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(CNN Spanish) - Without a doubt, to speak of the masked fighter “El Santo” is to speak of a popular icon of Mexicans. Hero of several generations, many have proudly worn the silver mask that characterizes him.
For the first time, “El Hijo del Santo” comes to Zona Pop to talk about what it means to be the son of a character that young and old have grown up with, regardless of the social class to which they belong. Via Zoom from Mexico City and just before lunch, he sat down to talk about this popular icon, what the mask means and even the type of music he listens to when training.
Pop Zone
What does it mean to wear that silver mask?
The Son of the Saint
“I want to tell you that it is a great pride to wear this mask, because it is emblematic, it is known in many parts of the world and represents Mexico. I thank my father for leaving it in my hands. It has been a great responsibility of 38 years to carry it and use it in the ring, ”says the fighter.
El Hijo Del Santo, published in 2004 a 20-issue comic as well as a cartoon made by Cartoon Network, a channel that belongs to WarnerMedia, as well as CNN en Español (Photography Getty Images)
Pop Zone
At what point did that curiosity to follow your father's legacy arise?
The Son of the Saint
Fortunately, I grew up in a very beautiful family. I saw that my father traveled a lot and my mother told me that he was a travel agent. They didn't tell me who he was because the first thing I was going to do was tell everyone at school that my dad was El Santo. When my dad returned from a trip with cutouts and posters of places where he fought, I began to be captivated by that character. At that time, Batman, Tarzan and Spider-Man were my idols, until I discovered that my dad was El Santo and began to accompany him to the fights. From there on he became my hero. If I had been a policeman or a firefighter, I would have been the same. I admired my father very much.
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Join us in this exclusive interview with my son @santojrworldwide in Exploring El Santuario. 👇🏼 https://youtu.be/CRv_HAxvi0s Enter YouTube directly so you can see the full interview, subscribe and watch for new videos. YouTube: El Hijo del Santo HDS #elhijodelsanto #santojr #elsanto #elenmascaradodeplata #luchalibre #luchalibremexicana
A post shared by El Hijo del Santo (@elhijodelsanto_oficial) on May 7, 2020 at 6:56 am PDT
One of the topics that must be discussed with "The Son of the Saint" is free wrestling. In the Mexican capital, the venue par excellence is Arena México, known as "The Cathedral of Wrestling". The installation was inaugurated on April 27, 1956 by the comedian Mario Moreno, or "Cantinflas".
Pop Zone
What does the Mexico Arena represent for wrestling?
El Hijo del Santo
La Arena México is known as "The Cathedral of wrestling" because it is a stage that was formed and built with the first fighters, who were "El Santo", "Rito Romero" and "Blue Demon". And it became an iconic setting with the best fights in Mexico and the world. Many foreigners came to Mexico to fight. Arriving at the Arena México as a fighter is as important as stepping on the Palacio de Bellas Artes for an artist.
Pop Zone
How did the idea of making mouth covers with the mask of El Santo come up?
The Son of the Saint
With this pandemic, in which everyone was involved, we had to close the stores. We have many artisans who work for us and who make masks, boots and jackets. They were out of work and my manager spoke to these artists, who designed the mouthpiece. It was a way to help them and give them work. It is an accessory that goes above a required mask. We are excited to provide work for our employees and artists.
How did "The Son of the Saint" decide to continue with the tradition that his father inherited from him? What is the daily life of a fighter and a journey in the life of "The Son of the Saint"? What kind of music does the wrestler listen to? What are the movies you like the most and why? Did you know that El Santo films are considered cult around the world? We invite you to listen to this interview with a character who wears one of the most important symbols of Mexican pop culture.
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