Spain’s Ex-minister of Culture José Guirao has died at the age of 63.

Guirao died on July 11 from cancer.

Born on June 9, 1959 in Pulpi, Spain, he became Minister of Culture in 2018 and stayed in the position until 2020 when he was substituted by José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes.

Before he took on the position of Minister of Culture, Guirao  was the director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and was also the director of La Casa Encendida. He was also the director of the Montemadrid Foundation.

After 2020, he was re-appointed Chief Manager of Fundación Montemadrid and in that position, worked on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and worked on the renovation of the Palacio de la Música de Madrid. He would step down as director of the foundation at the end of 2021.

In 2021, he published the book that he coordinated together with the academic Magdalena Cantero entitled “Aún hay tiempo” and the minister of Culture Miquel Iceta appointed Guirao commissioner for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso, as president of the National Commission created to organize the events of that ephemeris.