Venezuelan singer Henry Stephen, made famous by his
hit Limon, limonero
in the 1960s and 70s, died Monday April 5 from Covid-19 at the age of 79, the Venezuelan authorities announced.
“Today is gone Henry Stephen, a total artist.
Mi limón Mi limonero
will always be remembered
, a legend of Venezuelan popular music.
His legacy remains with us, ”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Twitter.
Read also: In Venezuela, the Covid exacerbates deprivation and repression
In 1968, his song
Limon, Limonero
, taken from a Brazilian title, crossed the Atlantic to become the song of the summer in Spain and achieve worldwide success.
Stephen was awarded a gold record in 1974, celebrating over a million records sold.
Star in his country, he had also been an actor in several television series.
"The departure of a great: Henry Stephen, Venezuelan musician and actor, who had won the hearts and admiration of several generations in and outside our country,"
wrote the Minister of Culture Ernesto Villegas.
Venezuela, 30 million inhabitants, has been affected since early March by a second wave of Covid-19 and in particular by the Brazilian variant.
The country has recorded 165,000 cases, including more than 20,000 in March, for just under 1,700 deaths since the start of the pandemic.