Otto Sonnenholzner on honesty and solidarity 0:47
(CNN Spanish) -
Rodrigo Paz Delgado, former mayor of Quito, Ecuador, politician, businessman and honorary president of the Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito (LDU) football team, died this Tuesday at the age of 87, in Tampa, Florida, confirmed his family through a statement.
“The Paz family wishes to communicate with deep sorrow the death of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Rodrigo Paz Delgado.
A person who leaves us a teaching of effort, work and mainly of solidarity.
A totally visionary man who saw a whole in nothing, "says the document.
Paz Dejado was linked to the LDU for more than 60 years.
"His legacy, his joy, his good humor, his wisdom and human warmth will always live in those who know how to love the colors of the League as he loved them. Goodbye Don Rodrigo Paz Delgado, the best manager in the history of Ecuadorian football," he wrote earlier the LDU on his official Twitter account.
His legacy
President Guillermo Lasso sent condolences to the relatives.
"Rodrigo Paz leaves a great legacy in the sport, politics and history of Ecuador. We will always remember his work and career," he wrote on his official Twitter account.
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The mayor of Quito, Jorge Yunda, arranged three days of mourning in the Ecuadorian capital.
The South American Soccer Confederation, the Ecuadorian Soccer Federation and the Professional Soccer League of Ecuador mourned the death of Paz, who was highlighted as a manager who left a historical legacy in soccer in the country and in South America.
As a sports leader, he gave Ecuador the first international club tournaments.
His LDU from Quito became the first Ecuadorian team to win a Copa Libertadores (2008) and a Copa Sudamericana (2009).
He was also runner-up at the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup and won two South American Cup Winners' Cups in 2009 and 2010.
The modern stadium of the LDU in Quito, where the Ecuadorian team currently plays, was a project conceived by him and that is why it bears his name.
In 2018, Paz formalized his retirement from the leadership of the LDU.
During his life he participated in various stages not only in sports life, but also in political and business life.
He was mayor of Quito in the period 1988-1992, candidate for the presidency of Ecuador in 1996 and former Minister of Finance during the short government of former President Jaime Roldós.
Paz was also linked to banking and business activity in Ecuador.
Various footballers, politicians and sports leaders from different clubs have sent their expressions of regret for the death of Paz.
In the stadium of the LDU a place has been arranged so that the fans can express their expressions of affection to the historical leader.
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