Enrique Luis Discepolo
Real name Enrique Luis Discepolo
Pseudonyms
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• Supuesto hijo de Enrique Santos Discepolo
Occupation
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• lyricist
• composer
TodoTango: Link
Enrique Luis Discépolo is a figure marked by a lifelong struggle to be recognized as the son of the iconic tango composer Enrique Santos Discépolo. His story, as told by journalist Fernando Cerolini, reveals a complex personal and legal battle that spanned decades across Argentina and Mexico.
Born in Mexico on April 21, 1947, Enrique Luis is the son of actress Raquel Díaz de León, who met Discépolo during his 1944 tour through Mexico and Central America. Their relationship flourished during Discépolo’s return to Mexico in 1946, and Raquel became pregnant. However, under pressure from his partner Tania—who threatened suicide—Discépolo returned to Buenos Aires, abandoning the young actress. Despite the separation, Discépolo continued to correspond with Raquel and send her financial support.
Enrique Luis was baptized in Mexico with prominent Argentine actors Tita Merello and Luis Sandrini as godparents. While in Mexico he was publicly acknowledged as Discépolo’s son, in Argentina he remained unrecognized. A paternity suit initiated in 1966 failed, despite testimony from Merello and overwhelming circumstantial evidence, due to the legal weight of a will signed by Discépolo a year before his death—reportedly under Tania’s influence.
The story resurged in 2004 when Enrique Luis attempted to reopen the case using DNA testing—technology unavailable during the 1960s trial. While a judge initially authorized the test, the Supreme Court ultimately denied the appeal on procedural grounds, citing the earlier verdict as "res judicata" (already judged). The decision crushed Enrique Luis, who returned to Mexico, disheartened.
In 2011, hopes reignited when a group of journalists and filmmakers, including musician Emilio del Guercio and Telam director Martín García, visited Mexico to document the story. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel later affirmed that the case could be brought before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Costa Rica. This possibility gave Enrique Luis a renewed sense of purpose.
As of his 65th birthday, he was preparing to either reopen the paternity case in Argentina or take it to an international human rights tribunal. His goal was not financial gain—given that the copyright on Discépolo’s works was set to expire in 2012—but to be officially recognized by the Argentine state as the son of one of its greatest cultural figures.
Summary based on the article by Fernando Cerolini published in Página/12.
Orchestras
No known group memberships.
Recordings
No recordings found.