Veteran Mexican bullfighter Rodolfo Rodriguez, known as 'El Pana', has died from injuries sustained in the ring a month ago. The 64-year-old matador was gored by a bull named Pan francés during a performance in Durango on 2 May, leaving him paralysed and barely able to speak.
According to reports, Rodriguez asked doctors to allow him to die rather than live with tetraplegia. He passed away in a Guadalajara hospital on Friday, surrounded by his family.
Rodriguez, who began his career as a baker, was a larger-than-life figure known for his unconventional style. He often entered the ring in a pink carriage, smoking a Havana cigar, with his hair tied back in a ponytail. Despite being derided by purists, he was beloved by many outside bullfighting circles.
His life was marked by struggles, including alcohol problems and time spent in jail. He once said, 'I come from an epoch when you became a bullfighter in order to be successful and buy your mother a house.'
