‘El Chapo Trini’: The Story of the Drug Lord Linked to Alfredo Olivas’s Family

There are numerous instances of Regional Mexican music artists being linked to criminal organizations operating in the country. The list is extensive and grows whenever a violent incident involving a singer or their inner circle occurs—as was the case with Alfredo Olivas, for example. 

On the night of August 10, an armed attack in Zapopan, Jalisco, left two men dead. One of the victims was identified by the State Prosecutor’s Office as a cousin of the singer; an investigation was opened, and the incident quickly drew attention, as it is part of a series of attacks targeting the singer’s family over the past decade. 

This has sparked theories regarding alleged ties to criminal groups, frequently pointing to Trinidad Olivas Valenzuela, a former operative for the Beltrán Leyva cartel. One of the earliest reports of attacks against the Sonoran singer or his relatives dates back to February 2015. 

Alfredo Olivas, whose career was just taking off, was targeted during a performance in Chihuahua. Local media reported that at least eight gunshots were fired at the singer, though only two actually struck him. At the time, the alleged motive was said to be flirtatious behavior between Alfredo Olivas and a woman. 

In 2018, the singer’s father, José Alfredo Olivas Valenzuela, was the target of two armed attacks. Following the first incident, he was admitted to Santa María Chapalita Hospital; ten days later, a group of armed men stormed the facility, intent on killing him. 

The quick response of the security staff thwarted their attempt. The harshest blow for the family came in 2021. On April 18, his brother Irvin Olivas—along with his wife, children, and nanny—was traveling in an SUV in Zapopan when they were struck by a hail of bullets. 

The attack claimed the lives of his brother, his sister-in-law, and a nephew who was just one year and eight months old. The motive for the attack was never revealed, which reignited rumors of an alleged link to organized crime. 

The strongest basis for these claims lies in the singer’s father’s surnames—Olivas Valenzuela—which match those of a regional boss for the Beltrán Leyva cartel who operated in Sonora. 

His name was Trinidad Olivas Valenzuela; his alias was “Chapo Trini.” Unofficially, he is identified as Alfredo Olivas’s uncle, though no one has confirmed this information. Despite this, the criminal history of “Chapo Trini” has resurfaced following attacks on the singer’s family members. 

According to a report by El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Trinidad Olivas Valenzuela began to gain prominence in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, around 2010. Leading a criminal cell known as “Los Trinis,” Chapo Trini engaged in transnational drug trafficking activities. 

Press reports indicate that Chapo Trini recruited young men aged 17 to 25 to vie for control of key territories against the Salazars—a long-standing Sonoran family clan that had previously allied with the Sinaloa Cartel faction led by “Chapo” Guzmán. 

To achieve his goals, Trinidad relied on the backing and protection of Sagid Emilio Quintero Navidad, alias “El Cadete,” a cousin of Rafael Caro Quintero. The report by El Colegio de la Frontera Norte states that both Chapo Trini and El Cadete were once part of the Sinaloa Cartel. 

However, following the cartel’s initial split in 2008, both men chose to ally themselves with the Beltrán Leyva organization; Chapo Trini subsequently rose through the ranks to become the plaza boss (territorial leader) of Ciudad Obregón. 

His criminal career ended in the early hours of July 12, 2017, at a Sonora-style taco and hot dog stand in Zapopan, Jalisco. Olivas Valenzuela was dining at the establishment when unknown assailants opened fire on him, killing him. 

Nevertheless, links to criminal events—particularly those involving Alfredo Olivas’s family—persist to this day. Despite the clues or coincidences regarding time and location, it will be up to the authorities to determine whether a connection exists or if it is merely a case of shared surnames. 

Source: Milenio