World leaders, writers and legions of fans paid tribute Friday to Nobel-winning Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, while his homeland remembered the literary legend with music, candles and roses.
Garcia Marquez, who died Thursday at age 87, was mourned in the European cities where he once lived, the United States and his native Colombia, which inspired his surreal stories of family, love and dictatorship.
Colombia declared three days of mourning for the author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude," with flags flying at half-mast, newspapers publishing special editions and folk bands singing in his honor in his native Caribbean coast town of Aracataca.
Aracataca inspired him to create the imaginary Caribbean village of Macondo in his masterpiece, "One Hundred Years of Solitude," a family and historical saga set over two centuries.
Visitors flocked to his childhood home, now a museum, to place candles, pictures of the author and his favorite flowers, yellow roses.
"We had to come," said Aida Maestre, 60, who was on vacation 70 kilometers (45 miles) away in Rodadero when she decided to come to Aracataca.
In Bogota, the headline in the newspaper El Espectador, where Garcia Marquez worked as a journalist for many years, called him "Immortal." Catholics marking Good Friday said they would pray for him atop a hill shrine.
'Public tribute Monday'
In Mexico City, where he lived for decades until his death, officials said a public tribute would be held at the Bellas Artes cultural palace on Monday.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos will attend the event.
The author's ashes will be taken to the palace and Santos will stand in an honor guard alongside Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
"It will be very simple, very beautiful and well-deserved for Gabo," said Colombian Ambassador Jose Gabriel Ortiz.
Admirers left flowers in front of Garcia Marquez's house, including white roses sent by Colombian pop star Shakira. Friends continued to flow into the house.
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake shook the city but the family stayed inside.
The author's wife, Mercedes Barcha, and two sons Rodrigo and Gonzalo said his remains would be cremated but his final resting place has yet to be disclosed.
The cause of death was not revealed, but Garcia Marquez died one week after being hospitalized with pneumonia.
Garcia Marquez last appeared in public on his birthday, March 6, but he only waved and said nothing to reporters outside his Mexico City house.
'Extraordinary phenomenon'
"All of Colombia is in mourning because the most admired and cherished compatriot of all time is gone," Santos said in a televised address late Thursday.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a Marxist rebel group negotiating peace with the government, said it would seek inspiration from Colonel Aureliano Buendia, a character in "One Hundred Years of Solitude."
"With the departure of this magnificent man, we reiterate today that, like Aureliano Buendia, we dream of, and we will make, peace," the FARC guerrillas said in a statement to AFP.
Garcia Marquez's other celebrated books include "Love in the Time of Cholera," his autobiography "Living to Tell the Tale" and his final novel, "Memories of My Melancholy Whores," published in 2004.
"My maestro has died. I will not mourn him because I have not lost him: I will continue to read his words over and over," said Chilean novelist Isabel Allende.
British novelist and screenwriter Ian McEwan told the BBC that Garcia Marquez was comparable to Charles Dickens, with "extraordinary persuasive powers over whole populations."
A champion of left-wing causes, the longtime journalist forged a controversial friendship with Fidel Castro, but he also counted foes of communism like former US president Bill Clinton among his friends.
Cuban President Raul Castro, who succeeded his brother Fidel in 2006, said "the world and particularly the people of Latin America have physically lost an emblematic writer and intellectual."
French President Francois Hollande hailed the "literary giant."
AFP
Sat Apr 19 2014
![World, hometown hail 'literary giant' Garcia Marquez World, hometown hail 'literary giant' Garcia Marquez](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-04/61397870956_295x200.jpg)
Flowers and a book by Colombian 1982 Literature Nobel Prize laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez were placed at the entrance of his home in Mexico City. -AFP Photo
![Wanita dihempap kayu balak mula sedarkan diri Wanita dihempap kayu balak mula sedarkan diri](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720789446_Wanitadihempapkay.jpg)
Wanita dihempap kayu balak mula sedarkan diri
Wanita yang nyaris maut akibat dihempap kayu balak dalam kejadian di lampu isyarat di Persimpangan Bendahara, Jalan Gua Musang-Kuala Krai di sini 9 Julai lepas, kini dilaporkan mula sedarkan diri.
