They work on ‘Judas’ weighing more than 100 kilos

More than 100 kilos of wire rod, wire and tubes, as well as newspaper and gunpowder joined together, will give a spooky image of a devil more than three meters high, which will burn this Saturday of Glory in the Trincheras de Gómez Palacio neighborhood.

José Luis Valadez Rodríguez alias “Kiko”, along with four other people, including Armando, his cousin, have been working in this “chamuco” for two weeks, as part of their family tradition that began in the 80’s. The structure is already 70 percent complete and should be ready no later than this Friday.

Interviewed from his workshop, located in the Nuevo Refugio neighborhood, José Luis, remembers that his parents were the initiators of this tradition, which has come from the streets of Trincheras or Francisco Zarco de Gómez Palacio, since there are more and more families that each year they come to witness this spectacle.

With the imposing diabolical figure in the background, which on this occasion will have movement in its legs and arms, Kiko shared that also like his father, he went out to the streets on Glory Saturday dressed as a woman to ask for the cooperation of the families of Trincheras, for the making chamuco. And by then, there was only one person burning in the neighborhood.

But things changed. Now, those who helped create the monstrous image that the faces of politicians like that of former president Carlos Salidas de Gortari came to have, decided to make their own chamuco and burn it on Glory Saturday.

It was then that José Luis “Kiko” decided not to do it anymore and just dedicate himself fully to the making of his chamuco, which to date has been the largest and most impressive in Trincheras.

Now the collaboration is only between family members. In this case, a family member contributed a good amount, “because they are better off financially,” she said. And the fact is that the body of the chamuco alone costs more than 20 thousand pesos, plus the cost of the gunpowder, which is the most expensive.

“We almost always start on a Friday. First we get together and see who has an idea of ​​how we are going to do it and everyone begins to give their opinion: ‘hey, if we do it like this or that…’, because there is no leader with us, we all here, there is no reason for me to be in charge, here we are all equal,” he explained.

It is then with a brainstorm that a design is developed and put into practice.

The gunpowder is precisely the last thing that is placed in each part of the figure’s muscular body, this as a precaution since it involves almost 20 kilos of that explosive.

José Luis acknowledged that although his “chamuco” is the best in terms of design, it has fallen “short” in the powder spectacle once it is ignited. But this year, he hopes it will be different.

And the husband of one of their relatives, who has dedicated himself to placing gunpowder in other chamucos, has decided to help them, as he assured that “ego” has been his worst failure. “It is the one that thunders less, let’s hope that this year it does thunder better, because we have more gunpowder, because more people have come to explain to us… If those of us who dedicate ourselves to this dedicated ourselves to gunpowder, we would be better off. It is our ego of not asking, of not being 100 percent, now a boy is approaching who is married to a niece, he knows,” he said.

OF THE IMPROVEMENTS

As the initiator of this tradition, he welcomes the intention of Father Salvador Ramírez, parish priest in Cristo Rey in this sector of the city, to unite all the neighborhoods and burn the chamucos in a single point.

He agrees above all on security in the place, which is why he warned that anyone who starts with violent attitudes “no matter who it is,” will ask Public Security to take him into custody. And what worries the organizers the most is the safety, especially of minors, since more and more complete families from other sectors come to see the show.

That is why he sent a message to everyone in the Trincheras neighborhood to maintain tranquility and, above all, the family atmosphere.

“Let them change, they are already old and they continue with that (fights), what does it cost them to be well? They have children, wives, who never tire of telling them not to do it. Let them enjoy it, the more time passes it will be something bigger; we have eyes from various places, not only from Torreón and Gómez, from other parts.

OF THE SHOW

For this year, a route of all the “chamucos” that will be burned is planned, along Miguel Alemán Boulevard and Victoria Avenue, which they will take until they reach the 20 de Noviembre road in Trincheras. The tour will begin at 11:00 a.m. while the burning will be at 2:00 p.m.

Previously, wrestling performances will be offered in front of the Cristo Rey parish, around 10:00 am. But shortly before, men are expected to come out dressed as women to ask for help, especially to cover the purchase of gunpowder.