Monterrey, Nuevo León – In one of Mexico’s most prominent cities, two events separated by a week have had a profound impact. First came the shocking arrest of Norberto Valencia, a respected financial advisor strangely accused of being part of the Beltrán Leyva cartel, followed by the kidnapping of his brother Víctor, allegedly carried out by members of the same criminal group.
Weapon used in the attempted assassination of Norberto Valencia by organized crime in 2018.
This is a highly perplexing story in a society that once knew Norberto’s professional success. His achievements as a financial advisor and consultant garnered the interest of the criminal group he is now being associated with in 2018. In that year, they attempted to end his life following several failed extortion attempts, using a mechanism known in Mexico as “derecho de piso” – a sort of illegal tax that businesses and individuals are forced to pay in exchange for security and protection.
But let’s allow Norberto Valencia himself to explain in a compelling and at times heart-wrenching testimony:
I am Norberto Valencia González, and I want to express the terror that the Valencia González family is currently experiencing due to a publication that has appeared in various media outlets.
What terrifies me the most about the media campaign of which I am a victim is the potential retaliation that my family and close circle may face. The urgency of reaching the general public and having them hear my side of the story is to prevent events like the one that occurred on September 22, 2023, around 5:00 PM, from happening again.
That event is the kidnapping of my older brother, Víctor Valencia González, in Cerralvo, Nuevo León, the place where both of us were raised by our grandparents. It appears to have been carried out by an organized crime group that is demanding the sum of 10 million pesos in exchange for his life and freedom. This group likely believes, due to what has been reported in the media, that we are in a financial position to pay such an amount or that, allegedly being associated with the criminal group Los Beltrán Leyva, they consider both me and my family as enemies.
I deeply regret and am terrified that my family and I are in a life-threatening situation. I wouldn’t wish for anyone’s children to grow up stigmatized by baseless lies that claim, without any justification or evidence whatsoever, that their father is supposedly a bad person. It’s regrettable that my safety is now in the crosshairs and at the mercy of people who now perceive me as part of a criminal association to which I do not belong.
I want to tell you that I have already experienced this fear and anguish in another stage of my life, back in 2018, when I fell victim to an attack by members of the criminal group they now claim I am a part of. That event nearly ended my life. According to the official investigation, the vehicle I was traveling in was hit by more than 200 rounds of high-caliber bullets, miraculously hitting me with only three bullets: one in my left shoulder and two in my right arm.
So, I ask, what logic do the media have to assert that I am part of Los Beltrán Leyva and that I operate at their highest level? Can’t they see that I am a victim, just like many other Mexicans? How many people have been part of this situation? Who is behind these media outlets that, without verifying the information, simply label me as a criminal? The truth is, I am just another Mexican who is a victim of the violence that occurred in past administrations. I am a family man, concerned about the well-being, growth, and development of my children. I am an entrepreneur, eager to succeed, like many in this country. I am a Mexican who loves his nation and believes in a state where peace and prosperity can prevail.
Through this publication, I am here with the intention and request to be allowed to reach the spaces that defamed me, to seek not to be socially judged, and to ask to be given the opportunity to defend myself against the media outlets that have tarnished my honor and reputation.
I trust both the Mexican and American governments, and I am confident that I can prove my innocence before the authorities, leaving no doubt about who I truly am. However, today, as I mentioned at the beginning, I am suffering because of the events affecting my family. I am suffering because it is known that the message of my brother’s kidnapping is related to organized crime, as they believe I am a part of Los Beltrán Leyva. I repeat, I fear for the lives of my family, my close circle, and clearly my own.
Finally, I request the support of federal and Nuevo León state authorities for the rescue of my brother, Víctor Valencia González, whom we miss dearly. Our mother and the entire family are very distressed, and we ask that no harm be done to him. May those who are holding him captive be moved by compassion.
