Maria ‘Mari’ Elena Reyes is Pancho Reyes’ wife. She is pretty attached to the comfortable life that her husband has provided for her and struggles to get along with his poor family. The character is played by Ana de la Reguera.
Mari is a spendthrift who only adorns herself in the most expensive attire and jewelry. Pancho asks her to slow down since their credit cards are maxed out but she claims that you must live the way you aspire to be.
As soon as she reaches La Prosperidad, she complains about the deplorable conditions and Pancho even scolds her, stating that he knows how her family got their money so she doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
She is constantly falling sick and relies on alcohol to deal with the stresses of Pancho’s family.
Till death do us part
One day, while Mari is passed out from a hangover, Pancho’s relatives sneak into their room to steal some of her stuff but she wakes up and chases them out like a crazed person.
Pancho’s brother sits with her to calm her down and they make out with each other after flirting with her ever since she arrived, although Mari tells Pancho that he forced himself on her.
She is similarly ecstatic when they find the gold and helps Pancho hide it on their land but when he goes to jail, she does her best to find it until she completely loses her mind and is told to go home by her husband.
At the end when Pancho has lost everything, Mari is shown to have given up her fancy lifestyle and let herself go as they live within their modest means.