Fans of singer Julión Álvarez were caught off guard by a major announcement. After seven years away from U.S. soil due to suspicion from authorities about him having connections to drug cartels, the Chiapas-born singer and his Norteña band are set to perform there once again.
Julión's journey has been anything but easy or low-profile. Following an investigation by the U.S. Treasury Department, authorities 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.
@marcetorres1 Borran a Julion Álvarez de la ‘lista negra’ de la OFAC en EU; ‘Bendito Dios’, #julionalvarez #julionalvarezoficial #abogada
♬ sonido original - marcetorres1
But is this the full story? In 2021, Julión shared his side, claiming 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.
"The land had belonged to a real estate company linked to the Flores family years ago. I invested through my artistic company, and within 8 to 10 months, I had issues with the partner," Julión explained at the time.
After years of legal battles, the artist was finally removed from the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) blacklist in May 2023. He received his tourist visa the following month and celebrated by visiting the U.S. with his family.
Julión announced in October this year that he and his band had obtained work visas, hinting at plans to bring his music to American stages.
"I'm thrilled because we now have our work visas to perform in the U.S. Mine was the last to arrive. We're ready to plan, whether for February, March, and April, or March, April, and May, to be there and thank our fans," he shared.
Julión's return announcement came via his official Instagram, where he posted a video of himself holding his passport. Alongside the clip was a heartfelt caption thanking God and his fans for their patience:
"God's timing is perfect and precise. Thank you to each of you for waiting all this time. It's a gift from God!"
While details of Julión and his Norteña band's upcoming U.S. shows remain under wraps, it's expected that his visit will be scheduled for the first half of 2025, marking a new chapter in his personal and professional life.
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