Outstanding Cuban journalist died at 85

MATANZAS, Cuba, Feb 27 (ACN) At the age of 85 and after a tough battle against cancer, the outstanding journalist, writer and historian Reynaldo Gonzalez Villalonga, with a professional career of more than half a century, died today in this western city.

Founder of the National Union of Historians of Cuba, the Association of Cuban Journalists (UPEC by its Spanish acronym), and the newspaper Giron, where he worked for many years as a reporter, Gonzalez Villalonga also participated in the creation of the People's Power Bodies in the initial experience developed in Matanzas.

Precisely, among his main journalistic achievements is an interview to Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, during the experience of the People's Power in Matanzas (1974); in his work he covered sectors such as economy, defense and socio-political activity.

Pedro Rizo Martinez, president of UPEC in Matanzas, emphasized that as a gesture of respect to his work, he was selected on several occasions as a candidate for the Jose Marti National Journalism Award.

In addition, Gonzalez Villalonga was awarded the medals of Combatant of the Clandestine Struggle and the Fight against Bandits, and the 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th Anniversary of the Disembarkation of Granma, the Raul Gomez Garcia and Felix Elmusa distinctions, as well as the Juan Gualberto Gomez Order awarded by the UPEC.

Categorized as Associate Professor at the University of Matanzas, he worked as teacher of History of the Press in the UPEC course for professionals who practiced journalism as territorial correspondents of radio and television, and was the founder of the Elio Constantín Teaching Chair.