Catalina

Background

Catalina is a volatile, hot-blooded robber operating out of Red County, and the cousin of Cesar Vialpando. She claims a hard childhood under an abusive stepfather, and she openly despises men while demanding their total devotion. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas shows her before her later role as the Colombian Cartel leader in Grand Theft Auto III.

Events of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Cesar introduces CJ to Catalina in First Date, after Tenpenny has dumped CJ in the countryside. She meets him at the Welcome Pump bar in Dillimore, holding off two men with a knife, and immediately drags him into her plans. Catalina picks out a string of "soft targets" in Red County and nearby: a gas station in Dillimore, a liquor store in Blueberry, a betting shop in Montgomery and a bank in Palomino Creek. Between jobs she makes CJ prove himself in her own brutal way, including the mission First Base, which gives him her hideout in Fern Ridge.

Their stormy relationship falls apart because CJ wants the money to help Sweet rather than to impress her. Catalina then takes up with Claude, a silent street racer. In Farewell, My Love she challenges CJ to a race against her and Claude; CJ wins, and the prize is the deed to Claude's run-down garage in Doherty, San Fierro. Catalina and Claude leave San Andreas together, and she keeps phoning CJ to taunt him about her new man, including one last call after the ending.

Each robbery has its own twist. At the Dillimore gas station in Tanker Commander, the cashiers are behind bulletproof glass, so Catalina has CJ steal a fuel tanker instead. In Local Liquor Store another gang beats them to the target. In Against All Odds she kills customers and has CJ blow the safe with satchel charges. In Small Town Bank they fight off county deputies. Between jobs, cutscenes such as Gone Courting and Made in Heaven chart the rise and collapse of the relationship.

Personality

Catalina is jealous, violent and theatrical. She switches from affection to threats in a sentence, insists on being in charge and enjoys putting men through humiliating tests. She is also capable and fearless, and her robberies are well planned.

Her moods swing dramatically, and she demands that CJ treat her well while showing him little respect. When he points out that he needs money to help Sweet, she takes it as a betrayal.

Relationships

Cesar is her cousin. CJ is her lover for a short time and a target of her anger afterwards. Claude becomes her partner, and they head east together.

Trivia

• Catalina is voiced by Cynthia Farrell, who also voiced her in Grand Theft Auto III.
• Her later betrayal of Claude in Liberty City opens Grand Theft Auto III, set in 2001.
• After End of the Line, she calls CJ one last time to taunt him with Claude.