Beto y Sus Canarios Leader Edilberto Portillo ‘Is Alive’ After Armed Attack, His Family Says

Edilberto Portillo, founder and lead singer of the Tierra Caliente music group Beto y Sus Canarios, is alive after being shot on Saturday shortly before going onstage at Rodeo Texcoco in Chicoloapan, Estado de México, his family said Monday (August 24) in a press release shared on social media.

“Given the news that has circulated in recent hours, the family of Edilberto Portillo, known as ‘Don Beto,’ founder of Beto y Sus Canarios, wishes to inform the public, friends, fans and the media that Don Beto is alive and currently receiving medical attention after being the victim of an armed attack,” reads the statement, published on the band’s official Facebook account. “Don Beto is under the care of medical professionals and receiving all necessary attention. Our absolute priority at this time is his life, his recovery, and his safety.”

The family added that no other members of the band were injured during the incident.

Portillo was shot by unknown individuals outside Rodeo Texcoco, where he was scheduled to perform Saturday night at the event “Los 4 Patrones de Tierra Caliente.” The lineup also included other groups from the genre, such as Los Player’s de Tuzantla, Súper Banda Los Pajaritos and La Dinastía de Tuzantla.

The incident gained traction on social media, but no authorities, the venue or anyone from the group made any statements until Monday afternoon. The event organizers also did not address the incident and proceeded with their scheduled program.

With over four decades career, Beto y Sus Canarios, originally from Huetamo, Michoacán, was founded in 1987 by Portillo and Gabino García, launching a genre that came to be known as Tierra Caliente music, named after the region. The musical movement gained momentum in the early 2000s with hits like “Está Llorando Mi Corazón” and “Noche Eterna,” and had chart presence on Billboard.

Their 2005 LP Ardientes spent two weeks at No. 1 on Top Regional Mexican Albums, where the group placed a total of seven albums. On Regional Mexican Airplay, they charted 13 songs, with two reaching No. 1: “No Puedo Olvidarte,” which spent 16 weeks at the top that same year, and “Está Llorando Mi Corazón,” which led for 12 weeks in 2004.

“We deeply appreciate the expressions of love, prayers and messages of support we have received,” the family added in their statement. “We respectfully ask the public and the media to avoid sharing unconfirmed information or speculation about what happened and to rely only on information shared through our official channels.”