Versión Español
EspañolColombian writer and Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez died last Thursday, at the age of 87 and in México, where he lived for more than 50 years. The news sent shock waves throughout the world and went viral on social media, and the president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, declared three days of national mourning in his memory.
Although his funeral was private, Mexico’s president Enrique Peña Nieto will head a homage for him today at the National Institute of Fine Arts, Mexico City.
“Gabo,” as he was known colloquially, suffered from lung, lymphatic, and liver cancer. According to statements from his family, his situation worsened sharply before his passing. His closest relatives then had his remains cremated in a private ceremony.
“A great writer has died. His works gave wide publicity and prestige to Latin-American literature. His novels will survive him and continue to gain readers everywhere,” said Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, also a literature Nobel laureate.
Presidents Enrique Peña Nieto of México, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, and Ollanta Humala of Perú sent their condolences. So did US president Barack Obama, who lamented the Colombian’s passing.
“The world has lost one of its greatest visionary writers, and one of my favorites since I was young,” he said.
Source: El Universal and La Nación.
