Heraclio Niz Mesa, known as "el Pollo de Arrecife", has died this Sunday, at the age of 80. With his death, Lanzarote says goodbye to one of its most popular fighters, not only for his achievements in the field, but also for his appearances on the big screen, as he participated in about twenty films.
The "Pollo de Arrecife" was born on July 27, 1929 in Máguez and, although he was also a football fan, at the age of 18 he officially made the leap to Canarian wrestling. In the 50s he prevailed in important challenges against the most outstanding fighters of the time.
In 1958, Heraclio Niz decided to retire from the fields to work as a municipal police officer and, for years, was the head of the Local Police of Arrecife.
A beloved and very friendly man, he leaves behind outstanding milestones in his resume, such as his participation in the film "One Million Years", which was filmed in Lanzarote and in which the actress Raquel Welch participated. In addition, he appeared in two dozen other films of the time.
Awarded
Heraclio Niz received several awards throughout his life. Among other things, the Minister of Tourism of the time, Manuel Fraga, presented him with the Medal of Tourist Merit, because for years he was a true host to the thousands of tourists who arrived in the capital. In addition, he received the Knight's Cross of the Order of Cisneros.
The wake to say goodbye to the "Pollo de Arrecife" is installed in the Tanatorio de Haría, and the funeral will take place this Monday at 4:30 p.m.
