smuggling of Roca Rey in Peru

Manuel Lara, known in the bullfighting world as “Larita”, has been the trusted man of Andrés Roca Rey, the favorite bullfighter Victoria Federica Marichalar.

As a swordsman, his mission is to take care of every last detail of the Peruvian matador’s career, from training to days of work. However, Larita never imagined that she would face a situation as unusual and frustrating as the one she is now experiencing: the detention of two Roca Rey lighting suits at customs at the Jorge Chávez airport in Lima, accused of smuggling. It all started last November, when Roca Rey bullfighted in Latacunga, Ecuador. After the event, the suitcases containing the bullfighter’s lighting costumes were lost. With time against and the next bullfight scheduled in the Plaza de Acho, in Lima, the Roca Rey team resorted to an emergency solution. A trusted pilot brought two essential suits from Spain so that the matador could fulfill his commitment.

But upon landing in Lima, the suits were detained by customs authorities. According to the agents, a crew member cannot transport goods that are not for personal use, and they classified the delivery of the suits as an act of smuggling. Since then, the clothes have remained confiscated, trapped in a bureaucratic process that Larita describes as “desperate,” as she tells Zabala de la Serna in The World.

The suits, made by the prestigious tailor Fermín, are valued at approximately 6,000 euros each. One of them is mercury in color with gold embroidery, while the other, in an aubergine tone, also shows off gold details. Although the cost is considerable, the real problem lies in the time involved in ordering new suits and the uncertainty about the fate of the confiscated ones. “It’s my responsibility, and I feel helpless because I can’t do anything to solve it,” Larita confesses to the bullfighting critic of the aforementioned newspaper.

Despite the efforts of the legal team hired in Lima and Roca Rey’s family, which has important contacts in Lima society, the conflict remains stagnant. “The lawyers tell us that the suits will most likely end up auctioned in about 18 months,” he adds regretfully.

For Roca Rey, this situation is just one more chapter in a season marked by success and adversity. In 2024, the bullfighter has proven to be the undisputed figure in the ranks, with 70 bullfights, 128 ears and two tails to his credit. In addition, he has starred in the acclaimed documentary Afternoons of Solitude by Albert Serra, reaffirming his commitment to bullfighting.

The fate of the confiscated suits is still up in the air

However, wear and tear has also been evident. The hostility of Las Ventas, where he was seriously injured at the Autumn Fair, and the tensions in his native country, where he fights to promote bullfighting in the face of growing opposition, are just some of the challenges he faces. Now, without his light suits retained, he must start the season with alternative suits while the conflict is resolved.

“It seems like there is someone who is anti-bullfighting in front,” jokes Larita, although her tone reveals more frustration than humor. The story of the suits retained in Peru reflects not only the chaos that can arise in the bullfighting world, but also the complexity of the legal and cultural processes surrounding bullfighting. Meanwhile, Roca Rey moves forward, focused on the next season and surrounded by a renewed team of representatives led by his brother Fernando. As Larita says, “Andrés is worried, but he doesn’t let this distract him. In the end, all he wants is to continue succeeding in the arenas, regardless of the obstacles.” The fate of the confiscated suits is still up in the air.