On August 8, 2026, Aarón Palacio, the young matador from Aragón, stood out at Marbella’s Corrida de los Candiles, earning three ears alongside established figures Morante de la Puebla and José María Manzanares. It marked a high point in Palacio’s career, which had advanced significantly when he took the alternative in September 2025 and began his first full season as a matador.
The evening featured bulls from Cayetano Muñoz, several of them unpredictable and difficult for the toreros. Morante de la Puebla brought his characteristic style and ability to recover, while Manzanares displayed his technical mastery. Sharing the bill with two of the arena’s most respected names, Palacio kept his composure and delivered a performance that resonated with the crowd.
The Corrida de los Candiles drew a large, enthusiastic audience, including young fans. The event combined a late-night broadcast with the spectacle of candlelight. The triple salida a hombros, when all three matadors were carried from the arena on supporters’ shoulders, became the defining image of the evening and celebrated their success before the public.
Palacio’s performance in Marbella came in a season that also brought him wider recognition. At Zaragoza’s Feria del Pilar in October, he cut two ears from the sixth bull on October 16. ABC described 2026 as his first complete season as a matador, while El Periódico de Aragón praised his commitment and called his prospects exceptionally bright. Held from October 10 to 18, the festival featured seven major events. Palacio appeared on a lineup with Morante and Manzanares.
Renewed interest in traditional Spanish events echoes a broader trend elsewhere, where local customs and festivities continue to shape national conversations. Recent coverage of royal engagements in Mallorca includes the meeting between King Felipe VI and the president of Ceuta following a border incident, highlighting that connection. More details are available in reports such as the recent royal audience in Mallorca.
Bullfighting remains a subject of debate in Spain, but the Corrida de los Candiles put Palacio’s emergence alongside the established reputations of Morante de la Puebla and Manzanares. Tradition and spectacle continue to shape the cultural conversation around the arena, where celebrated figures share the stage with rising matadors.
