Jorge Quispe / Page Seven
The spirit of Carlos Palenque Avilés (1944-1997) emotionally revived last night in the stories of his friends and co-workers in La Tribuna Libre del Pueblo on Palenque Tv, but his image was also projected into the future in the new generation represented by Sayuri Loza , who played his mother Remedios Loza, Verónica and Cae Palenque, and Kory, son of Adolfo Paco.
Twenty-five years after the death of the folklorist, radio broadcaster, communicator and politician, a whirlwind of emotions flooded the commemorative edition of La Tribuna Libre, to which an endless line of friends, co-workers and ordinary neighbors arrived, even bringing old photos of the leader of Los Caminantes and who after his departure was baptized as “The Saint of the poor”.
On March 8, 1997, a cardiac arrest extinguished the heart of the charanguista and founder of the Conciencia de Patria (Condepa) party, but last night in “El Compadretón”, as Verónica Palenque called him, his voice, his anecdotes, his sayings and the love for his people that he always professed, revived in the testimonies of his followers.
Some like Iván, a former cameraman, recalled trips to the interior of the country with Carlos Palenque during his time as a politician, and others like Daniel Gonzales “El Riguchito”, the support he always provided for Bolivian theater to grow.
Also in the parade of friends of the Compadre were Víctor Roque, Palenque’s press officer, unionist Zenón Yupanqui and former bodyguard Jorge Arias, who again regretted not having been on duty on the fateful March 8, 1997. Five years earlier, Arias saved life to Palenque.
From Caranavi
Photo: Víctor Gutiérrez / Page Seven
Kory Paco was at last night’s tribute, but surprisingly his father Adolfo Paco, Palenque’s tireless friend on radio and television, and who lives in Caranavi where he manages a hotel, came to the set.
Paco recalled with pain that Saturday that his boss died. “We had lunch and then he kissed me goodbye on the cheek, he only did that when he was going on a long trip,” he recounted.
Adolfo, who retired from television three years ago, encouraged Veronica to continue with La Tribuna Libre del Pueblo with the new generation and follow in her father’s footsteps of solidarity.
Photo: Víctor Gutiérrez / Page Seven
Palenque’s niece, Ivonne, was also on the set of Palenque TV where she recalled the anecdotes with her mentor and then played a message from her family.
Between hugs and tears, Verónica, Cae, Sayuri and Kory received all their visitors for more than three hours. Some could hardly recognize each other and others remembered that when they were children, they met El Compadre on television.
“One day the Compadre came to my area when he was on a campaign and I was a ch’iti compadre, that’s why I always remember him because he loved the children very much,” said a 30-year-old neighbor who came from Santiago II in the city. from El Alto.
“Search, search…!”
Excited, Verónica Palenque announced yesterday the relaunch of the Saturday Popular program, the remembered entertainment program made famous by Adolfo Paco and Édgar Patiño.
Accompanied by Kory Paco and Patiño’s eldest son, Palenque anticipated the reissue of that program for this Saturday at a venue in Villa Victoria. “Are you up?” Veronica asked Cae and Kory, and they both nodded.
Along the same lines as the relaunch with a new generation of La Tribuna Libre, Carlos’s daughter intends to relaunch that space followed massively in the 80s and 90s. She anticipated that David Castro will be one of the program’s guests this weekend, but not gave more details. Traditional contests such as “Search, search, search…” will be reissued.
Adolfo Paco quoted a phrase that, according to him, Palenque pronounced on Friday, March 7, 1997 in the latest edition of La Tribuna Libre del Pueblo: “Try to be happy”, a message that, according to Paco, invites you to move forward in life, despite the difficulties.
Tributes on RTP
- Social From the Radio Televisión Popular chain, directed by Jorge Luis Palenque, another of the Compadre’s sons, a heartfelt tribute was also paid to Carlos Palenque, with the participation of José Pepe Murillo and Percy Bellido, former companions of the musical group Los Caminantes.
- Visit. A journalist went to the niche of the musician and radio broadcaster in the General Cemetery, where some neighbors put flowers on Palenque’s tomb, while others collected testimonies from current authorities regarding the transcendence of the political leader of the late last century.
