Wenceslao Moguel

Wenceslao Moguel Herrera (c. 1890 – 29 July 1976), known in the press as El Fusilado (Spanish: "The Shot One"[lower-alpha 1]), was a Mexican soldier under Pancho Villa who was captured on March 18, 1915 during the Mexican Revolution, and survived execution by firing squad.[1][2][3]

"El Fusilado" redirects here. For the Chumbawamba song, see The Boy Bands Have Won.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Moguel and the second or maternal family name is Herrera.
Wenceslao Moguel
Moguel circa 1940
Born
Wenceslao Moguel Herrera

c. 1890
Mexico
Died(1976-07-29)29 July 1976 (aged c. 86)
Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
Other namesEl Fusilado
OccupationHandyman
Known forSurviving execution by firing squad

He was sentenced to death without a trial, and was shot 8–9 times in the body. He received the "coup de grâce", or one final shot to the head at point-blank range to ensure death, yet managed to survive, though he was permanently scarred and disfigured by the event.[3][1]

Stories differ as to how he survived. Some sources suggest that he was rescued:

"The next day Moguel was found unconscious among the dead bodies of his comrades. He was given medical attention and recovered."[1]

Others state that he escaped on his own and received care afterwards:

"[Moguel] crawled away to the church of St. James Apostle three blocks away where a church member found him and took him home until he recuperated."[3]

Moguel appeared on the Ripley's Believe it or Not radio show on July 16, 1937.[4]

In 2008, the British anarchist rock group Chumbawamba released a song telling Wenceslao's story from his perspective.[5]

Notes
  1. Ripley's Believe it or Not! translated "El Fusilado" as "The Executed One"

References
  1. "The Evening Independent". June 28, 1935. p. 10.
  2. Pacheco, Edgar A. Santiago (2020-11-04). "Los libros del fusilado de Halachó". Informe Fracto (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2021-03-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. mexicomystic (21 August 2014). "The Firing Squad". Mexico Mystic's Blog – Expat In Tlaxcala. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
  4. "The Free Lance-Star". July 16, 1937. p. 5.
  5. "El Fusilado - Chumbawamba". play.google.com. Retrieved 2016-02-08.

Bibliography
  • Wenceslao Moguel. El milagro del Santo de Halachó, o Historia de un Fusilado. – Merida, 1967. – 186 pp.
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