LA JOYA, Mexico – A joyous celebration of a Mexican teen’s 15th birthday ended in tragedy after one man was trampled to death and another was injured at a horse race held at the party on Monday.
Rubi Ibarra celebrated her quinceañera in a rural Mexican village with her family and thousands of guests after the invitation to the event by her father went viral and made her the toast of the country.
Sixty-six-year-old Felix Pena died during the horse race, according to multiple media reports. He regularly raced horses and worked at a local stable, according to CNN which cited the local attorney general.
An investigation is ongoing into why Pena stepped into the path of the horses.
Thousands of people from across Mexico poured into the community of La Joya for the quinceañera celebration, a traditional coming-of-age party similar to American “sweet sixteen” parties in which Mexican families often throw big, costly bashes for their daughters.
“I came to see if they would give me a dress for my granddaughter for her 15th birthday in May,” said Victoriano Obregon, who came all the way from the northern state of Coahuila for an event which by Monday evening resembled a rock concert with music and large crowds.
Rubi’s bash gained national and international notoriety in early December after a local event photographer posted on his Facebook page a video of the girl’s father describing a down-home birthday party complete with food, local bands and horse races. In the video, cowboy hat-wearing Crescencio Ibarra haltingly but proudly describes the party and prizes, before announcing that “everyone is cordially invited.”
Rubi’s mother later explained that Crescencio had only been referring to everyone in the neighboring communities, not the world, but by then the video had been picked up dozens of times on Youtube and had been seen by millions, sparking tributes by musical stars, jokes and offers of sponsorships by companies.
Mexican airline Interjet published a promotion offering 30-percent discounts on flights to San Luis Potosi, under the slogan “Are you going to Rubi’s party?”
Internet jokesters published photos of troops of turkeys, backhoes stirring giant caldrons of soup and massive crowds “heading for Rubi’s party.”
Actor Gael Garcia made a parody video of the invitation, and norteno singer Luis Antonio Lopez “El Mimoso” composed a “corrido” song especially for Rubi. The humble daughter of ranchers even got an offer to appear on the soap opera “The Rose of Guadalupe.”
“What happened with Rubi is an interesting example of how the internet amplifies and makes hyper-transparent people’s personal lives and how traditional media look for stories on social networks to bring in new audiences” who they have been losing, said Sergio Octavio Contreras, a communications professor at Mexico’s La Salle Bajio University.
Jose Antonio Sosa, an expert on social media at the Iberoamericana University, said the country’s obsession with Rubi’s birthday party reflected a need for lighter stories in a society weary of violence and economic problems.
All the attention seemed to take the poor communities near where Rubi’s family lived aback. The access roads were blocked with cars and state police and Red Cross workers monitored the situation.
Some locals said they hoped something good could come out of it for the communities, which have a mezcal distillery but where residents are pleading for cellphone coverage.
“More than anything, this can bring attention to us … so people can see the unemployment,” said local resident Rutilio Ibarra.
– with files from Jenny Rodrigues, Global News
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