The passing of the iconic Paquita la del Barrio has stirred surprising anecdotes, one of them related to Roberto Mollado Esparza or José Alberto, alias "El Betito", leader of the feared Union Tepito cartel. The story dates back to the 90s, when Paquita, originally from the Guerrero neighborhood in Mexico City, owned a bar-restaurant called "Casa de Paquita", located on Zarco street number 202.
After the incident, Paquita's niece stopped visiting the neighborhood, and El Betito gained a new nickname: "Flamitas", due to the attack on the bar. Although the leader of the Union Tepito continued his criminal career, he respected Paquita and never touched her restaurant again. Over time, El Betito rose in the world of organized crime and became the head of one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico City, although he is currently imprisoned in a federal prison in Chiapas.
This episode highlights not only El Betito's dangerous past but also the figure of Paquita la del Barrio, who always defended her family, confronting a character who would later be recognized as one of the most feared mobsters in the country. El Betito's response was forceful: "If you don't let me see her, I will burn down the restaurant." And so it happened. The Casa de Paquita restaurant suffered a fire on its facade, closing the place for months.
Despite Paquita's warnings for him not to continue seeing her niece, the young man persisted. The singer tried to stop the relationship with a direct message and a financial offer, but the situation escalated quickly. At that time, a young man nicknamed "El Chaparro" was courting one of the singer's nieces, provoking disapproval from the interpreter's family, who did not look favorably upon the relationship.
The story behind the conflict, according to journalist Antonio Nieto, Roberto Mollado, who was only 14 at the time, was already known for his reputation as a killer and his time in the Juvenile Correctional Facility.
