Bukaneros in the stands

Rayo Vallecano · Madrid

Bukaneros

Bukaneros, Rayo Vallecano's group since 1992: origin and name, anti-fascist ideology, twinning with Brigadas Amarillas, documented rivalries and the 2026 protests.

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At a glance

Bukaneros in 30 seconds

Bukaneros is Rayo Vallecano's stand-animation group, formed in 1992 and based in the end stand of the Estadio de Vallecas. It takes its name from the Naval Battle of the neighbourhood's Carmen festivities and defines itself by Rayo loyalty, the working class and anti-fascism. Since the 1990s it has maintained a twinning with Brigadas Amarillas of Cádiz. In 2026, with the stadium closed by the Community of Madrid since 28 July and the team playing at Butarque, it led the protests against the president, Raúl Martín Presa.

Club
Rayo Vallecano
City
Madrid
Stadium
Vallecas
Stand
End stand of the Estadio de Vallecas
Founded
1992
Situation
Protests against the board after the closure of the Estadio de Vallecas (July–October 2026)

Documented history

Bukaneros: Rayo Vallecano's anti-fascist group since 1992

Bukaneros was formed in 1992 around Rayo Vallecano and the Vallecas neighbourhood. Its website presents it as a Rayo collective with a history «always free of racism and fascism». According to its own chronology, it moved from the side stand to the end stand in the 1990s, followed Rayo in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup and has maintained an anti-fascist identity that shapes its relationship with other groups and with the club's board.

1992: seven young people and the Naval Battle

According to the history published by the group, at the end of the 1991/92 season seven young people decided to create «an anti-fascist focus of animation» at the Estadio de Vallecas. They took their name from the Naval Battle that the neighbourhood celebrates every year at the Carmen festivities. They shared the end stand with Brigadas Franjirrojas until, according to Bukaneros, members of the Vallecas section of Ultras Sur took control of that group; they then moved to the side stand next to Peña Los Petas, under the slogan «Rayo, Clase Obrera y Antifascismo» (“Rayo, working class and anti-fascism”). This is the group's own account.

See this section's source ↗

The nineties: Cádiz, the return to the end stand and the Day against Racism

On one of its first trips, to Cádiz, the friendship with Brigadas Amarillas was born, which according to the group still endures; in 2014 the two celebrated twenty years of twinning. After the 1996/97 season, with Rayo in the Segunda, Bukaneros returned to the end stand. Since 1997 it has organised a «Day against Racism in Stadiums» in Vallecas, the first edition of which was held against Osasuna, according to its own chronology.

See this section's source ↗

2000–2007: Europe and anti-fascist memory

The group followed Rayo in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup and went on three away trips: Andorra, Vitoria and Bordeaux. Its history also recalls 11 November 2007, when an anti-fascist comrade was murdered in the Madrid metro. The degree dissertation by Héctor González Borges (University of La Laguna, 2025) identifies the victim as a young anti-fascist linked to Bukaneros.

See this section's source ↗

The 25th anniversary was presented in the stadium

In July 2017, Pasión por el Rayo documented the presentation of the 25th anniversary during an open first-team training session. Bukaneros unfurled a tifo in the end stand of the Estadio de Vallecas and accompanied the event with chants while the players were on the pitch.

See this section's source ↗

2022: the 30th anniversary on the streets of Vallecas

Unión Rayo's report of 30 November 2022 places the 30th-anniversary celebration at the Cerro del Tío Pío and at Rayo Vallecano's training ground. It describes the unfurling of a tifo and reproduces the collective's explanation for choosing the park, a place tied to neighbourhood life.

See this section's source ↗

Documented clashes

In April 2010, members of Bukaneros burst into a meet-up of Jove Elx, an Elche group, and left three people injured, according to Marca. On 6 February 2022, members of the group arranged to meet Celtarras around Balaídos for a fight; La Vanguardia then described Bukaneros as a radical Rayo peña twinned with Riazor Blues. In 2023, El Independiente listed it among the fifteen groups that the Anti-Violence Commission considered dangerous.

