Wenceslao Moguel

Wenceslao Moguel Herrera (1 November 1896[1] – 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.[2][3][4]

"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

(1896-11-01)November 1, 1896
Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
Died (aged 79)
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.[4][2]

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.[2]

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.[4]

Moguel appeared on the Ripley's Believe It or Not! radio show on July 16, 1937.[5]

He is the focus of a song, titled El Fusilado, by British anarchist band Chumbawamba. It appears on their thirteenth studio album. This song was covered by The Longest Johns in 2023.

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

References
  1. "Wenceslao Moguel Herrera, "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007". FamilySearch. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  2. "The Evening Independent". June 28, 1935. p. 10.
  3. Pacheco, Edgar A. Santiago (2020-11-04). "Los libros del fusilado de Halachó". Informe Fracto (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  4. mexicomystic (21 August 2014). "The Firing Squad". Mexico Mystic's Blog – Expat In Tlaxcala. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
  5. "The Free Lance-Star". July 16, 1937. p. 5.

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