Lenier Comments on El Chulo's Move from the U.S. to Mexico: "The Past Never Forgives"

Cuban singer Lenier Mesa has spoken out regarding the situation of his friend and fellow artist El Chulo (Abel Díaz Rodríguez). El Chulo recently left the United States for Mexico voluntarily after being detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a candid interview, Lenier shared a poignant thought: "The past never forgives, brother; it's always there."

During the discussion, Lenier described El Chulo as "like a brother" to him, vowing unwavering support for both the artist and his family.

Challenges of Moving Forward

Lenier highlighted the stark contrast between El Chulo's current situation and his previous life. He noted that El Chulo had managed to redirect his life before the arrest: "He had left all the street nonsense behind, he had his family, his home, his organized life." This makes the situation all the more painful, as it involves losing not just a country but everything built through hard work.

Despite this, Lenier acknowledged that past decisions eventually caught up with his friend. "El Chulo is like a brother to me, and I will support him in whatever decisions he makes. Although he might have made a bad decision... the decision to self-deport, I don't think it was the right one, but regardless, I support him," Lenier stated.

Material vs. Human Values

Lenier also reflected on the importance of human values over material wealth: "Not everything in life is about money or the environment. We Cubans adapt to living anywhere... but it's not about being in a place; it's about the process. He had something created, something he fought for, and suddenly one day, it's gone."

El Chulo was arrested on January 22nd at his home in Homestead, Florida, due to a final deportation order issued in 2018. This was linked to an incident in Tampa in 2017 involving a firearm, resulting in charges of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault. The immediate cause of his arrest was his failure to attend an immigration appointment. ICE also labeled him as an active member of the Latin Kings gang, an accusation he and his family denied.

After being detained for weeks at the Florida Soft Side South center in Ochopee, and experiencing alleged mistreatment at Alligator Alcatraz, El Chulo chose to sign for his voluntary departure to Mexico in early March, thus avoiding forced deportation to Cuba.

New Beginnings in Mexico

From Mexico, the reggaeton artist has resumed his public activities. He was reunited with his partner María Karla—whom he called "the love of my life"—at the airport, announced new music, and shared snapshots from a getaway to Isla Mujeres. "What they did was a favor to me," he declared, vowing to restart his career from scratch in Mexico.

Attorney José Guerrero, who followed the case, described the possibility of El Chulo returning to the U.S. as "very difficult," meaning Mexico will be where the artist must rebuild his life and musical career.