The history of Mexico is full of characters who are remembered with pride every year, but there are names that few know, such as Rodolfo Fierro, who without him, Pancho Villa would not have achieved so much fame during the Mexican Revolution.
This man, who was nicknamed ‘Pancho Villa’s butcher’ (you can imagine why), was in charge of doing the ‘dirty work’, but was always loyal to the revolutionary leader.
Who Was Rodolfo Fierro?
Rodolfo Fierro was born on July 22, 1880, in Chihuahua, and became an outstanding military man in the Northern Division, during the Mexican Revolution, but also one of Pancho Villa’s most trusted men. Fierro’s name became visible thanks to his talent on the battlefield, where his ferocity and bravery were evident.
Although he was part of several confrontations, the one for which he is most remembered is the Santa Isabel massacre, which occurred in 1911. During this episode, Fierro and his men carried out a mass execution of prisoners.
Why Was Rodolfo Fierro Called ‘the Butcher?’
It is not news (but neither does it give pride) to say that many of the military men who participated in the Mexican Revolution committed various crimes, but Rodolfo Fierro surpasses any line. He was the most feared and bloodthirsty general, besides having a bad reputation for abusing women.
Rodolfo Fierro was nicknamed ‘the Butcher’ because of his terrible reputation on the battlefield. He was so aware of his objective that he did not care about anything else, only about killing Villa’s enemies most ruthlessly. However, it was with the massacre of Santa Isabel that he was baptized as such.
How Did Rodolfo Fierro and Pancho Villa Meet?
No document officially tells how Rodolfo Fierro met Pancho Villa, but it is known that their meeting took place during the first years of the Mexican Revolution. Villa was recruiting men to join his forces and fight against the government of Porfirio Díaz, and Fierro likely joined him at that time. Rodolfo almost immediately gained the trust of the revolutionary leader for his bold military actions and loyalty.
How Rodolfo Fierro Died
Rodolfo Fierro drowned in October 1915, in an artificial lagoon that today bears his name: Laguna Rodolfo Fierro, in Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. Legend has it (and several historical accounts), that his horse did not resist the weight of the gold he was carrying, and sank into the lagoon, which led to his death. His body was taken out of the place by a brother-in-law of Villa, and buried in Chihuahua.
Rodolfo Fierro, as a historical character, has created debate, since some admire him and recognize him as a brave military man who defended the revolutionary cause, while others see him as a violent and merciless man for whom life had no value.
This story was written in Spanish by Nayeli Párraga in Cultura Colectiva
