Colombian writer Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza dies at 94

Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza Gabriel García Márquez El olor de la guayaba Order of Boyacá Colombian literature

Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza, a leading Colombian journalist, novelist, essayist and former diplomat, died on 28 July 2026 at the age of 94. He was born on 1 January 1932 in Toca, Boyacá (often cited as Tunja) and studied political science at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Mendoza held senior diplomatic posts, serving as Colombia’s ambassador to Italy and Portugal. He was best known internationally for co‑authoring the book El olor de la guayaba with Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez, and for his novels such as Años de fuga (which won the Plaza y Janés prize in 1979), Cinco días en la isla and Entre dos aguas. He also co‑wrote the satirical essay Manual del perfecto idiota latinoamericano.

In 2021 President Iván Duque awarded him the Order of Boyacá, Colombia’s highest civilian decoration. Former president Álvaro Uribe posted a tribute on X, describing Mendoza as “a journalist, writer, humanist, liberal, critic, soldier of democracy and defender of soldiers.” The death prompted condolences from cultural, political and journalistic figures across Colombia.

Entities: Gabriel García Márquez · Iván Duque Márquez · Order of Boyacá · Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza · Álvaro Uribe Vélez

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 15 SOURCES] He studied political science at the Sorbonne in Paris. (All articles)
[● 15 SOURCES] Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza died on 28 July 2026 at age 94. (All articles)
[● 15 SOURCES] His novel Años de fuga won the Plaza y Janés prize in 1979. (All articles)
[● 15 SOURCES] He served as Colombia's ambassador to Italy and Portugal. (All articles)
[● 14 SOURCES] He received the Order of Boyacá in 2021 from President Iván Duque. (All articles)
[● 15 SOURCES] Mendoza co‑authored the book El olor de la guayaba with Gabriel García Márquez. (All articles)
[● 15 SOURCES] Mendoza was born on 1 January 1932 in Toca, Boyacá, Colombia. (All articles)
[● 14 SOURCES] Former president Álvaro Uribe posted a tribute to Mendoza on X. (All articles)