Mexican cartoonist Rogelio Naranjo passes away at 78

The Mexican political cartoonist died yesterday night from a heart attack, after been admitted in a hospital in north Mexico City for pneumonia. Naranjo collaborated with EL UNIVERSAL for forty years in which he created over 12,000 political cartoons that he decided to donate to the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 2011.

Naranjo came into prominence for bringing sharpness and ingenuity to the craft of political cartoons in Mexico, covering themes ranging from the abuse of power from union leaders, an acute criticism to the economic policies that have create a strong divide among social classes in Mexico, the questionable enrichment of politicians and businessmen, freedom of press, the working class, the clergy and its indifference to the needs of the poor, the office of the presidents of the Mexican Republic, human rights in Mexico, among others.

In 2014, Naranjo noted: “I’m close to being 80 and I haven’t set a deadline to live for myself, but I think being 80 is a good term for a life well lived to some, then again, if I have to live to a ripe old age or even one more year, well, what the hell...”

Naranjo payed special attention to development of the 2016 presidential elections of the U.S., mainly to the dangers of the safety policies proposed by the now president elect of the U.S., Donald Trump. His last political cartoon titled: “Nightmare” shows a wall with the flag of the U.S on top of it.

Naranjo is being mourned by family and friends in a funeral home in Mexico City. President Peña Nieto has already conveyed his condolences via twitter:"My heartfelt sympathies to the family and colleagues of the great political cartoonist Rogelio Naranjo”.

Mi más sentido pésame a los familiares y compañeros del gran caricaturista político Rogelio Naranjo.