Manuel Díaz, El Cordobés: The follies he did to demonstrate who his father is

Blood ties

Noticia Blood ties

Who has not heard the story of Manuel Díaz, 'El Cordobés'?The bullfighter has never tired of shouting at the four winds that Manuel Benítez was his father, but he has taken many years to get a jury to recognize him as such. Sin embargo, su lucha comenzó siendo muy joven, como hemos visto en el documental de 'Blood ties', nunca desistió en lograr su objetivo y acumuló una larga lista de locuras para demostrar que el torero más famoso de los años 60 era su padre.

In this long and intense interview Manuel Díaz has revealed some of the most unknown secrets and has also recalled everything he did to get the attention of his father, Manuel Benítez.In his family he was never hidden from his mother, his mother told him who his father and grandmother presumed herself constantly, even if they never believed her: "My grandmother told her that I was the son of El Cordobés and took her crazy,"Manuel Díaz says when remembering his childhood.An childhood with a bittersweet flavor, in which the struggle to survive poverty fights for the immense happiness he felt when he was loved by his own, for his maternal family of course is.That affection did not come in the same form of the paternal family, Manuel Benítez always denied him and how much more he denied his link, the more the son of a son struggled to prove that it was true.

This was Manuel Díaz and Manuel Benítez's first meeting

'El Cordobés' son sought to get his father's attention, but the first and unique encounter they have had was almost fortuitous.The two were at the Manuel Benítez Bullfighting School, they were paying tribute to the commentator Matías Prats and Manuel Benítez was the center of attention at that party.All the children came to see their idol, all except Manuel Díaz.Little Manuel did not dare to approach and the crowd because he thought "that he shouldn't go".And as we all worked as little ones in life, they challenged him to greet him and threw himself into adventure.He reached the table, asked him for an autograph and suddenly they were the center of attention.Everyone knew that it was their son, although legally he would not have recognized him, and he saw how a circle of people who whispered about them formed.There was no doubt, I would not say a role, but the similarities between them.

After that, he followed in the footsteps of his father in almost everything, he left for his house by copying that farewell phrase of his father "Mother, or bought you a house or seen in mourning" and made a promise that, even if it tookA lot of years to fulfill, he never forgot: "Mom, calm that I have committed to defend your honor and your truth".

They cheated him to do an interview on television, they offered a lot of money for his mother and tell his truth.He did not hesitate, put on his best suit and sat in front of television cameras.He told everything, but he never saw the money they promised him.Perhaps it was not the best way to make known, but he did not lie and wanted to continue fighting to give his story to know.

'El Cordobés' jumped as spontaneous in sales

He went ahead with his life and continued to take his father of exempl, but "just as a bullfighter, not as a man".Just as his father did once, he jumped spontaneously in one of his father's runs, Manuel Benítez. Un episodio que recuerda con detalle para 'Blood ties'."They gave me an entrance, a very large coat and I got the cape underneath," he says and apologizes again for that event: "I was only following his steps".I just wanted to get his attention, make him proud, to prove that he had the same courage that the Cordoba had had, but he only received shuses: "I could hit a pass and from there they took me out with a couple of shackles".

Then everything stayed in an anecdote.No one got angry and although Manuel Díaz was arrested, Benítez himself called to ask him to be released and explain that it was nonsense.Mauel Díaz is convinced that, although he did not get angry, that was not the best way to try to connect with his father.

The fight for the name of 'El Cordobés'

But that was just one of many others, then, when Manuel got a certain fame, he wanted to adopt his father's name.He announced his runs with this slogan: "The Cordoba returns, without surnames or fortune".A decision that neither did Manuel Benítez feel good.In full direct, while Manuel was on a television set, Manuel Díaz received the news that his father had taken legal actions to terminate the contracts of the shows.And, although many business were cowed and annulled their name on the posters, one of them decided to stand firm and got the tickets to be exhausted a week before the run.It was a success!

Later, after the key moment, the courts were right to Manuel Díaz, from then on he could use the name of 'El Cordobés'.One more victory for your list!The last was the greatest, the demand for paternity in which she worked with lawyer Fernando Osuna.He took care of the case, filed the demand for paternity, the tests were done and after a long time, finally the law recognized Manuel Benítez as Manuel Díaz's biological father.A story that took many years to find a happy ending.And we say happy, because at least they had the peace and peace of mind of making the truth known, but for Manuel there are still many pending issues.

A great example...As a bullfighter

His father has never wanted to meet him and he wants to ask him many questions, especially why.Why did he never recognize him?Why did she abandon him to him?Why didn't she want to welcome her?Why didn't they fight together?Why did she deprive her of her with her brothers?...They are so many and only he has the power to answer them.Even so, despite the differences he says that he admires him a lot, although he always clarifies that professionally, as a bullfighter.For the rest, he does not hide what he feels: "He has been an incredible man but he was incomplete as a man, as a father" because for him, "having children is not doing children out there" and that does know.His daughter Alba with Vicky Martín Berrocal, and his children Manuel and Triana with Virginia Triconis, have always admired and loved.He has learned how he should behave and what he should not do and for his children there is no doubt, it is number one.