Journalism is like a priesthood. You are a journalist 24 hours a day, it is a very hard job, but on days like today, it has a magnificent reward. That's what he told me Miguel Angel Belloso in his management office the day EXPANSIN published a headline in large letters on the cover: BBV-Argentaria merger. It is one of the biggest exclusives published by the newspaper in its history.
Belloso belonged to the one that had already almost disappeared tribe of scoundrels with no other god than the fever of journalism and that they are ready to do anything to obtain an exclusive. Honoring his passion, he lived in the City of Journalists, in Madrid. His death leaves us all orphans, who were lucky enough to know a man so upright and sure of his convictions. He didn't get upset by anyone and passionately defended economic liberalism.. In EXPANSIN I wrote a blog called Liberal Notes from a Right-Wing Boywhich perfectly reflects the strength of his convictions.
As a good Navarrese, he was a bit loud, but also very authentic and without hiding anything. He was from Castejón, in the Navarrese Ribera, and was proud of it, although he also complained bitterly about the fact that in recent times there were more and more leftists in his town. Belloso was born on the day of San Fermín and was only 61 years old. Very young and in full professional maturity until illness took him somewhere in paradise where he will surely be able to reunited with his beloved wife, Mercedesalso a journalist and died eleven years ago.
Graduated in Information Sciences from the University of Navarra, In 1986, he joined the Economics section of EXPANSIN as an intern.a newspaper in which he spent most of his professional career. Passionate about macroeconomics and politics, he quickly began writing opinion articles in which he exposed his own style full of irony and biting. At EXPANSIN, he was head of the Economy section, editor-in-chief of Opinion, deputy director and then director of the newspaper between 1999 and 2002. His work helped to strengthen the newspaper's position as a leading and reference media in the economic field. world. Belloso was also the great promoter of the editorial board of EXPANSIN and Actualidad Econmica.
Aware of his great experience and professional value, the Recoletos Group, then owner of EXPANSIN, commissioned Belloso in 2002 to relaunch the editorial of Diario Econmico, the main financial newspaper in Portugal, acquired by Recoletos. He was also editorial advisor to El Cronista, the main Argentine financial newspaper, also owned by Recoletos.
In 2006 he was appointed Director of Economic Newsonce the Unidad editorial group, publisher of El Mundo, acquired Recoletos. Today, Unidad Editorial (EXPANSIN, El Mundo, Marca and Telva) belongs to the Italian group RCS MediaGroup.
It was beautiful too Vice-President of the European Central Bank Observatory, member of the Institute of Financial Studies and member of the Economic and Social Council of the Community of Madrid. In his last stage, he worked in the economics section of OK Diario, an online media in which he also regularly published opinion articles.
Throughout his professional career he has received numerous awards, although He was particularly proud of the Civil Society Prizewhich was awarded to him by the Civismo Foundation, although, as he stated in his speech, “he is not financially compensated.”
This award recognizes the role of Miguel ngel Belloso as a committed journalist, who has promoted independently, and from a consistently solid and courageous point of view, the postulates of an economic model in which personal freedom and private initiative predominate, as a means of promoting the prosperity and dynamism of society.
Belloso defended his liberal ideas in the multitude of opinion pieces he wrote. He was a magnificent columnist, His lyrics were very agile and entertaining, but also energetic when it came to expressing his opinions.. He left no one indifferent and although he hated social networks, he often became a trending topicsLiberals passionately supported his postulates, while leftists harshly criticized him.
In recent years he has also become a talk show host and has collaborated on both radio (Cope) and the television channels Telemadrid, Tele 5 and Cuatro. In the debates he has been tough and energetic, and has shown his most vehement profile, which has made him play in more than one confrontation. But even his opponents They recognized in Belloso his authenticity, his clarity and the fact that he was a person consistent with his ideas..
On a personal level, he loved life – he loved good restaurants and select hotels – and In his treatment he was very close and affectionate.. And also extremely familiar. After his wife's death, he devoted himself to caring for his two sons, Fernando and Ignacio. In recent months, he showed his most affectionate side with his granddaughter Vega, just over a year old and of whom he was very proud. Like a good grandfather, he always had a photo of Vega in his wallet accompanied by a sticker of the Spanish flag. He was very patriotic and never tired of repeating it. It is the best country in the world to live in.
For those of us who were fortunate enough to share experiences with him, he left an indelible mark. There are countless economic journalists for whom Miguel ngel Belloso is a professional and personal reference. This Wednesday, many EXPANSIN remembered an affectionate phrase that became famous in the editorial office when Belloso called someone into his office to comment on a certain editorial approach: “Come on, come here, dear cardboard.”.
Rest in peace, friend Belloso.