A successful wrestler, or luchador, Vengador (Avenger) was a member of the popular Carmesi stable of wrestlers.  He fought in many bouts and gained popularity, mostly amongst teenage boys and young adults, but his popularity soared when he visited Japan as a member of a touring group of luchadores.  His aggressive style and buffed physique attracted hundreds of fans and soon he was hailed as the most popular fighter of the touring group, even though he was ranked behind two of the others.  Vengador faced off against a Japanese wrestler and fought five rounds before the judge awarded the championship to Japan, the host country.  Vengador wasn't overly worried.  It was part of the game, part of the kayfabe.

When he returned to Mexico he was treated with more attention by his handlers.  He was given more and more high profile fights and he began winning more of them, catapulting him into the main championship competition.

During a fight with Cometa Enscarlata (Red Comet) Vengador was attacked by the insane comedian villain, The Heckler.  In an attempt to disrupt the fight and strike against what he considered a blight on the comedy circuit, The Heckler exploded a protest balloon in the face of Vengador, spraying him with a semi-liquid compound known as X-24.  The compound was designed to degenerate a life-form's structure on a genetic level.  Somehow it mixed with Vengador's uber gene and had the opposite effect, bolstering his physical attributes and providing him with great resistance to physical harm.  However, the immediate aftermath of being blasted with compound X-24 left Vengador convulsing in a fit.  The other luchador, Cometa Enscarlata stepped in and tried to apprehend The Heckler but the clown-criminal killed him with his electric handshake.

When Vengador stabilised ringside, The Heckler was long gone and his opponent was dead.  The Carmesi stable tried to capitalise on the attack and organised a fight with funny-man Rey de Burro (Donkey King), but Vengador's enhanced strength became too difficult to manage and Rey de Burro withdrew from the fight.

There seemed to be only one option.

Vengador would have to become a superhero.

He was signed by Televisa and attached to a film crew which followed him through the streets of Mexico City as he opposed street gangs.  The initial thrill of fighting crime on national television faded for Vengador.  He realised that he was now capable of so much more than stag-acting, even when he was fighting real criminals.  There wasn't really a challenge when the bad guys crumpled at the first punch.  Vengador and the Televisa executives started to look for greater threats.

They tracked down a retired super villain, Fornalha (Furnace) and paid him a large sum of money to stage an attack on an oil refinery outside of Verona Bay (with full permission from the owners).  Vengador arrived on scene and had his first battle with a super villain against the pyrokinetic Fornalha.  He discovered that his resistance was more against physical attacks and that he could still be hurt, especially against a man who wielded fire.  The battle was well received by the television company and the two adversaries were given an encore performance in Tijuana.  Incidentally, Vengador and Fornalha became good friends and spent time together at resorts in the following few years.  Fornalha was killed in an automobile accident in 2005.  His funeral was a quiet affair, but Vengador was able to make a speech commending his friend's later life.

Vengador turned towards bona fide crime fighting when the Aztec God Huitzilopachtli attempted to subvert Mexico in his bid to return to his full power as a deity.  He joined the super hero team Defensa Suprema and was invited to join them after forcing Huitzilopachtli into hiding.  Vengador ended his contracts with Televisa and the Carmesi stable and became a national hero.  He has kept connections with the luchadores industry and has appeared several times in charity fights.  He is also very popular still in Japan.

Vengador has embraced Kayfabe.  He is Vengador.  There never was a man called Ernesto Salinas.  It must have been someone's fantasy.  He keeps in contact with his family but they call him Vengador as well, and it has come to a point where Vengador really has convinced himself that he has no other identity.  He wears his mask all the time in public, and most of the time in private.

He is a gregarious man who always makes time for his friends.  He has been known to hold extensive parties which roll into night after night of entertainment.  He gets along with almost everyone - the one notable exemption being the American wrestler, Major American.  For some reason the two have never met without some kind of insult or brawl.  The chemistry between them is volatile and Vengador has developed a very low opinion of the American as a result (something he is keen to share with whoever will listen).  For his part, Major American has proved himself to be far more powerful than Vengador, and he has shown some restraint when appearing in the same place as the Mexican.  However, Major American has also fallen into name-calling and scuffles.  Sanction and Defensa Suprema have come to an agreement to keep the two wrestlers apart.  So far it has worked, although inflaming comments still managed to be published in a variety of magazines.

"I hate these interviews, but I love the wrestling.  Maybe you and me could take this into the ring.  I'll answer your questions and you can feel your face planted against the mat."

Vengador has always had a very offensive fighting style, even for luchadores.  He is showy and makes a good show of his flailing arms and legs.  This can make his moves predictable or be extremely distracting, depending on the professionalism and nerves of his opponent.  The X-24 compound has increased his strength to uberhuman levels so that he can generally press about 13 tons without much difficulty.  He is also very difficult to hurt, although this durability is lessened against energy attacks.  The X-24 compound causes him to enter into a convulsive fit and drastically reduce his strength.  The compound is manufactured in the United States but is rare.  Vengador has only ever encountered it four times.  The Mexican government has approached the American producers of the compound to cease production but have not met with any willingness on the company's part.  Vengador often suggests a more offensive approach, but he isn't really serious.  The vulnerability doesn't overly bother him.

Since joining Defensa Suprema, Vengador has made use of the government resources.  His mask has been custom-made and includes a short-term air supply and an in-built psi-screen developed by Israeli scientists which protects him from mental attacks.

Standing at just over two metres tall, Vengador is impressive and knows it.  He is incredibly buffed and has bronze skin and flashing white teeth.  His face is always covered with a red leather mask which has yellow and white stripes.  His eyes are visible as well as his mouth.  In addition to his mask, Vengador wears red leather trunks, a wide yellow belt and black boots.

When off-duty he will wear casual clothing such as sweats, but he always keeps his mask on.