«Tell me Ocha, what would you like, that I leave you an inheritance when I die?». It was my answer when she received a call from him and had the suspicion that a task was coming to develop.
With the same daring with which he always lived, he reached the media. A tragedy that occurred somewhere in Cesar, due to the violence that plagued this region in the second half of the 90s, allowed me to meet her.
He appeared with his curly hair and the logo of the National Newscast, a medium that at the time dominated the audience in the country. He had not yet graduated from the University, but he seemed to have the experience that years give. We went through her to ‘la 32’, her usual house in the San Martín neighborhood of Valledupar. Rafael Escalona, cameraman, correspondent in Cesar, of all the national television news, presented it with great enthusiasm. It would be my competition, since I worked for Colombia 12:30 the other news alternative at noon.
In the same car, and sharing a cameraman, we arrived at the scene of the events. We saw the ‘perrenque’ when it came to facing widows and orphans looking for a testimony that would give weight to his note. Slowly but firmly, ‘Ocha’ was taking the character and journalistic rigor that accompanied her forever.
Ocha was recognized by the union as a capable journalist and committed to causes. Fortunately for me, I had the opportunity to accompany her on several projects. That allowed for more unity both with her and with hers. her family. I don’t remember the exact moment I came back from her house.
With Ocha we worked hard, but there was also space to review the anecdotes that we were building with each meeting.
How to forget those red wines in the morning. Between sip and sip we would plan some activity and then a past episode would come up. And he said “Christmas is going to catch us here”, it was a sign that we had to hurry.
I would have preferred that many Christmases, entire decades, years and years, would have caught us for your departure, but always you with us.
Goodbye, forever friend. I love you too and I will never forget you.
By: Edilberto Castillo
