Beto y Sus Canarios Singer Edilberto Portillo Survives Shooting

Edilberto Portillo, the founder and lead singer of the influential Tierra Caliente music group Beto y Sus Canarios, is alive and receiving medical care following an armed attack on Saturday. The incident occurred shortly before the group was scheduled to perform at the Rodeo Texcoco venue in Chicoloapan, Estado de México.

His family confirmed the news in a statement released on Monday (August 24) via the band’s official social media channels. The statement clarified that while Portillo was the victim of an armed assault, he is currently under the supervision of medical professionals. “Our absolute priority at this time is his life, his recovery, and his safety,” the family noted, while also confirming that no other members of the band were injured during the incident.

The shooting took place at the “Los 4 Patrones de Tierra Caliente” event, which featured a lineup of several prominent acts from the genre. Despite the gravity of the situation, the event proceeded as scheduled, and no immediate statements were issued by the venue or local authorities until the family’s announcement on Monday afternoon.

With a career spanning over four decades, Portillo helped define the Tierra Caliente sound after founding the band in 1987 alongside Gabino García. The group became a cornerstone of the regional Mexican music scene in the early 2000s, achieving significant success on the #Billboard charts. Their 2005 album Ardientes reached No. 1 on the Top Regional Mexican Albums chart, and they secured multiple No. 1 hits on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart, including “No Puedo Olvidarte” and “Está Llorando Mi Corazón.”

In their statement, the family expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of support from fans and the media. They also issued a plea for the public to refrain from spreading speculation, urging followers to rely solely on information shared through the band’s official channels as they focus on Portillo’s recovery.