In the early 2000s, Mexico City had a very special place for nightlife: Bar Bar, a popular nightclub similar to today's La Purísima, but much more exclusive, as it operated under a club-style scheme. At its peak, patrons who paid for entry could find themselves at the bar with singers like Luis Miguel, Thalía, and even Jon Bon Jovi. However, its history was marked by the attack on former footballer Salvador Cabañas. On January 25, 2010, Bar Bar, a venue with a dance floor, screens, and neon lights, became the scene of a crime: José Jorge Balderas Garza, alias 'El JJ', shot the then captain of Club América in the head. The owner of the establishment was businessman Simón Charaf, known for his relationship with actress and Miss Universe Lupita Jones. He stated that most celebrities kept a low profile, especially Luis Miguel, who usually didn't dance and preferred to remain seated. 'When he came, he liked to have a good time discreetly,' Charaf recalled. That night, Salvador Cabañas, then 28 and at the peak of his career, came to the club with his wife and brother-in-law. Cázares, the former manager of Bar Bar, explained in an interview that the footballist arrived late at night after a match where América lost 2-0 to Monarcas: 'That night, I went out to meet him at the door. For the staff, it was not strange, as they were frequent customers,' he explained. In the restroom, Cabañas met José Jorge Balderas Garza, identified as a member of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. In a conversation with BBC Mundo, the former footballist recounted that 'El JJ' started the argument and then pointed a gun at him for several minutes before shooting. 'The guy was there, he turned and asked me, 'Are you Cabañas?' I replied, 'Yes, nice to meet you, how can I help you?'. He said, 'This is your last day on earth'. I answered, 'You are of no use to me (...)'. Amid the chaos, 'El JJ' fled. The staff did not hear the gunshot, but they found Salvador wounded, called an ambulance, and evacuated the place. The then-manager requested that the footballer be taken to the Hospital Ángeles del Pedregal, where he was admitted just before 7:00 a.m. and survived the surgery. Despite this, the former player has stated that the bullet remains embedded in his head; in addition, he has sequelae such as slight vision loss and partial paralysis of the left side of his body. After the incident, Bar Bar definitively closed in 2010. A year later, 'El JJ' was arrested in Bosques de las Lomas, in Mexico City, and transferred to a Federal Social Rehabilitation Center. However, it was not until 2022 that he received a 36-year prison sentence.
