Catalina Gómez Ángel receives Gabo 2026 Excellence Award

Colombian war correspondent Catalina Gómez Ángel was presented with the Gabo 2026 Reconocimiento a la Excelencia in Bogotá on Friday. In her acceptance speech, Gómez Ángel highlighted the importance of on‑the‑ground reporting, saying journalists must "detect changes and tell them" and that their work begins with trying to understand the realities they cover.

Having spent nearly two decades based in Tehran, she recounted covering conflicts in Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Afghanistan for outlets such as Caracol Radio, France 24, La Vanguardia and Cadena SER. She also reflected on the challenges faced by international journalism, from financial pressures to government restrictions, and stressed the responsibility of representing women journalists in Spanish and Portuguese‑speaking media.