Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DAY 12
Parral, Parades and Pancho Villa
There is only one real reason to visit Parral: Pancho Villa. Pancho Villa was ambushed and
killed here on July 20, 1923. He is a national hero, the pride of Chihuahua, and he is vener-
ated in Parral. A plaque on the wall at Hotel Tourista commemorates the building as the site
of the 1959 celebration that honored Pancho. In the Parral cemetery, his tomb is a monu-
ment tended by a distant cousin.
Pancho is both a Saul-Paul and a David-Goliath figure in Mexico. His early life was ban-
ditry, but he redeemed himself, joining Francisco Madero in opposing Porfirio Díaz, Mex-
ico's long dominant President. Pancho distinguished himself with military prowess and
leadership. He led the Division of the North commonly called “Los Dorados,” the Golden
Ones. His marching song was La Cucaracha. He held the distinction of having invaded the
U.S. with his raid on Columbus, New Mexico, in 1916, the only foreign attack on U. S. soil
from the time of the War of 1812 until the terrorist assault on New York City. His small
force was chased by General Pershing for over a year but was never caught. Mexicans take
