The Strange and Tragic Story of Valentin Elizalde (2024)

The Strange and Tragic Story of Valentin Elizalde
The Strange and Tragic Story of Valentin Elizalde (1)

"Now you know who you're dealing with, come and test your luck." - from "To My Enemies"

Nicknamed "The Golden Rooster," Valentin Elizalde, 27, was well known in Northern Mexico for his brass-based traditional "banda" music: polka-inspired and with gritty lyrics. Musicians like him along the Mexico-Texas frontier have long documented the trials of border life and have turned the region's drug lords into living legends.

In August 2006, on the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube.com, someone posted a photo slideshow depicting a succession of bullet-riddled bodies set to Elizalde's song "A Mis Enemigos" ("To My Enemies") as the soundtrack.

The gory collection had a partisan theme: it was taunting the Gulf Cartel, showing only victims aligned with it and its enforcement arm, known as Los Zetas. And just so nobody missed the point, the screen name of the person who shared the gloating documentary was "matazeta," or Zeta killer.

Volleys of foul-mouthed insults soon began to be posted to the site, resulting in a strange dialogue between self-described supporters of the Sinaloa and Gulf cartels, which are locked in a turf battle over lucrative smuggling corridors into the United States.

On the YouTube site, the rhetoric escalated in the days before Elizalde was slated to play in Reynosa a border town in the heart of Gulf Cartel territory. "Videos like this cause the death of Chapitos," warned a Gulf supporter in a posting one day before the concert, using a slang term for El Chapo's followers.

On November 25, Elizalde played his set in Reynosa, opening and closing it with "To My Enemies."

The Strange and Tragic Story of Valentin Elizalde (2)

As he left the fair, two vehicles chased his Chevrolet Suburban and opened fire with automatic weapons in front of dozens of onlookers. Elizalde, his driver and manager were killed. Elizalde had been hit 28 times and died on the scene. As many as 70 cartridges were found.

A cryptic message was posted on YouTube almost immediately after the shooting. "Just because of this video, they filled the Rooster with lead, hahahaha. He cried like a bitch," another poster who sided with the Gulf Cartel wrote.

When Elizalde was gunned down, he was in the passenger seat, his limp body slumped toward the door. These details are clearly visible in another video posted on YouTube, a 50-second clip of the crime scene.

Meanwhile, the comments on the videos continued. Some comments referred to the ousting of Gregorio "El Goyo" Sauceda from the Gulf Cartel leadership after a rift with other bosses. El Goyo's fall had not been reported anywhere, but matched intelligence that U.S. authorities had gleaned from contacts in Mexico.

If there were other nuggets of truth buried among the poorly spelled curses, they are now lost. YouTube yanked the video and comments Nov. 27, citing violation of terms of service.

But other versions of the Elizalde video surfaced immediately on YouTube, one opening with machine gun fire and closing with a video clip of an execution.

In the territory disputed by the Gulf and Sinaloa cartels the names of cartel leaders are mentioned only in whispers, if at all. But under the anonymity bestowed by the Internet, whispers became pronouncements.

It wasn't the first time an assassination was foretold on the Internet. On a Weblog in August, in a similar vitriolic back-and-forth, a threat to kill Monterrey investigator Marcelo Garza y Garza became reality just weeks later.

Last Wednesday, Norteño singer Javier Morales Gomez of the group Los Implacables del Norte was gunned down in the plaza of Huetamo in Michoacan state. Three days earlier, singer Lupillo Rivera was shot at as he drove in Guadalajara.

On Sunday, a large crowd awaited the arrival of Elizalde's body at the airport in Ciudad Obregon. Two police cars then escorted Elizalde's body to his hometown of Jitonhueca, about 60 miles southeast, where a memorial service was to be held at his mother's home, the government news agency Notimex reported. Along the way, the funeral procession was greeted by the strains of norteno music. Some fans applauded from the side of the road. Others tossed flowers or laid out votive candles.

