Mario Martínez, guitarist and founder of the group La Unión, dies

Mario Martínez, in a tribute concert to Antonio Vega in 2010 in Madrid.

Friends, today is a very sad day for LA UNION.

Mario Martínez, a key player in our history, participant and creator of great moments and songs, has left us after a long struggle.

All my support and deepest condolences to his family.

Fly high Mario.

D.E.P".

With this message on its Twitter account and a photo of Martínez, the group La Unión announced this afternoon the death of one of its founding members and guitarist.

Martínez suffered from laryngeal cancer that was diagnosed in 2015. La Unión began its career in 1982. In addition to Martínez, it was initially made up of vocalist Rafa Sánchez, bassist Luis Bolín and keyboardist Íñigo Zabala.

More information

The disunity of La Unión after 36 years

Before announcing that he was suffering from this disease, Martínez spent a few months away from the band's activity for health reasons.

At that time, he himself made it known in a statement: “I wanted to thank you for your expressions of affection and interest in these months in which I have been absent.

Also tell you that I have recently been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer for which I am already receiving treatment and that will keep me away from the stage for a while”.

On the same note, Martínez added: “It is a long race in which I hope to reach the finish line as soon as possible to be with all of you again.

Cancer is like the sea, you don't have to be afraid of it, you have to have respect for it.

Take advantage of the occasion to insist on the importance of going to the doctor in case of any symptom, no matter how simple it may seem”.

Friends, today is a very sad day for THE UNION.

Mario Martínez, a key player in our history, a participant and creator of great moments and songs, has left us after a long struggle.

All my support and deepest condolences to his family.

Fly high Mario.

RIP.🖤 pic.twitter.com/VGmzND3SQr

– The Union (@launionnet) April 10, 2022

La Unión composed some songs that became hymns, especially their debut song,

, a single that preceded their first album in 1984,

, in which there were also songs like

Other of his great successes were the songs

, from the album

(1985);

and

, from

(1987).

In addition, they achieved great sales with the albums

(1988), in which they took on the record production themselves, after having counted on Nacho Cano in their first works, and they returned to number one hits with songs like

and

Already in the nineties,

returned to contain several songs that kept them at the top, such as

or

In 1992

they brought together their greatest hits on the direct

.

In May 2020, Rafa Sánchez announced in a statement the dissolution of the group, however, the next day, Luis Bolín stated that the group was following and accusing his partner of "fabricating a hoax, inventing news and taking advantage of his own benefit".