By Abel Rosales Ginarte
Possessing the gift of finding a place in people’s hearts, Reynaldo Henquen arrived at Radio Havana Cuba in the early 1980s. It was love at first sight– a bond that not even his death in Havana on September 25, 2026 — could erase.
He understood the passion for radio and lived it until the very last minute of his life. Just a few days ago, he received the Pedro Martínez Pírez Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor recently established by the station. “This award belongs to all of you,” he said, shedding tears that are now ours. We applauded him heartily that day — a tribute that will stay with him wherever he may be.
Almost all of us colleagues have a story to tell about Reynaldo. I visited his home to interview him for Radio Havana Cuba’s 65th anniversary. We spoke about his family, his loves and his roots — spread across the globe yet firmly anchored to the island. Before the recording, we made coffee — the last cup we would share.
With his unique energy, he told me about that first day in the station’s studio. “If I had to do it all over again, I would do so without a shred of regret,” he said, visibly moved.
The world needs more people capable of understanding the true purpose of their journey through life. The humility of Reynaldo Henquen — our station’s French translator and one of Cuba’s unforgettable voices in that language — is deeply moving.
We are counting on you to continue loving our beloved radio station, without regrets.