See this section's source ↗

2026: Butarque and the protests against Martín Presa

In February 2026, Bukaneros asked fans not to collect tickets for the Rayo–Atlético match moved to Butarque, in protest against the president, Raúl Martín Presa. On 28 July, the Community of Madrid suspended the concession of the Estadio de Vallecas and Rayo played its first home league matches at Butarque. In September, the group asked season-ticket holders not to collect the ticket for the next match at Butarque and to claim the proportional part of their season ticket. In October, a rain of balls and paper planes from the stand forced the suspension of Rayo–Athletic; in its statement, Bukaneros blamed Martín Presa and announced: «Seguiremos protestando» (“We will keep protesting”).

See this section's source ↗

Key dates

Timeline of Bukaneros

  1. 1992 · Born in Vallecas

    Seven young people create an anti-fascist focus of animation at the Estadio de Vallecas, according to the group's history.

  2. 1997 · Day against Racism

    First edition, against Osasuna, of the «Day against Racism in Stadiums» that the group organises.

  3. 2000 · UEFA Cup

    Follows Rayo in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup, with trips to Andorra, Vitoria and Bordeaux.

  4. 2010 · Incidents in Elche

    Members of the group burst into a meet-up of Jove Elx and leave three people injured, according to Marca.

  5. 2014 · Twenty years with Brigadas Amarillas

    Celebrates the 20th anniversary of its twinning with the Cádiz group.

  6. 2022 · Thirty years

    Celebrates its 30th anniversary at the Cerro del Tío Pío and at Rayo's training ground.

  7. 2026 · Protests and Butarque

    After the closure of the Estadio de Vallecas on 28 July, it calls for fans to stay away from Butarque and leads the protests against the board.

Ideology and identity · Bukaneros

Bukaneros defines itself as anti-fascist and anti-racist. Its website states that its history is «always free of racism and fascism», and its founding account sums up the group's idea in «Rayo, Clase Obrera y Antifascismo». From the outside, the degree dissertation by Baltasar Barceló (Miguel Hernández University, 2023) classifies it as far-left, and the one by Héctor González Borges (University of La Laguna, 2025) highlights its involvement in neighbourhood, labour and feminist causes. These are descriptions of the group, not of all Rayo fans.

Source of this description ↗

Frequently asked questions

Getting to know Bukaneros

Which team does Bukaneros support?

Rayo Vallecano. It is the club's stand-animation group, formed in 1992 in Vallecas, in Madrid.

In what year was Bukaneros founded?

In 1992. According to its own history, seven young people decided at the end of the 1991/92 season to create an anti-fascist focus of animation at the Estadio de Vallecas.

Why are they called Bukaneros?

After the Naval Battle that the neighbourhood celebrates every year at the Carmen festivities in Vallecas, according to the group's own history.

What is Bukaneros' ideology?

It defines itself as anti-fascist and anti-racist, with the founding slogan «Rayo, Clase Obrera y Antifascismo». A degree dissertation from Miguel Hernández University (2023) classifies it as far-left.

Where do the Bukaneros stand in Vallecas?

In the end stand of the Estadio de Vallecas, to which the group returned in the late nineties after its first seasons in the side stand, according to its own history.

Which groups is Bukaneros twinned with?

With Brigadas Amarillas of Cádiz, since its first years; in 2014 they celebrated twenty years of twinning. La Vanguardia described it in 2022 as also twinned with Riazor Blues.

Who are Bukaneros' rivals?

The sources cited document clashes with Jove Elx, of Elche, in 2010, according to Marca, and with Celtarras, of Celta, next to Balaídos in 2022, according to La Vanguardia.

Where did it celebrate its 30th anniversary?

At the Cerro del Tío Pío and at Rayo Vallecano's training ground, according to Unión Rayo's report of November 2022.

Why is Bukaneros protesting against Rayo's president?

It blames Raúl Martín Presa for the closure of the Estadio de Vallecas, whose concession the Community of Madrid suspended on 28 July 2026, and for the moving of matches to Butarque. In October 2026 it announced that it would keep protesting.

Sources

The documents behind this history

Each source keeps its date and scope. Titles appear in their original language. An insider account, an announcement and an official decision document different facts.

Documentary review: 18 October 2026. English edition: 21 October 2026. Editorial team: Mundo Ultras.

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