Manu Chao investigated by Mexican government

French singer Manu Chao faced deportation from Mexico after recent comments on the country's politics. During a visit last week to the Guadalajara International Film Festival, Chao discussed the 2006 uprising in San Salvador Atenco, a town northeast of Mexico City. "What happened in Atenco was, in some way, state terrorism," he told journalists. Chao was referring to the events of May 2006, particularly a demonstration by Atenco flower-sellers against a commercial development. Mexican police intervened, sparking riots. Over 200 people were injured, two killed and 27 women sexually assaulted in the ensuing conflict, according to Mexico's National Human Rights Committee. "[Officials] are saying 'don't say a word when we seize your land, because you better watch out, the same thing will happen to you as happened in Atenco,'" Chao said. While political commentary isn't unusual at film festival press conferences, in this case it may have been anti-constitutional. Article 33 of the Mexican constitution states that "foreigners cannot in any manner interfere in internal political affairs" and the government carries "the executive power to force them to leave national territory". On Thursday, the Mexican interior ministry confirmed that they were investigating the singer, while Chao pulled out of a planned concert, citing "private reasons". At this point, Peter Gabriel stepped in. The British rock legend had recently visited president Filipe Calderón and commented on Chao to the Mexican press. "We are all citizens of the planet," Gabriel said, "and have responsibilities ... to our consciences." He insisted that Chao "absolutely" had the right to comment on Atenco. Indeed, the former Genesis frontman may have persuaded the authorities to let Chao stay. In a news release on Friday, the Mexican government denied that they had ever considered expelling Chao. The singer later released his own statement, explaining the concert cancellation. "The decision of not singing in the Catalonia Boulevard this last Thursday was mine alone," he wrote. "I wanted to avoid any possibility of violence if the authorities came for me during the performance ... I did not want to risk that a cultural celebration might be transformed into something uncontrollable."