Don Eladio Vuente
Vital statistics
Portrayed By	Steven Bauer
Occupation(s)	Cartel Boss
Status	Deceased
Episode Count	2
First Appearance	Hermanos
Last Seen	Salud
Images of Eladio Vuente

Don Eladio Vuente was the boss for the Juárez Cartel in Mexico. He first met Gus Fring twenty years prior to the events of the series and was one of the few to know who Gus really is.

Character history

Twenty years prior to the events of the series, Don Eladio set up a meeting with Gustavo Fring and Max Arciniega, partners at the time who were seeking to do business with Eladio to distribute and sell crystal meth. Eladio graciously complimented them on their chicken recipe and the conversation was civil for a time. Suddenly, Hector Salamanca executed Max with a pistol round to the side of his head, and Juan Bolsa restrained Gus who was in shock. As Don Eladio and his men forced Gus to watch as the blood dripped into the pool, Hector warned him to keep his business restricted to chicken ("Hermanos").

Season 2

Don Eladio is first mentioned when Walt and Jesse kidnap Saul Goodman, Saul initially begs for his life saying "I'm always a friend of the cartel's" and name drops 'Don Eladio' ("Better Call Saul").

Season 4

Don Eladio's cartel and Gus Fring's meth network suddenly butted heads. The situation escalated as Don Eladio ordered his men to attack several of Gus's fry batter/meth vans ("Bullet Points").

Finally, Eladio sent Gaff with an ultimatum: Give up the formula of the product Gus is selling, the Blue Sky. Gus at first rejected, but Gaff started to harass his business, forcing him to accept the offer ("Bug"). Gus, Mike, and Jesse Pinkman flew to Mexico to have Jesse cook the signature blue meth for the Cartel's superlab, run by the lead chemist. After Jesse successfully cooks a very pure batch on his own for the Cartel, Don Eladio brings them to his house and his capos celebrate at the same place Max Arciniega, Gus' former business partner, was killed. As a token of respect for the renewed business relationship, Gus brings Don Eladio a gift of incredibly fine tequila, which the entire cartel drinks after Gus takes the first shot. It is actually poisoned; after Gus is escorted by Eladio's bodyguard Miguel to the bathroom, he forces himself to regurgitate the drink (he had already has taken a capsule to prevent the major effects of the poision, once arriving at Don Eladio's place).

Outside by the pool, Don Eladio witnesses the cartel chemist and at least nine capos/enforcers dropping dead, and he himself is suffering from the effects of the poison. Gaff is garroted by Mike as the butlers and girls start fleeing in panic. Gus steps over Miguel's corpse and stands before Don Eladio, who tries in vain to attack him but collapses face-first into the pool, dead. ("Salud")

Trivia

• Don Eladio is played by Steven Bauer who is well known for playing Manny Ribera in Scarface.
  • This appearence of the actor effectively becomes an actor paradox when Walt and Walter Jr. watch Scarface in the episode Hazard Pay. Even though, Bauer's character, Manny, is not shown on screen.