Colombia pays homage to Gabriela Garcia Marquez

Colombians took to the streets of the capital Bogota on Tuesday to pay tribute to acclaimed author and Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez who died on Thursday, aged 87. The Colombian national spent several decades in Mexico, leading to speculation about where his ashes will be scattered. “Gabo was a writer split across two countries,” said Mariana Garcés, Colombia’s Culture Minister. “He decided to live in Mexico and Mexicans loved him as much as Colombians did. We feel the decision to scatter his ashes in Mexico or elsewhere is a private one. It belongs to his family.” Meanwhile in Bogota’s cathedral the author’s sisters attended a ceremony led by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. Garcia Marquez’s relatives have yet to announce what they intend to do with his ashes following his cremation in Mexico City. “He started a family in Mexico,” said Jaime Abello Banfi, director of the FNPI foundation for journalists. “His sons and grandsons are Mexican. So we will see what his family decides. He and his wife are Colombian. So maybe his ashes should be split between the two countries (Colombia and Mexico).” The exact cause of death has not been disclosed, but the author had reportedly been treated for pneumonia shortly before he died.