Sah suspek anggota polis
Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan mengesahkan suspek bunuh Nur Farah Kartini, ialah anggota polis.
Suspek juga yang dipercayai teman lelaki mangsa dan bertugas di Perak.
Suspek juga yang dipercayai teman lelaki mangsa dan bertugas di Perak.
Suspek dibawa ke lokasi kejadian di ladang kelapa sawit
Suspek kes pembunuhan bekas penuntut UPSI Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah dibawa ke lokasi kejadian di ladang kelapa sawit di Kampung Sri Keledang, Hulu Bernam, Selangor.
![Ringgit susut berbanding dolar US pada penutup Ringgit susut berbanding dolar US pada penutup](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/41713876066_TBringgitmalaysia.jpg)
Ringgit susut berbanding dolar US pada penutup
Pada 6 petang, ringgit susut lagi kepada 4.6745/6790 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.6725/6745 semasa ditutup semalam.
Pangkat atau jawatan tidak penting
Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) tidak akan melindungi anggotanya yang ditahan bagi membantu siasatan berhubung kes bunuh bekas penuntut Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah.
Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain berkata, PDRM akan menjalankan siasatan berkaitan kes itu dengan telus dan adil.
Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain berkata, PDRM akan menjalankan siasatan berkaitan kes itu dengan telus dan adil.
Pemilik sebuah rumah kebajikan didenda RM100
Individu didakwa di dua mahkamah Kuala Lumpur berkait kematian seorang pempengaruh TikTok dikenali Rajeswary atau Esha yang ditemukan meninggal dunia dipercayai menjadi mangsa buli siber, 5 Julai lalu.
TERKINI] Timbalan Ketua Polis Perak dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu
Timbalan Ketua Polis Perak, Datuk Azizi Mat Aris dilantik sebagai Ketua Polis Perak yang baharu bermula hari ini.
Azizi, 59 tahun, menggantikan Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri yang dilantik sebagai Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan dan Penguatkuasaan Trafik (JSPT) Bukit Aman berkuat kuasa pada Isnin.
Azizi, 59 tahun, menggantikan Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri yang dilantik sebagai Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan dan Penguatkuasaan Trafik (JSPT) Bukit Aman berkuat kuasa pada Isnin.
![Bursa Malaysia ditutup rendah susulan aktiviti pengambilan untung Bursa Malaysia ditutup rendah susulan aktiviti pengambilan untung](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/61714480297_tbbursamalaysialog.jpg)
Bursa Malaysia ditutup rendah susulan aktiviti pengambilan untung
Pada 5 petang, Indeks FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) susut 3.86 mata atau 0.24 peratus kepada 1,625.96 daripada paras penutup 1,629.82. pada Isnin.
![[TERKINI] Astro penyiar rasmi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 [TERKINI] Astro penyiar rasmi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-08/51692062485_TBAstro.jpg)
[TERKINI] Astro penyiar rasmi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024
Astro dipilih sebagai penyiar rasmi bagi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 bermula hujung bulan ini.
AWANI Borneo [16/07/2024] – SUKMA 2024 | Sentiasa berwaspada | Pintu sempadan
AWANI Borneo Selasa, 16 Julai 2024 bersama Fauzi Zin.
- SUKMA 2024 : Nasib acara takraw wanita diketahui Khamis ini.
- Ribut petir diramal di Sabah, Bomba saran penduduk berhati-hati.
- Urusan imigresen di sempadan, Malaysia-Brunei adakan rundingan.
- SUKMA 2024 : Nasib acara takraw wanita diketahui Khamis ini.
- Ribut petir diramal di Sabah, Bomba saran penduduk berhati-hati.
- Urusan imigresen di sempadan, Malaysia-Brunei adakan rundingan.