Jesus Malverde

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Jesús Malverde, sometimes known as the "narco-saint", is a folklore hero in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. He is not officially recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

The existence of Malverde has been historically verified,^[1] but according local legends he was a bandit killed by the authorities in 1909. The account of his life vary — sometimes he was a railway worker, while others he was a construction worker. There is also no agreement on the way he died, being variously hanged or shot. Moreover, sometimes it is said he was betrayed by a friend for a reward.

Since Malverde's death, he has earned a Robin Hood-type image, making him popular among Sinaloa's poor highland residents. The outlaw image has caused him to be adopted as the "patron saint" of the region's drug trafficking business, and the press have thus dubbed him "the narco-saint." ^[2] However, his intercession is also sought by those with troubles of various kinds, and a number of supposed miracles have been locally attributed to him, including personal healings and blessings.

Malverde's shrine, near a railway track in Culiacán, Mexico, attracts thousands of devotees each year .^[3]

[edit] Malverde's legacy

The legend of Jesús Malverde has inspired the work of a young Mexican-American hip-hop artist, born in California, who released his first album Mi Mojon in 2006.

A series of three Spanish-language films have been releasd under the titles Jesus Malverde, Jesus Malverde II: La Mafia de Sinaloa, and Jesus Malverde III: Enfierno en Los Angeles. They all feature tales of contemporary Mexican drug trafficking into California, with strong musical interludes during which the gangsters are shown at home being serenaded by Sinaloan accordion-led conjunto bands singing narco-corridos.

Spiritual supplies featuring the visage of Jesús Malverde are available in the United States as well as in Mexico. They include candles, anointing oils, incense, sachet powders, bath crystals, soap, and lithographed prints suitable for framing.

"Always & Forever" is a dramatic stageplay that features Malverde as a prominent character. The play examines various aspects of Mexican-American culture (such as quinceañeras, banda music, and Chalino Sánchez), and is currently under development at the Watts Village Theater Company[1] in Watts, Los Angeles, California. "Always & Forever" will premiere in April 2007 at the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood.