Spanish television star Belén Esteban has rejected magazine proposals to attack Julia Janeiro, insisting she will not start a war with her daughter's sister.
Speaking to reporters at the airport following a holiday in the Canary Islands with her husband Miguel Marcos, Esteban confirmed that multiple publications had approached her for an exclusive interview, but she turned them all down.
The television contributor spent 20 minutes answering questions from journalists with a smile and humor, refusing to condemn recent comments made about her. Esteban explained that she had no desire to enter into a conflict with Janeiro, adding that because Janeiro is the sister of her daughter, Andrea Janeiro, she deserves respect and she would not betray her principles.
Addressing recent public remarks made by Janeiro, who had referred to her as the shadow of Jesulín and a television meme, Esteban stated that she found the younger woman super funny in a good sense of the word. Esteban previously clarified that her only prior comment regarding the family was that her daughter was not a nepo baby, a term used to describe children of celebrities who benefit from family fame.
Feud with Julia Janeiro
The friction comes amid decades of public scrutiny surrounding the family. For 27 years, Esteban has maintained a consistent account of her past relationship with Spanish bullfighter Jesulín de Ubrique and the events at his family's Ambiciones estate in southern Spain. Esteban has long maintained that the matador rarely saw their eldest daughter, Andrea Janeiro, and provided no assistance in raising her.
However, an alternative account has been hinted at by Jesulín de Ubrique, his wife María José Campanario, and their daughter Julia Janeiro. Janeiro recently claimed on social media that the full truth about the situation had never been disclosed, while declining to reveal the details herself. She asserted that her parents at least possessed respect and class, and questioned why a person three times her age appeared to hate her existence.
Beatriz Trapote, a journalist married to Jesulín's brother Víctor Janeiro, also weighed in on the tension. Trapote remarked that while the princess of the people exists, the queen is yet to arrive, referencing the popular nickname long associated with Esteban in Spanish media.
Secret meeting with Lecturas director
Despite Esteban's refusal to speak out, magazine publishers remain eager to secure her account. Luis Pliego, the director of Spanish celebrity news magazine Lecturas, revealed details of a recent secret meeting with Esteban during an appearance on the Telecinco television show El verano se mueve, hosted by Ion Aramendi.
Pliego explained that his professional relationship with Esteban had broken down in June 2019 when she married Miguel Marcos. According to Pliego, Esteban left him stranded during active negotiations by selling exclusive rights for her wedding coverage to rival publication ¡Hola! instead of Lecturas, a decision Pliego learned about on television.
Pliego stated that time had helped ease the tension between them. He revealed on the broadcast that he and Esteban had met for drinks a few months ago to resolve their differences and clarify what had happened. Pliego added that they discussed the possibility of resuming their professional relationship, noting that while he has not called her yet, he intends to reach out soon in hopes of securing an exclusive interview.
