Mourning in journalism for the death of Javier Ayala

The renowned journalist Javier Ayala, was the founder of the National Newscast and reported important moments such as the attack on Luis Carlos Galán. Ayala died today after battling COVID-19 for several days.

Ayala’s experience began as an economic editor for El Espectador. Later, he was the head of economic information for El Tiempo. Likewise, he founded the National News, from where he confirmed to the country that the liberal leader Luis Carlos Galán had been the victim of an attack that later ended his life.

In his most recent column, Daniel Coronell, recounted how the first investigations began to be carried out from the offices of the news outlet, as soon as it became known about the shootings in Soacha. It was Ayala who recalled that a cameraman, Jesús Calderón, had worked for the newscast and was at that time accompanying Galán. Ultimately, Ayala, as director of the newscast, was the one who, with fragmented information and Calderón’s cassette, confirmed the attack on the candidate with the images that would turn Colombia around.

Ayala worked in different media throughout his life, generally focused on economic information on the 6AM newscast together with Yamit Amat and later on Radiosucesos on RCN’s Basic network. His departure represents a major loss for journalism whom his colleagues remember as “a well-rounded journalist, in addition to being a warm and loving person”.