5. Patron Saint Jesus Malverde and Narcocorridos (Drug Ballads)
Jesus Malverde is the patron saint of drug traffickers. While the legendary mustachioed bandit isn’t recognized by the Catholic Church, he’s a Robin Hood-like figure who’s said to have stolen from the rich and given to the poor. (The idea of the drug kingpin as a benevolent bandit is common in narco-lore.) While Jesus Malverde’s story is sketchy, the Mexican police supposedly shot him in 1909; Malverde has since been romanticized as the spiritual protector of those involved in the drug trade. Narcocorridos tell stories about drug trafficking. Men are praised for their honor and bravery (as well as the number of people they’ve killed) and seen as defenders of the poor against an unjust government.
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