Show, Says U.S. Visa Has Been Revoked

A popular Mexican singer previously investigated for having cartel ties has suspended a concert in Texas after appearing to have his U.S. visa revoked.

Concretely, Julion Alvarez said in a video reported by The Guardian that “we don’t have the ability to come to the U.S. and fulfill our commitment to you.” “The event will be postponer until we hear what comes next,” he added.

Alvarez was set to perform before tens of thousands of fans at the Arlington, Texas stadium. The development comes about seven months after he managed to get a work visa following years of being sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Alvarez was included in the list following an investigation by the U.S. Treasury Department, authorities, which concluded that the regional Mexican singer had ties with Raúl Flores, a Sinaloa Cartel leader.

He wasn’t the only public figure involved in the case; former Mexican soccer star Rafa Márquez was also named, both being identified as “front men” for the cartel boss. As a result, their accounts were frozen, and they were barred from entering the U.S.

Alvarez disputed the conclusion, saying that the connection was due to a misunderstanding. He recounted how he partnered with a man to buy land for future urban development, not realizing the real estate company involved had past ties to Flores. He was removed from the OFAC list in 2023 after years of legal battles, but he is again facing issues now under the Trump administration.

Alvarez’s case is not isolated either. Earlier this month, Chicago’s Michelada Fest, known for blending Mexican music, culture, and spicy beer cocktails, announced the cancellation of its 2025 edition due to rising concerns over artist visa denials.

The festival, originally set for mid-July, had been counting on major Latin acts including Danny Ocean, Anitta, Grupo Firme, and Natanael Cano collaborator Netón Vega. The lineup also featured key regional Mexican and corrido performers like Los Alegres del Barranco — a band whose U.S. visas were recently revoked after projecting images of cartel leader ‘El Mencho’ during a controversial concert in Zapopan, Jalisco.

Luis R. Conriquez, Codiciado, and several other corrido artists on the Michelada Fest lineup reportedly encountered delays or rejections in their visa processing, leaving the festival’s core programming in limbo. The cancellation is a major blow not only to fans but also to Chicago’s Latino business community, which has long relied on the fest to drive summer tourism, food and beverage sales.