Aurelio Martínez
Aurelio Martínez Suazo (26 September 1969 – 17 March 2025), professionally known as Aurelio, was a Honduran singer-songwriter and politician. Known for his Garifuna music, he was considered a cultural ambassador of the Garifuna people. According to The Guardian, he became the leading Garifuna performer after the death of musician Andy Palacio.
Also recorded as Aurelio · Aurelio Martinez
Aurelio Martínez
MH778866 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Aurelio
- Birth Name
- Aurelio Martínez Suazo
- Born
- 26 September 1969
- Birthplace
- Gracias a Dios Department, Honduras
- Died
- 17 March 2025
- Place of death
- Roatán, Honduras
- Occupation
- * Musician
- Nationality
- Honduras.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Aurelio Martínez Suazo (26 September 1969 – 17 March 2025), professionally known as Aurelio, was a Honduran singer-songwriter and politician. Known for his Garifuna music, he was considered a cultural ambassador of the Garifuna people. According to The Guardian, he became the leading Garifuna performer after the death of musician Andy Palacio.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Aurelio Martínez (1969–2025) was a guitarist, musician and percussionist, among other activities and a national of Honduras. Born in Plaplaya, the guitarist died in Roatán. Aurelio Martínez was also known as Aurelio. Aurelio Martínez held the position of Member of the Honduran Congress.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Aurelio Martínez. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q775629 · wikipedia · Aurelio Martínez
In this article
Biography
Biography
His album "Laru Beya" was considered among the best albums of Latin American music, according to Los 600 de Latinoamérica, a 2024 ranking made by Latin American music critics.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Aurelio • Birth Name — Aurelio Martínez Suazo • Born — 26 September 1969 • Birthplace — Gracias a Dios Department, Honduras • Died — 17 March 2025 • Place of death — Roatán, Honduras • Instruments — * Vocals • guitar • Genre — * Punta • Latin • Garifuna • Afro-Caribbean • roots • paranda • Occupation — * Musician • singer-songwriter • Years Active — 2004–2025 • Label — Real World Records • Website — aureliomusic.net
Life and career
Life and career
From 2006 to 2010, Martínez served as the first Afro-Honduran member of the National Congress of Honduras. In 2021, a number of his songs were featured in the documentary about an excavation by the German Archaeological Institute at the coastline of Honduras accompanying an exhibition of the Rietberg Museum. Martínez and 11 other people died on Roatán Island on 17 March 2025, after Aerolínea Lanhsa Flight 018, the plane he was travelling on, experienced engine failure after taking off from Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport and fell into the sea. He was 55.
Solo records
Solo records
• 2017: Darandi (Real World Records / Stonetree Records) Darandi DARANDI, by AURELIO • 2014: Lándini (Real World Records / Stonetree Records) • 2011: Laru Beya (Real World Records / Stonetree Records) • 2004: Garifuna Soul (Stonetree Records) • 1995: Songs of the Garifuna: Lita Ariran (JVC World Sounds)
Collaborations
Collaborations
• 2007: Wátina – Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective (Stonetree Records / Cumbancha) • 1999: Paranda – Various Artists (Stonetree Records)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2025
Aurelio Martínez died at Roatán.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Plaplaya.
Birth place
Roatán.
Death place
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Gould, Jens Erik. Honduras: A Garifuna Legend Inspired to Revive HIV Prevention Battle. Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. 21 March 2013.
- 2.Aurelio.
- 3.Denselow, Robin. Aurelio: Darandi review – Garifuna classics imbued with new energy. The Guardian. 19 January 2017.
- 4.Los 600 de Latinoamérica. 98 Laru Beya. 5 July 2024.
- 5.Eyre, Banning. Aurelio: A Musical Guardian Of The Garifuna. All Things Considered. NPR. 15 February 2011.
- 6.Diaz, Ruben. Mr. Aurelio Martinez, Musical Legend and former member of the Honduran National Congress, speaks during the Reception Celebrating Garifuna-American Heritage Month. New York State Senate. 18 March 2015.
- 7., German version produced by Albert Lutz
- 8., Spanish version produced by Albert Lutz
- 9.Cantante Aurelio Martínez, uno de los fallecidos en accidente aéreo en Roatán. Diario El Pais. 18 March 2025.
- 10.Darandi. Spotify.
- 11.Lándini – Aurelio, 2014. Real World Records.
- 12.Laru Beya – Aurelio, 2011. Real World Records.
- 13.Garifuna Soul – Aurelio Martinez. Stonetree Records.
- 14.Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective, Watina. Stonetree Records.
- 15.Paranda – Various Artists. Stonetree Records.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,438 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Aurelio CanoniciPerson
- Aurelio de la VegaPerson
- Aurelio GiorniPerson
- Aurélio MagnaniPerson
- Aureo CastroPerson
- Auriel AndrewPerson
- Aurlus MabéléPerson
- Aurora BertranaPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Aurelio Martínez?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.