Sources

http://www.banderasnews.com/0612/nt-valentinelizalde.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentin_Elizalde
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=elizalde&search=Search

The song in question, framed as a tribute video:

It's not surprising that there's violence when you're talking about drug cartels, but besides the obvious unfortunate fate of Elizalde (who's survived by his three daughters), I thought this was notable just because of how odd this was.

The Strange and Tragic Story of Valentin Elizalde (2024)

FAQs

Is Valentin Elizalde still alive? ›

How many bullets did Valentin Elizalde have? ›

He is 27. Elizalde had just finished playing a concert at a palenque, and had entered his SUV when he was gunned down by more than 70 machine gun bullets.

Was Valentin Elizalde married? ›

When did Valentin Elizalde start singing? ›

Singer. The professional career of Valentín Elizalde started on June 24, 1998.

What was the cause of death of Valentin Elizalde? ›

He was murdered in an ambush; allegedly by members of the drug trafficking cartel Los Zetas, which at that time served as the armed wing of the Gulf Cartel.

Who was in the car with Valentin Elizalde? ›

Elizalde, his manager (and best friend) Mario Mendoza Grajeda, and driver Reynaldo Ballesteros were all gunned down in an ambush after a concert in the border city of Reynosa, across the border from McAllen, Texas in an apparent gangland style hit on Saturday, November 25.

What Mexican singer was killed by the cartels? ›

The shooting made headlines in regional English-language newspapers and ABC World News Tonight. Afterwards, Chalino saw success with his sales and began getting increased airplay. He was shot and killed by unidentified assailants hours after a performance at the Salon Bugambilias in Culiacán on May 16, 1992.

Who invented the 1st bullet? ›

In 1826, Henri-Gustave Delvigne invented a rifle, which was more effective in its firing of a ball. Swiss Colonel Eduard Rubin invented the bullet with a full metal jacket. He engineered this implement in 1882 while working for the Swiss Federal Ammunition Factory and Research Center.

Who was the Mexican singer shot on stage? ›

A mural of the singer Chalino Sanchez in Los Angeles. Edward Alvarado Gallegos cast his mind back three decades, to the night in 1992 that he tried to kill a legend. After clambering drunkenly onto the stage of a nightclub, he stood face to face with the singer Chalino Sanchez.

Does Valentin Elizalde have a brother? ›

Is Valentin Elizalde from Sinaloa? ›

Elizalde was born in the city of Etchojoa, Jitonhueca a municipality of Navojoa, Sonora. He then moved to Guadalajara, Jalisco and later to Guasave, Sinaloa where he, his father, Lalo Elizalde, nicknamed "El Gallo" (The Rooster), and brothers resided for a few years.

Is El Flaco Elizalde related to Valentin Elizalde? ›

Elizalde, known as 'El Flaco' (Skinny), is the brother of musician Valentin Elizalde, who was killed in November 2006.

When did Taio Cruz debut? ›

Cruz is the founder and chief executive of Rockstar Music London, which in 2006 released his debut single "I Just Wanna Know". The single charted at #29 in the UK singles charts.

When did Pedro Infante sing? ›

Pedro Infante
Musical career
Occupation(s)Singer actor
Instrument(s)Classical guitar piano violin trumpet drums
Years active1939–1957
8 more rows

When did Carlos Rivera start singing? ›

In 2005 he finally signed with Sony BMG and began plans to record his first album. While doing that he also entered Desafio de Estrellas 2 in which he placed 5th. He also played the role of "Fausto" in the TV Azteca series La vida es una canción ("Life is a song").

Where is Valentin Elizalde? ›

Regional Mexican singer Valentin Elizalde was shot dead in the early morning of Saturday (Nov. 25) in Reynosa, Mexico. He was 27. Elizalde had just finished playing a concert at a palenque, and had entered his SUV when he was gunned down by more than 70 machine gun bullets.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Dan Stracke

Last Updated:

Views: 6236

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dan Stracke

Birthday: 1992-08-25

Address: 2253 Brown Springs, East Alla, OH 38634-0309

Phone: +398735162064

Job: Investor Government Associate

Hobby: Shopping, LARPing, Scrapbooking, Surfing, Slacklining, Dance, Glassblowing

Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.