After the violent clashes in recent weeks in the region of Tierra Caliente, in the state of Michoacán in Mexico, between "self-defense" groups, the "Knights Templar" Cartel and the Mexican Army, a new scandal has raised some questions about the actions of the state government.
In a country in where the luxuries and excesses of the children of drug traffickers can be easily seen on social networks, the so-called "Princes of Banda," Melissa and Enrique Plancarte Jr., children of the known criminal Enrique Plancarte, better known as "El Kike Plancarte," stand out not just for their musical careers, but because they were hired by the state government to perform in the 2012 Michoacán Expo Fair.
According to Sin Embargo, their performances were authorized by Gov. Fausto Vallejo Figueroa. This revelation has shocked thousands since the musicians are known by Michoacán to be the children of a drug trafficker.
And the scandal continues to spiral out of control. Melissa Plancarte, who calls herself "The Princess of Banda," filmed a music video in the former Palace of Justice of Michoacán, a building which became the Museum of the Judicial Power.
Morelia's city hall and the state government reportedly gave Plancarte permission to use a government building, and the authorities replied that "It's not possible to rent any government building, at least not legally."
Despite this, the video for the song "No es por ti," uploaded to YouTube by Melissa Plancarte herself, shows scenes inside the building, which dates from colonial times.
Both Melissa and Enrique Plancarte Jr., have openly shown their support for the criminal organization known as "The Knights Templar," a cartel that set up its base of operations in Michoacán and that has been slowly destroyed in recent weeks by "self-defense" groups, community groups that rose up in arms to fight the cartel.
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