Voice of Latinos Albor Ruiz Dead at 80
Signage for the New York Daily News is displayed on the facade of their Broad Street office, September 5, 2017 in New York City. Tronc, the publisher of the Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times newspapers, announced on Monday that is had purchased The New York Daily News. Previously owned by Mort Zuckerman, Tronc paid one dollar in cash plus the assumption of liabilities to purchase the nearly 100-year old tabloid newspaper. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

A well-known Cuban-born journalist, Albor Ruiz was announced dead in Homestead, Florida. Ruiz was 80-years-old.

Ruiz was known to write columns for The Daily News, El Diario, and Al Dia News, advocating for Latino immigrants and demanded that the United States lift its longstanding trade block against his homeland, according to The Portland Post report.

Ruiz's sister, Enid Ruiz, said that the cause of his death was pneumonia. Ruiz was said to reach his largest readership at The Daily News in New York, where he worked for 23 years as an editorial writer; the editor of the bilingual version of the news portal, El Daily News; and a columnist who wrote ardently about immigration, politics, education, housing, art, literature, and racism.

Ruiz was also known to have written often about Latinos. However, he was said to have described other people of other backgrounds, such as the four Polish immigrants who died in a fire in an illegal apartment in the Maspeth area of the borough.

The story reminded him of living illegally with seven friends in a small apartment in Miami after his escape from Cuba in 1961.

"His was a rich life of many adventures and deep commitments. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Rest in power querido," stated the Facebook announcement of his passing as reported by The New York Daily News.

Career and Writings

One of his latest pieces ran in October with the headline "The President's Madness." Aside from, writing columns, he released a book of poems entitled "In Case I Die Tomorrow," which is filled with his reflections on life.

Meanwhile, his final Nov. 11 column focused on the impact of President Joe Biden's leadership on Latin America.

"It has been said that when the U.S. sneezes Latin America catches a cold," Ruiz's piece started.

Journalist and colleague Ralph Ortega said that Ruiz lived a great life and it was a blessing to have known him. The former colleague added that he is heartbroken but happy that they recently spoke and laughed the way they always had for 30 years.

Ortega added that Ruiz has always encouraged and supported him as a journalist and as a friend.

Ruiz was initially laid off by the Daily News in 2013 but was brought back to write his column on a freelance basis. In 2016, he was let go a second time and quickly landed a job at Al Dia, where he spent most of his career until his death.

Ruiz was born in Cardenas, Cuba and came to the United States by boat after leaving his home country under cover of darkness in 1961. He then attended the University of Florida before starting his career in journalism.

In his poem, "In Case I Die Tomorrow," Ruiz writes about returning to his homeland and his ashes will be scattered at the oceanfront Cuban town of Varadero.

"I am a foreigner and she is calling. Let it be known that Cuba has reclaimed me. In case I die tomorrow," Ruiz wrote in his poem.