Summary (tl;dr)

Alberto Prieto Valencia, a prominent businessman from Guadalajara's Mercado de Abastos, was assassinated in a coordinated armed attack in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, on December 29, 2025, alongside his 16-year-old daughter and a bodyguard. Authorities are investigating potential links to his alleged involvement in or resistance to illegal "Colombian raffles" and loan sharking schemes controlled by organized crime.

Essential Background

Alberto Prieto Valencia, also known as "El Prieto" or "Don Beto," was a 57-year-old entrepreneur and wholesale merchant, originally from Veracruz, who had built a significant business in the distribution of grains, cereals, and groceries, operating multiple warehouses in the strategic Mercado de Abastos of Guadalajara. He was also the founder and owner of Transportes Odal, a logistics company for food products. His lifestyle reportedly included luxury vehicles and private security, reflecting both his success and a perceived need for protection. Prieto Valencia had also been previously detained on two occasions by local police for illegal possession of military-exclusive weapons, though these cases were not prosecuted.

The Full Story

On the morning of December 29, 2025, Alberto Prieto Valencia was traveling in a Lamborghini Urus when he was ambushed by a heavily armed group at the intersection of Avenida Topacio and Calle Brillante, on the border between Zapopan and Guadalajara, Jalisco. The attack, which involved multiple vehicles and reportedly over 200 shots fired over several minutes, resulted in the immediate deaths of Prieto Valencia and one of his bodyguards. His 16-year-old daughter, who was also in the vehicle, was critically wounded and later died at a hospital. Four other bodyguards were injured, one seriously. The Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation, with one of the primary lines of inquiry focusing on his potential connections to illegal "Colombian raffles" and "gota a gota" (loan sharking) operations within the Mercado de Abastos. These illicit schemes are allegedly run by criminal networks, some linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which coerce merchants into buying raffle tickets as a form of extortion or "protection fees." Salvador Zamora Zamora, the Secretary General of Government of Jalisco, confirmed these lines of investigation, noting previous journalistic reports on Prieto Valencia's possible links to these activities.

Why It Matters

This high-profile assassination underscores the significant challenges Jalisco faces with organized crime's infiltration into legitimate commercial sectors, particularly in major economic hubs like the Mercado de Abastos. The brazenness and military-like precision of the attack, carried out in a residential area, highlight the pervasive violence and the perceived impunity with which criminal groups operate. The incident sends a chilling message to the business community, suggesting that even prominent figures with private security are vulnerable to organized crime, raising concerns about the rule of law and the safety of merchants who may be subjected to extortion and illegal practices. The ongoing investigation into the links with "Colombian raffles" also brings renewed attention to these illicit schemes and their connection to broader criminal networks.

Geographic Location

• Intersection of Avenida Topacio and Calle Brillante, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico (location of assassination)
• Mercado de Abastos, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico (primary business operations of Alberto Prieto Valencia, alleged center of illegal "Colombian raffles")