The Colombian communicator lost his life in Switzerland, without fulfilling his desire to die in his land, surrounded by his.
News Colombia.
Colombian journalism is mourning after confirming the death of Freddy Calvacherecognized Payanés communicator, who died this Friday, August 29, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland, at age 55, after a hard battle against gastric cancer in an advanced stage.
Calvache was diagnosed in 2024 with an incurable tumor that led him to receive palliative care in Europe, which had come years ago after being forced to leave Colombia for threats against his life.
From the beginning of his illness he expressed his desire to return to Popayán to spend his last days with his family, but could never fulfill him.
The impossible return
The doctors in Switzerland advised their transfer on commercial flights due to the seriousness of their state. The only viable alternative was an ambulance plane, whose cost exceeded 500 million pesos, an unattainable figure for their relatives.
Although efforts were made to manage aid and the journalist himself requested support from the government, the repatriation did not materialize and finally died in European territory, far from the land that so longed.
The news generated a wave of reactions in Colombia, both in the journalistic and public opinion. Keep reading: Freddy Calvache and his moving called President Petro: “My only desire is to return to Colombia to spend my last days with my family”
The communicator’s family described him as a “tireless warrior, passionate about the truth and committed to the community”, In addition to thanking the solidarity samples received during his illness.
For its part, the president Gustavo Petro He expressed his regret in a message posted on Network X (formerly Twitter):
“He died in Switzerland, far from his homeland, abandoned,” he wrote, regretting that the Swiss hospital did not authorize the transfer or timely arrival of his family.
I feel sorry for the journalist Galvache.
The hospital where he was in Switzerland, did not let him travel to Colombia and gave the tiiquetes to his family but failed to travel.
He has died that.
He died in Switzerland, far from his homeland, abandoned.
– Gustavo Petro (@Petrogustavo) August 30, 2025
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