Brussels: The international Catholic communicators’ organization, Signis, has mourned the death of Gustavo Jose Andujar Robles, one of its former presidents.

The Cuban communicator, the first Latin American to head Signis, died July 26 in Havana, capital of Cuba. He was 73.

A condolence message from the association hailed Andujar as “a faithful supporter of our organization.” He was elected president for a three-year term during the World Congress in Rome in 2014. Gustavo earlier served the association as its vice president from 2005.

Andujar was born on December 13, 1947.

An engineer, he had been active in media and communication for more than 30 years. He was one of the leading personalities in Cuba’s alternative media world.

For 33 years he was a researcher at the Food Industry Research Institute in Havana, where he was a senior researcher and head of numerous national and international research projects.

He was also a former consultant of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and former Vice President of the Cuban Association of Food Science and Technology.

Since July 2004, he worked for the Archdiocese of Havana, first as head of the Department of Audiovisuals and as director of the Padre Félix Varela Cultural Center.

Until his death, he directed the Padre Félix Varela Cultural Center of the Archdiocese of Havana and was a member of the National Communication Commission of the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops, director of the influential Cuban Catholic magazine Espacio Laical, and the biannual magazine ECOS.

In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI awarded him the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross; in 2017, upon the conclusion of his service as president of SIGNIS, Pope Francis appointed him Knight of the Order of San Silvestre.

“Gustavo Andujar was a kind, quintessential gentleman. His deep faith motivated him to take on enormous responsibilities, including serving as president of SIGNIS. He worked tirelessly to support the work of Catholic communicators, often behind the scene, to empower so many to be able to make a difference. We extend our deepest sympathy to his dear wife and all who loved him. Rest In peace, good and faithful servant,” SIGNIS president, Helen Osman, said.

(With input from signis.net)