Journalist Jorge Rodríguez, a reference in cultural journalism in Puerto Rico, passes away.

The prominent cultural journalist, writer, and playwright Jorge Rodríguez, who worked for a large part of his life at EL VOCERO, has passed away. Rodríguez began in journalism as a theater critic for the newspapers El Nuevo Día (1980-1982), El Reportero (1983-1986) and El Mundo (1986-1990). He directed the magazine Ahora of the Diario de Puerto Rico from 1993 to 1994. From 1994 to 2013 he worked as a journalist specializing in cultural issues for the newspaper El Vocero of Caribbean International News and then remained as a reporter of cultural issues for the Escenario section of EL VOCERO of Puerto Rico, of Publi-Inversiones. The journalistic work of Rodríguez, who was also a playwright, screenwriter, theater director, and actor, was recognized on dozens of occasions by local journalistic guilds such as the Puerto Rico Journalists Association and the Overseas Press Club. The latter awarded him one of its highest honors on two occasions: the Eddie López Award for Journalistic Excellence in 2007 and 2015 for his series “Culture in times of corruption” and “Cultural Series of 2000-2006”, respectively; in addition to the Cultural Journalism Medal in 2015.

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A Life for the Arts
The Center for Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean also awarded Rodríguez the Ricardo Alegría Medal in 2011, and in 2010 he was the only Puerto Rican journalist invited to participate in the International Conference of Cultural Journalism of the Gabriel García Márquez New Journalism Foundation in Madrid, Spain. The Pen Club of Puerto Rico also recognized his work as a theater critic for his writings compiled in the book “Areytos del 80” published in 2003 and where he presents the artistic work carried out on the Island from 1980 to 1989. And in 1992 his report “Fiestas de Santiago” was recognized with the V Centenary Award in 1992, among other distinctions. Rodríguez, author of more than twenty special series of art and culture journalism, was a correspondent for Puerto Rico for the coverage of cultural activity in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; as well as in France, Spain, Morocco, The Vatican, Bulgaria, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, New York, Washington DC and Tanzania, among others.

Source: EL VOCERO