María Enriqueta

{{Infobox musical artist

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| name = María Enriqueta

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| birth_name = Enriqueta García Escoto

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| birth_date = {{circa|1922}}

| birth_place = Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico

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| death_date = 16 January 1996 (aged 74)

| death_place = Mexico City, Mexico

| genre = Bolero

| occupation = Singer

| instrument = Vocals

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| label = {{flatlist|

• RCA Victor
• Musart}}

| associated_acts = Trío Frenesí

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Enriqueta García Escoto{{cite web|title="México, Distrito Federal, Registro Civil, 1832-2005," database with images, FamilySearch, Enriqueta Garcia Escoto, 16 Jan 1996; citing Death, Alvaro Obregón, Distrito Federal, Mexico, Archivo de Registro Civil de Distrito Federal (Distrito Federal Civil Registry Archives); FHL microfilm 2,244,985.}} (c. 1922 – 16 January 1996), known as María Enriqueta, was a Mexican bolero singer. Her dark complexion and great physical beauty earned her the nickname "La Venus Morena"{{cite book|last1=Restrepo Duque|first1=Hernán|title=Lo que cuentan los boleros: la historia de 100 hermosos boleros, de sus compositores y de sus mejóres intérpretes|date=1992|publisher=Centro Editorial de Estudios Musicales|page=56|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mzsUAQAAIAAJ|access-date=23 April 2018}} (The Swarthy Venus [de Milo]).

She was born {{circa|1922}} in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Her father, Estanislao García Espinoza, was a founding director of the marching band of the Mexican Navy.{{cite web|last1=Martínez Frausto|first1=Ernesto|title=Programa 06 septiembre 2013. "La Venus Morena"|url=https://www.elcuerpoaguanteradio.com.mx/programa-06-septiembre-2013-maria-enriqueta-la-venus-morena-de-la-cancion/|website=Hasta que el Cuerpo Aguante Radio|access-date=23 April 2018|language=Spanish}} Her mother's name was Ángela Escoto.

She was most famous in the 1950s when she achieved popularity as a radio performer and was one of RCA Victor Records' best-selling Mexican artists. She also recorded for Musart Records.{{cite web|title=Hilos de Plata|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hilos-de-plata/689604628|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424140801/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hilos-de-plata/689604628|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 24, 2018|website=iTunes|access-date=23 April 2018}}

The noted orchestra conductor Eleazar Martínez was the father of her daughter, Cecilia Martínez García. María Enriqueta lived in Coyoacán with her husband, Roberto Monter Carpio. She died of pneumonia at the age of 74 on 16 January 1996 in Tlalpan, Mexico City. Her remains were cremated at the Panteón Español in Mexico City.