In the early hours of this Monday, journalist José María ‘Chema’ Salcedo passed away at the age of 79 at the Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza, as confirmed by RPP. Born in Bilbao in 1946, Salcedo arrived in Peru at the age of four and dedicated his life to journalism, starting his career at the newspaper La Prensa in 1974 and later excelling at the magazine Quehacer. His commitment to the truth led him to extreme situations, such as in 1984, when he posed as a patient at the Víctor Larco Herrera Hospital to highlight the reality of mental health in the country.
During the 1990s, his voice resonated on the airwaves of RPP, where he served as news director and host of emblematic programs. Salcedo is remembered for his sensitivity during natural disasters, such as the El Niño phenomenon in 1997, when he provided support to those affected. He also faced a cancer diagnosis in 2018, an experience he shared in his one-man show Tu amor es mi enfermedad. His legacy includes books, documentaries, and the script for the film Alias la gringa. To learn more about Salcedo’s life and work, you can read our article on his passing here.
