The Valentinos is one of the many gangs that operate in the world of Cyberpunk 2077. Set in the free, corrupt, and robust city of Night City, the gangs that operate in this place are given the utmost liberty, and their territorial hold is treated with respect. The citizens of Night City know to never mess with these gangs, and the Valentinos gang is one of the most feared ones in the city.
The Valentinos are very influential in Night City. Not only are they powerful, aplenty, and stylish, but their history also runs deep. The Valentinos gang is undoubtedly one of the most interesting gangs in Night City that it's very tempting to learn more about them.
10 The Origins Of The Gang
The Valentinos had their start in Vista Del Rey, one of the poorest areas in Night City and the poorest in Heywood. The gang still maintains a general hold of this area in 2077, along with another gang by the name of 6th Street.
Although it isn't clear exactly when the band was formed, their appearance in the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop game suggests that the gang has been in operation for a very long time.
9 They Are A "Poser Gang"
There are a lot of gangs in Night City and all of them have varying styles and principles. The Valentinos are what's known in this universe as a "poser gang."
A poser is a term used to describe those who try to emulate a popular figure. A lot of posers copy the image and style of a movie star, while some take to fictional characters—in this universe, anyway. It is unknown who the Valentinos are emulating with their style, but their uniformity is highly apparent.
8 Their Odd Main Goal
Most gangs in Night City aim to be the most powerful, most influential, most feared, and most wealthy. While the Valentinos do have those achievements as well, their main goal is a very odd one.
The Valentinos dedicate much of their time seducing the most attractive women in Night City. For the Valentinos, the more unattainable a woman is, the more appealing they are. It is widely believed that the Valentinos have no apparent goals outside of this and they are virtually harmless to anyone. Well, not to the husbands and boyfriends of Night City's most attractive women.
7 Their Source Of Income
Even though the Valentinos spend most of their time flirting with the most attractive women in Night City, they still need to fund their operations and maintain their status. For this, the Valentinos run a ton of businesses, both legal and illegal.
The Valentinos run a couple of restaurants, auto shops, construction companies, and nightclubs all around Night City. Most of the businesses operated by the gang are merely fronts for money-laundering operations and the like. They also do a lot of weapon smuggling, drug trafficking, robbery, murder, and so much more.
6 Their Quarterly Congregations
The Valentinos are very massive in number, so they naturally don't meet on a regular basis. However, they find time to meet four times a year to talk about... updates on their advances.
Yes, four times a year, the Valentinos gather to talk about how they've been seducing women, how many they've seduced, who they've seduced, and so on and so forth. It's honestly disgusting, and kind of humorous in a way. I guess that's why they're called Valentinos.
5 A Member's Affiliations With Arasaka
The Valentinos don't often get involved with the dealings of powerful multinational corporations such as Arasaka and Militech, but at one point in time, one Valentino did exactly this, at the cost of his own life.
A Valentino by the name of José Luis once made a deal with Arasaka to frame Militech by attacking the former's facilities using the latter's equipment. This didn't sit well with Padre Ibarra, a former Valentino ensures there is a balance of power in Night City. Padre then tasks V to get rid of José.
4 The Largest Gang In Night City
While this can be debated, it is widely recognized that the Valentinos gang is the largest in Night City. The membership of the Valentinos stands at about 6,000 up, which is way more than the numbers of other gangs. The closest gang to match this number is the Tyger Claws gang, which has about 5,000 to 5,500 members.
When these 6,000-strong Valentinos aren't charming the ladies of Night City, they're busy holding parties, parades, and drag races.
3 Religious Traditions
The Valentinos are fairly religious in nature, which has something to do with their heritage. The members of the gang believe they are being watched and guided by Santa Muerte, the saint of death, and Jesus Malverde, the patron of bandits.
Members of the gang who die fighting other gangs, police, or corporate enforcers are given the title of saints and martyrs. One example of this is when Jackie Welles, a Valentinos member, fell while infiltrating Arasaka.
2 Mexican Culture
Most of the members of the Valentinos are of Mexican heritage. However, this isn't an absolute prerequisite for one to join the gang as other races and ethnic groups are welcome as well, for as long as they respect the culture.
The Valentinos practice Mexican traditions and celebrate a lot of Mexican holidays as well. Those who join who aren't of Mexican heritage quickly get integrated into the culture because of how closely knitted the group is.
1 One Big Happy Family
The Valentinos value loyalty and community above all else and this gang is often seen by those within as more of a massive family. For this particular reason, police officers and corporate liaisons often find it difficult to infiltrate the gang.
Also for this very reason, betrayal is the most sacrilegious act a Valentino can commit. Once a member is found to have betrayed the gang, the punishment is often a very gruesome death.