07.08.09 - 12:16 -
Julián Lago in June 2008 in Barcelona. EFE / Albert Olive.
Julián Lago, icon of journalism during Spain's transition to democracy, has died in Asunción after being hit in May by a motorcycle in a remote Paraguayan village. He was 63.
Lago, controversial, brilliant and original, wanted to write and "be himself" when he undertook his trip to Paraguay, distancing himself from "the celebrity gossip of the journalistic world," as he said a few days before leaving.
The Spanish journalist had lived since late 2008 in the town of Simon Bolivar, north of the village of Coronel Oviedo where the traffic accident occurred 2 1/2 months ago on a highway 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Asunción. He never recovered from his injuries.
Julián Lago San Jose was born in Valladolid, Spain, on Jan. 24, 1946.
He finished his studies at the Official School of Journalism in Madrid in 1975 while working as an assistant in the editorial department of magazines published by Grupo Mundo.
Career
His first job as a journalist was at the newspaper El Norte de Castilla. He also worked on Estafeta Literaria, Diario Regional and Meridiano 2,000. In 1976 he was named editor in chief of the magazine Interviu and a year later joined the editorial staff of Reporter.
His first job as a journalist was at the newspaper El Norte de Castilla. He also worked on Estafeta Literaria, Diario Regional and Meridiano 2,000. In 1976 he was named editor in chief of the magazine Interviu and a year later joined the editorial staff of Reporter.
After serving as associate editor of the daily Periodico de Cataluña, Julián Lago became one of the founders of the news weekly Tiempo, of which he was named editor in 1982 and which turned into a great publishing success.
His career in the Grupo Zeta peaked with his being named editor in chief of publications in May 1987, a post he resigned at the end of that year. After leaving the Grupo Zeta he headed the magazine Tribuna de Actualidad starting in May 1988.
He later worked in radio and television, which established his fame among the general public.
His controversial career landed him in court on several occasions, and in June 1997 he was ordered to pay a sizeable compensation together with the model Antonia Dell'Atte for the insults spewed on the program "La Máquina de la Verdad" (The Truth Machine) against Ana García Obregón.
He worked for the dailies El Mundo and La Razon and was editor of the newspaper Tribuna de Salamanca from October 2006 to September 2007.
Slamming
In June 2008 he presented his final work, "Un Hombre Solo" (A Man Alone), in which he slammed the "celebrity gossip of the journalistic world."
In June 2008 he presented his final work, "Un Hombre Solo" (A Man Alone), in which he slammed the "celebrity gossip of the journalistic world."
Lago said that the media were not what they once were because "now they're a factory of lies prefabricated in somebody's office," the reason he said he no longer wanted to work in the world of journalism and why now "I want to write and be myself."
The journalist left the profession and at the end of 2008 went to Paraguay, where he lived and aided an Indian community.
On May 15 he had a bad accident when he was hit by a motorcycle in the village of Coronel Oviedo.
He was admitted in a coma to the intensive care unit of Asunción's Centro Medico Bautista, where he remained until his death.
Recognition
His professional career was honored with the National Manuel del Arco Prize for Interviews and the 1983 Mariano Jose de Larra Prize, awarded for the best weekly publication (Tiempo). He also received the 1981 Communication Oscar.
His professional career was honored with the National Manuel del Arco Prize for Interviews and the 1983 Mariano Jose de Larra Prize, awarded for the best weekly publication (Tiempo). He also received the 1981 Communication Oscar.
In August 1994, Lago was one of the founders of the Independent Writers and Journalists Association, or APEI, organized to defend pluralism against what they considered centralized control of information and against the powers of autocratic centralism.
He was the author of several books, including "La España Transitiva" (Spain in Transition) in 1976, "Las Contra Memorias de Franco" (The Counter-Memoirs of Franco; the truth of his private conversations) in 1977, and "Bajo el Volcan de Moscu" (Under Moscow's Volcano) in 1992.
