Juantxu Rodríguez

Juantxu Rodríguez is a small memorial monument in Madrid's Retiro Park, dedicated to a Spanish photojournalist who was killed while doing his job.

Who was Juantxu Rodríguez?

Juan Antonio Rodríguez Moreno, known as Juantxu Rodríguez (1957–1989), was a Spanish press photographer. He spent seven years as a photographer for the Menéndez y Pelayo International University before joining the newspaper El País as a graphic reporter. He was killed on December 21, 1989, in Panama, shot by an American soldier during the United States invasion of Panama. He is regarded as the first Spanish photojournalist to die while covering an international conflict.

What does the monument look like and where is it?

The memorial takes the form of a stone monolith roughly 0.70 meters tall, set on a square base measuring 0.40 by 0.40 meters. Its upper face carries a metal plaque bearing the coat of arms of Madrid along with an inscription honoring the photographer. It stands inside Retiro Park, one of the Spanish capital's best-known and most-visited urban parks, making it an easy stop during a walk through the grounds.

Who erected it, and when?

The monument was unveiled in 1990, a year after Rodríguez's death. It was commissioned at the initiative of the National Association of Press and Television Graphic Reporters (ANIGP-TV), with the involvement of Madrid's city council — which is why the municipal coat of arms appears on the plaque. The inscription reads, in essence: "In memory of Juantxu Rodríguez — the National Association of Press Graphic Reporters and the Madrid City Council."

Why is this spot worth a stop?

Modest as the monolith is, it serves as a reminder of the price journalists and photojournalists sometimes pay while reporting from armed conflicts. It fits into a broader pattern of tributes paid to Spanish war correspondents — a similar monolith honoring other fallen reporters, including José Couso and Julio Anguita Parrado, stands elsewhere in Madrid, in the Ciudad Lineal district.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the Juantxu Rodríguez monument located? It stands within Retiro Park in Madrid, one of the city's central and most-visited parks.

Who was Juantxu Rodríguez? He was a Spanish photojournalist who died in December 1989 in Panama while covering the American invasion of the country, working for the newspaper El País.

When was the monument built? It was unveiled in 1990 at the initiative of the National Association of Press and Television Graphic Reporters, together with Madrid's city council.

Is this the only monument to Rodríguez in Madrid? No — the Ciudad Lineal district also has a monolith commemorating several fallen Spanish war reporters, including Juantxu Rodríguez.