Valentinos: Heywood's Gang and Jackie Welles' Old Crew in Cyberpunk 2077

The Valentinos are the gang that runs the Latino barrios of Heywood in Night City, and in 2077 they're one of the biggest gangs in the city. They're a mostly Mexican-American crew who hold the Glen, Vista del Rey and Wellsprings, and they treat the people there as family. Gold jewellery, religious tattoos, lowriders and gold-plated guns are their style. Jackie Welles, V's best friend, came up alongside them. (Cyberpunk 2077)

Who the Valentinos are#

The Valentinos are a community gang. Most members are of Mexican heritage, but the gang takes in people of any background who grew up in Heywood, and newcomers soon pick up its customs. Members celebrate Día de los Muertos, quinceañeras and Semana Santa, and the gang's patron saints are Santa Muerte and Jesús Malverde, the folk hero who robbed the rich to give to the poor. (Cyberpunk 2077; The World of Cyberpunk 2077)

That shared culture ties the gang to its streets. The neighbourhood's loyalty shields Valentinos from the police, which makes it almost impossible for the NCPD or a corp to get someone inside. In return the gang protects the barrio. Strangers who keep out of trouble usually get left alone, and lost tourists might even get pointed back towards the city centre. (Cyberpunk 2077)

The Valentinos' code: honour, family and martyrs#

Honour, justice and brotherhood are deadly serious to them. Betraying the gang is the worst crime a Valentino can commit, and traitors tend to die badly. Members who die fighting rival gangs, cops or corporate muscle are remembered as saints and martyrs, painted on giant murals and sung about, with the murals serving almost as religious art. (Cyberpunk 2077; The World of Cyberpunk 2077)

How the Valentinos make money#

The gang owns plenty of legal businesses, from restaurants and auto shops to construction firms and nightclubs, along with braindance studios and betting parlours. Many are fronts. The real money comes from gun smuggling, car theft and chop shops, drug dealing, robbery, prostitution and paid violence. (Cyberpunk 2077)

The war with 6th Street#

The Valentinos' main enemy in 2077 is 6th Street, a gang of veterans and self-styled patriots. The two have been fighting over territory for years, and their struggle for Vista del Rey has driven many residents out. By 2077 that war is getting worse, and Vista del Rey is more dangerous than ever. (Cyberpunk 2077; The World of Cyberpunk 2077)

Jackie Welles and the Valentinos#

Jackie is the gang's link to the main story. He grew up in Heywood and joined the Valentinos as a teenager. A near-fatal gunshot wound in a firefight with Maelstrom made him quit for his mother's sake, but he stayed on good terms with the gang after he turned merc. His mother, Mama Welles, runs El Coyote Cojo, a bar on Valentino turf. (Cyberpunk 2077)

After Jackie dies in the Relic heist, the gang's ties show in the quest Heroes. If V sent Jackie's body home to his family, or told Delamain to wait, Mama Welles holds an ofrenda for him at El Coyote Cojo. Valentinos come to pay their respects, and V can meet the people who knew him best. The full story is in our Cyberpunk 2077 story guide. (Cyberpunk 2077)

The Heywood fixer Padre, real name Sebastian Ibarra, is another link. A former Valentino and priest who survived a massacre of the gang years earlier, he now hands out jobs across the district, many of which touch on Valentino business. (Cyberpunk 2077)

Valentinos and Night City's other gangs#

The Valentinos are about place and people more than money or chrome. That sets them apart from the business-minded Tyger Claws and the chrome cult of Maelstrom. Their leader, Campo Orta, is in prison in 2077 with years still to serve. For a side-by-side look at every major crew, see our guide to Cyberpunk's gangs. (Cyberpunk 2077)