A House Democratic candidate for a Congressional district that lies on the southern border once appeared on stage with a popular singer tagged as a “front” man f0r a cartel trafficker. Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy winner, is running to unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz in Texas’ 15th Congressional District in November. The Tejano singer once performed on stage with a Mexican cartel operative. He also appeared at his concerts on numerous occasions before the Mexican singer was formally sanctioned by the United States government. The Department of the Treasury sanctioned Julión Álvarez in August 2017 for acting “as a front” person for a drug trafficker and his cartel, while holding “assets on their behalf.” The federal government also said Pulido had a “longstanding” relationship with Álvarez. Pulido performed on stage with Álvarez in October 2018, sharing the video on his Facebook page, where he called the sanctioned singer “mi amigo.” The two were seen embracing, patting each other on the back, and shaking hands as they sang together before a cheering crowd. Álvarez previously denied the cartel ties, claiming that the only connection was through a real estate purchase, according to CNN. The Biden administration removed Álvarez from the sanctions list in 2022, CNN reported. The Trump administration later revoked Álvarez’s visa to perform in the United States in 2025, the singer said. In a statement, Pulido’s campaign manager Abel Prado claimed that “Álvarez was cleared,” adding that “Bobby and Álvarez are not friends, and this is just another case of Republicans not understanding our culture – ‘amigo’ is a common expression.” “Republicans think all these attacks on Bobby are going do something… but the fact of the matter is he is a beloved figure and they’re going to find that out in November when he flips this seat,” Prado said. The latest revelation comes after the New York Post reported that Pulido toured with a sex offender. On more than a dozen occasions, Pulido performed with accordionist Frankie Caballero, who was sentenced to prison for indecent contact with an eight-year-old girl, according to the New York Post. Pulido performed and recorded one of his hit songs with Caballero before his conviction, the outlet reported. He toured again with him decades later, after his four-year prison sentence. “Bobby was never made aware of Caballero’s sex offender registration and would never knowingly associate with anyone with that kind of history. Bobby extends his deepest sympathies and support to all of the victims involved,” Pulido campaign manager Abel Prado told the New York Post. Pulido himself also once played a pervert who masturbated in public and exposed himself to a woman in a 2010 music video for his song “Dias de Ayer,” according to the New York Post. The Tejano singer played several characters in the video, including a gay admirer of the pervert. Pulido also has several previous posts on social media espousing homophobic views. “Igualmente amigo, no homo,” he wrote in response to a fan in 2019. “1. I don’t like those guys. 2. You can’t have children. 3. Stop being a jerk already,” Pulido said in response to a user’s post calling him a “hottie” in 2017.