Justo Martínez as Porfirio Diaz in Zapata
Justo Martínez (ca. 1932-2012), also known as Justo Martínez González, was a Mexican actor who worked on Plaza Sésamo for many seasons, first as the puppeteer for both Abelardo and Paco, similar to how Caroll Spinney doubled as Big Bird and Oscar. In 1981, when new Muppet characters were added, he moved on-camera as plaza resident Fernando.
A veteran character actor in Mexican film and television, Martínez appeared in the occasional English-language film, with small parts in The Penitent (as a nurse, with Raul Julia), Bandidas (as a banker, with Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, and Edgar Vivar), and the John Steinbeck adaptation The Pearl. His Spanish-language films included Sexo Por Compasión, Por Si No Te Vuelvo a Ver, and the historical drama Zapata - El sueño del héroe (as Porfirio Diaz).
