Vocalist for Los Tucanes Was Key Player In Trial

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat

🎶Once again, El Yankee is a commander. He still carries two big guns but in service for traffickers🎶

Ten years ago Mario Quintero Lara, vocalist and leader of Los Tucanes de Tijuana, was held in contempt in the United States for refusing to cooperate with authorities in the trial of a Gulf Cartel leader. He had information that prosecutors needed to convict Aurelio Cano Flores aka El Yankee. A Los Zetas operator in Los Guerra, Tamaulipas and in charge of overseeing cocaine and marijuana shipments to the U.S. 

In a series of calls between Samuel Flores Borrego aka El Metro 3. The cartel operator and the leader of the musical group, a deal was negotiated that the latter would compose a narco ballad for El Yankee. In 2008 the song was released as ‘El Criminal’ on the album ‘Propiedad Privada’. It tells the story of a respected PGR agent who left his job to join Los Zetas.

🎶Now the authorities are looking for him everywhere even though they already know where he is🎶

Before a U.S. prosecutor, Mario Quintero admitted being the one who wrote the narco ballads and admitted that Metro 3 had asked him to compose the song. Then the singer’s lawyer Jeremy Warren’s alarms went off and he recommended for him to invoke the Fifth Amendment in order not to incriminate himself. Quintana did so and was then found in contempt of court. Although he was not under investigation, he was called to testify and is a naturalized U.S. citizen. 

The musician was detained by US Marshalls until he decided to speak or the trial was concluded. The latter happened 5 days later. Aurelio Cano was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Other cartel hitmen testified against El Yankee. But Mario Quintero Lara, who immortalized his story in a corrido, didn’t sing.

Milenio  State.gov  Borderland Beat Archives