Juan Carlos Gumucio
Encyclopedia
Juan Carlos Gumucio was a Bolivia
n-born journalist
, writer
and linguist
.
The son of Azul Quiroga and architect René Gumucio, from an affluent and old-established family, Juan Carlos worked as a journalist for over 30 years, having started his career in his hometown, Cochabamba
, as a crime
reporter for Los Tiempos and Radio Centro.
After working for a period as political attaché in the Bolivian embassy in the United States
, and as press secretary
for the Organization of American States
, he joined the Associated Press
news agency in New York
as a reporter. He was later posted to Rome
, Teheran and Beirut
. When AP ordered its foreign staff to leave Lebanon
, after its bureau chief Terry Anderson had been kidnapped
, Juan Carlos joined the Times
and afterwards the Spanish
daily El Pais, as its Middle East
correspondent. He was one of the few western journalists to stay on in west Beirut as kidnapping raged in the mid-1980s.
After Lebanon, he became Jerusalem and London
correspondent for El Pais.
He covered the collapse of Yugoslavia
and the siege of Sarajevo
.
Juan Carlos committed suicide near Cochabamba, Bolivia at the age of 52 on February 25, 2002. Leaving behind him his daughter, Anna and without ever knowing his daughter from his first marriage, Monica.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n-born journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and linguist
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
.
The son of Azul Quiroga and architect René Gumucio, from an affluent and old-established family, Juan Carlos worked as a journalist for over 30 years, having started his career in his hometown, Cochabamba
Cochabamba
Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and is the fourth largest city in Bolivia with an urban population of 608,276 and a metropolitan population of more than 1,000,000 people...
, as a crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
reporter for Los Tiempos and Radio Centro.
After working for a period as political attaché in the Bolivian embassy in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and as press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
for the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, he joined the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
news agency in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as a reporter. He was later posted to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Teheran and Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. When AP ordered its foreign staff to leave Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, after its bureau chief Terry Anderson had been kidnapped
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, Juan Carlos joined the Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
and afterwards the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
daily El Pais, as its Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
correspondent. He was one of the few western journalists to stay on in west Beirut as kidnapping raged in the mid-1980s.
After Lebanon, he became Jerusalem and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
correspondent for El Pais.
He covered the collapse of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and the siege of Sarajevo
Siege of Sarajevo
The Siege of Sarajevo is the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Serb forces of the Republika Srpska and the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War.After Bosnia...
.
Juan Carlos committed suicide near Cochabamba, Bolivia at the age of 52 on February 25, 2002. Leaving behind him his daughter, Anna and without ever knowing his daughter from his first marriage, Monica.