Elián Valenzuela — better known as the cumbia singer L-Gante — was convicted for carrying out threats using a firearm and property damage. He was handed a three-year suspended sentence on Monday and also acquitted of charges of kidnapping and drug possession in a case that began over a year ago. 

“I believe Valenzuela did not start or seek out these problems but did not react to these issues in his environment in accordance with the law,” said Judge Ignacio Racca at the Mercedes Criminal Court Nº 3 hearing in Buenos Aires province. “Valenzuela has no criminal record, and the prison environment could be very detrimental to him, negatively affecting his chances of social reintegration.”

The singer was first arrested in June 2023, charged with kidnapping and threatening his neighbor, Darío Torres; kidnapping Torres’ mother, Rosa Passi; drug possession; and being in possession of stolen property. Judge Racca highlighted L-Gante’s relationship with the family, whom he had known since childhood, as an aggravating factor.

After over three months in pre-trial detention at the Departmental Investigations Delegation in Quilmes, he was released in September 2023.

“He is seen as a role model. There was much talk of power in this trial, and great power means great responsibility,” Racca said, adding that the nature of the verdict was intended to reflect the singer’s standing and have L-Gante be “a role model for the youth at least in terms of compliance with the law.”

L-Gante said on leaving the court that he had been inspired by the judge’s words and “loved the Spider-Man reference.” He told the press gathered outside that he would focus on finishing high school and studying law.

“I had to filter out a lot of friends. There are people who turned on me at the last minute because they wanted to benefit [from the situation], but all they’ll have left are memories of me. I’ve felt betrayed and extorted,” the singer said, claiming that the entire affair was a “set-up” for financial gain.

The singer was mandated to take up a permanent residence, report to parole officers, and notify the court of any future international trips. 

“This isn’t over, and I still want to prove my innocence,” L-Gante said.

The case 

On May 27, Torres, a neighbor of L-Gante’s family in the town of General Rodríguez, Buenos Aires province, reported to the police that he had argued in a nightclub with a group of the singer’s friends known as “the Mafily” (la Mafilia — the wordplay works in both languages). He alleged that after the quarrel, members of the Mafily went to his house and assaulted him and his family.

Members of the Urban Guard arrived at the scene to break up the fight and identify the aggressors. When they left, L-Gante allegedly threatened Torres with a firearm, forced him into a car, and told him he should not speak against the “Mafily.”

After some “Mafily” members were later arrested, L-Gante returned to the city officials’ car and said to the agents: “Release my friends or I’ll kill this one,” referencing the person in his car.

Torres was allegedly held captive for 23 minutes and was only released after L-Gante received a phone call informing him that his friends had been freed.

In September 2023, Castro ordered the singer’s release following a request from his lawyer based on new testimonies, which he said “offer a completely different version of events than what was known at the time pre-trial detention was determined.

Outside court on Monday, L-Gante said that he hadn’t felt fear about going to prison and was focused on transmitting calm to his family. When asked if the process had changed him, the singer  said: “It’s not that I’ve changed, I just had to focus a lot on Elián Valenzuela and leave L-Gante to the side all this time.”