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Darío Lopérfido Dies at 61 in Madrid From ALS

He had recently written candidly about living with the disease, a message that shaped the public response to his passing.

Overview

  • Family sources confirmed the death of the Argentine cultural manager and former official in Madrid on February 27 after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2024.
  • He disclosed his condition in a stark personal essay, widely cited for the line “Tener ELA es una mierda,” and described the rapid toll it took on his body and voice.
  • Over three decades, he served as Argentina’s secretary of Culture and of Media under Fernando de la Rúa, Buenos Aires’ culture minister, and director general/artistic director of the Teatro Colón.
  • He helped launch major Buenos Aires festivals including BAFICI and FIBA, leaving a lasting mark on the city’s cultural infrastructure.
  • His 2016 remarks questioning the commonly cited number of dictatorship-era disappeared drew broad repudiation and led to his resignation, even as he remained active with the Cátedra Vargas Llosa, a radio column, and a recent interview series.