Mexican Writer and Journalist Vicente Leñero Dies at 81

Leñero, considered one of Mexico’s most important writers and on of the main founders of influential magazine Proceso, died of lung cancer in Mexico City.

Vicente Leñero, one of the most important Mexican writers of the second half of the 20th century, died on Wednesday of lung cancer in his house in Mexico City.

Leñero's daughter, Mariana Leñero, said that the writer spent his last days with his family, smiling and joking.

“My father died peacefully, and, as he was so generous, he gave us a great day yesterday,” said Mariana.

Leñero, 81, was mostly known for his plays, but he also wrote novels, short stories, screenplays, and was a non-fiction master. Among his most important books is “Los albañiles” (The Builders), “Periodismo de emergencia” (Emergency journalism), “Gente así” (People Like This), “La vida que se va” (The Life that Goes).

Leñero participated in the best years of Mexican newspaper Excelsior, when Julio Scherer was the director. The paper was known in Latin America for it's independent position before the government.

After Scherer and his team were sacked from the paper through a plot of then Mexican President Luis Echeverría, Leñero helped him to found Proceso, which remains as Mexico's most important political magazines. Leñero wrote the story of the plot against Excelsior and the birth of Proceso in his famous book “The journalists.”

The Mexican novelist always remained a humble and timid person. He did not give many interviews and was known for being a coherent and independent thinker.

Leñero will receive a series of homages in the next days from various cultural Mexican institutions, from Guadalajara's Book Fair (the most important in Spanish), to the Mexican National Council for Culture and the Arts (Conaculta).

[readon1 url="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Mexican-Writer-and-Journalist-Vicente-Lenero-Dies-at-81-20141204-0002.html"]Source:www.telesurtv.net[/readon1]