Hundreds of fans gathered outside a Barranquilla hospital Tuesday to honor Colombian salsa legend Joe Arroyo who died in the medical earlier that day. The Archbishop of Barranquilla announced “El Joe” will be buried Wednesday afternoon, as his hometown of Cartagena decreed two days of official mourning.
According to Barranquilla newspaper El Heraldo, singer Willy Calderon joined the crowd at the hospital to sing in honor of the deceased “god” of salsa.
The death of one of Colombia’s greatest salsa artists caused a wave of grief throughout Colombia.
“All media mourn the death of Joe Arroyo. El Tiempo brotherly embraces his friends and family,” the country’s leading newspaper tweeted. Numerous prominent Colombians expressed their grief over the death of Arroyo through the social media website.
The city of Cartagena, where the singer was born, declared two days of official mourning and ordered all flags to immediately be hung half mast. Music from the artist will be played in the historic center of the walled city to honor the city’s “eldest son.”
The governor ordered the official city banner to be brought to Barranquilla to be put over the coffin of Arroyo, whose body will be displayed in the cathedral of the port city where the archbishop announced a wake starting at 4PM.
“The Archbishop of Barranquilla calls on the whole community touched by the artist to respectfully and serenely live through these moments of sadness in which the best tribute we can offer is to unite the prayers of Colombians so that the soul of our beloved and always remembered Joe Arroyo may rest in the peace of the Lord,” the Archbishop announced.
On Wednesday, Arroyo will be taken to the Eternal Gardens cemetery where he will be buried.