Bolivia’s female wrestlers in national costume
These Bolivian women wrestlers are dressed up to the nines but they pack a mean punch. They are the cholitas luchadores, which means fighting cholitas, a group of indigenous women from the city of El Alto. The cholitas luchadores perform choreographed fights in traditional costume on a boxing ring. One is the goodie (tecnica) and the other is the baddie (ruda). Although they can have a very bumpy ride, one thing is sure: good always triumphs over evil.
The Cholitas’ coach and promoter, Benjamin Simoncini, talks about what it takes to put on a really good fight. Young and old, single or married, these women wrestlers open up to RTD about their preferred role, the high they get from performing, and the difficult personal realities that their fierce personas hide.