Peruvian matador Andres Roca Rey has sparked false romance rumours with journalist Vanesa Santos after playfully asking her for a kiss in Lima.
The encounter took place during a major bullfighting festival in the Peruvian capital, where Santos was working as an accredited photojournalist rather than attending as a personal guest.
Exchange in the Lima bullring alleyway
The speculation began during Roca Rey's latest appearance at the Plaza de Acho, the celebrated bullring in Lima, where the Peruvian star commenced his annual Latin American winter campaign. The tour includes two scheduled bullfights in Lima followed by four major dates in Mexico.
While moving through the callejon, the narrow working corridor that circles the arena behind the wooden barrier, Roca Rey encountered Santos at the edge of the sand. The matador jokingly asked her if she was not going to give him a kiss, a lighthearted greeting between longtime acquaintances that was quickly overheard by spectators.
Because many onlookers did not recognise the photographer, the brief remark immediately triggered feverish gossip across Spanish celebrity media. Unsubstantiated claims suggested that the bullfighter had embarked on a new relationship, but reporting by journalist Paloma Barrientos confirmed that the exchange was entirely innocent and that the supposed romance was completely fabricated.
Split from Cayetana Rivera
The heightened interest in Roca Rey's private life follows his recent high profile breakup with Cayetana Rivera, known across Spain as Tana Rivera. The couple separated after six months together, putting an abrupt end to extensive joint plans.
Until his relationship with Rivera, Roca Rey was celebrated almost exclusively within bullfighting circles despite being one of the premier figures in the sport. His romance with Rivera thrust him directly into the mainstream gossip press, where his personal movements began attracting intense public scrutiny.
Rivera belongs to two of the most distinguished dynasties in Spanish society. On her maternal side, she is the daughter of Eugenia Martinez de Irujo, the Duchess of Montoro, and the granddaughter of the late Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, the 18th Duchess of Alba. Her paternal heritage is equally prestigious in the taurine world, as she is the daughter of former matador Francisco Rivera Ordonez and descends directly from the famous Rivera and Dominguin bullfighting dynasties.
The dissolution of their relationship led to the cancellation of major personal plans, including a scheduled celebration for Rivera's birthday at La Consentida, the matador's private country estate, as well as a planned journey together to Peru.
Sporting success and taurine rankings
Despite his growing presence in celebrity coverage, Roca Rey's sporting status remains at the very peak of professional bullfighting. He currently ranks second in the official Spanish taurine escalafon, positioned just behind fellow star Alejandro Talavante in the competitive standings.
The escalafon tracks the activity and successes of matadors across the season, measuring the volume of corridas fought and trophies awarded. Roca Rey's recent visit to his native Lima reinforced his elite standing, as he captured his fifth Escapulario de Oro at the Plaza de Acho, matching the all-time historic record at the venue.
The Plaza de Acho, inaugurated in 1766 in the historic Rimac district, is the oldest bullring in the Americas and hosts the prestigious Feria del Senor de los Milagros. The Escapulario de Oro is awarded annually to the most outstanding performer of the festival, making five victories a rare milestone in the history of the sport.
A long professional friendship
Far from being a sudden romantic interest, Santos has known Roca Rey since the Peruvian matador first started his professional career. The pair have maintained an easy, familial trust built over years of shared work inside bullrings across Spain and Latin America.
Santos is widely recognised by regular attendees and professionals throughout the taurine circuit. She regularly travels to South and Central America to document major winter festivals, working on the sand with camera in hand to cover each corrida.
Her work appears across major Spanish media outlets, including the dedicated streaming platform OneToro TV, national radio network Radio Nacional de Espana, and its specialist bullfighting programme Clarin on Radio 5. Those familiar with the taurine world knew immediately that her presence in the Lima alleyway was strictly professional.
Deep heritage in the bullfighting world
Santos possesses deep personal roots in the bullfighting tradition. She is the daughter of novillero El Serranillo and Purita Linares, both of whom have extensive careers in taurine management and business representation.
Santos has previously remarked that she was practically born inside a bullring. In addition to her career as a photojournalist and broadcaster, she is an active cattle breeder who manages her own fighting bull ranch under the name Flor de la Canela.
Although born in Vitoria in northern Spain, Santos resides on an estate in the province of Segovia with her partner, Spanish bullfighter Pablo Atienza. Observers noted that the fleeting greeting in the alleyway was nothing more than an affectionate hello between longtime friends, carrying no romantic significance whatsoever.
With the false rumours settled, Roca Rey is continuing his winter season commitments, preparing for his upcoming engagements across Latin America with four festival dates scheduled in Mexico.
