The recent extradition of José Gerardo Álvarez Vázquez, alias “El Indio” or “El Chayan,” to the United States has once again brought to the forefront of media debate the alleged relationship between the former Beltrán Leyva cartel operative and Venezuelan former Miss Universe Alicia Machado.
Although the actress and businesswoman has repeatedly denied any romantic or familial ties to the drug trafficker, the allegations have been documented in court records, witness statements, and, especially, in journalist Anabel Hernández’s book, Emma and the Other Drug Lords.
According to Anabel Hernández’s investigation, the relationship between Alicia Machado and “El Indio” was an open secret within Mexican drug trafficking circles. The author recounts that the former Miss Universe was the public partner of Álvarez Vázquez, who, according to her, was the father of her daughter, born in 2008.
The book describes how Machado attended family gatherings and private parties with high-ranking figures. One of the episodes she recounts is the baptism of Alicia Machado’s daughter. The event, she says, was held at a residence in Interlomas and brought together drug lords such as Arturo Beltrán Leyva, Édgar Valdez Villarreal (“La Barbie”), Héctor Beltrán Leyva, and other prominent members of the organization.
