Sixto Dorta, a committed man from Caracas like a few that there are today. Next March, he will turn 75 years of age, last 21st of January he fulfilled, nothing more and nothing less than 61 years of uninterrupted work to one of the most renowned newspapers in Venezuela, El Universal.
Discovering Sixto
He was born on the 28th of March of 1941, currently and regardless of his age he is still distinguished by his height, elegance, rigid back and his pause way of walking.
A man that has seen a lot of water run in the political and social aspect of Venezuela, and in which traveling such a long way, now you can almost say that he carries ink within his veins.
When he was only 14 years of age he began his path in the newspaper El Universal and this gives us an outline of his personal life and recounts in detail how his work experience was during his life at his office in the basement, where, from very close he watches over one of his best friends, the press.
In the news room
How can you describe your trajectory in the newspaper?
Happy, I loved working, the one who enjoys his work place it is not hard, ok because of that, my constancy is that I am able to be where I am today, the Vice President of production and consultant of the other Vice Presidencies, and in order to maintain the confidence that the former owners have placed in me over the years.
What is the most difficult situation that you have lived over your years of labor?
Definitely, one of the hardest times was when the dictatorship of Marcos Perez Jimenez, there were bad time, he put people in jail, because of what was written in the newspaper, Minister Vallenilla (Minister of Internal affairs during the time) wanted to shut us down.
There was a censorship department in the newspaper and this delayed the print. Normally we had to start printing at 10 pm, they had to wait for Vitelio Reyes, the man in charge of the department.
At 14 I started working on the Dispatch Department of El Universal, but I never liked being an employee, I liked being the boss.
He would read the entire paper, then we had to start printing at 11am of the next day, they read even the classified ads, and El Universal had a lot of information in the classified section. After, it was also difficult the start of democracy, because there were a lot of changes. Other difficult moments have been different strikes in different occasions”.
Which do you consider has been the most relevant news story that the paper has published?
There was one news that had its first appearance in El Universal. I was at home and the owner of the newspaper calls me at 2am and tells me that he was watching cable TV: “Sixto, the United States of America is invading Panama.” And this was Noriega’s business in 1989, I immediately called the editorial staff, we stopped the press and included the news, we were the only newspaper with that news on that day.
What is your opinion of the current situation of Venezuela, in the political, social and economic aspect?
It is difficult to forecast, the truth isn’t easy. In the social aspect I think everything is very wrong, the insecurity. You only need to the Monday paper, that amount of deaths, it’s something that is not worthy of any comment, people live in despair and fear. In the political, the situation is hard for the government. They offer and make a lot of promises but they accomplish very few of them and that’s how the credibility of the people has reduced.
Sixto Isidro, behind the scenes only a few really know him…
How would you describe your childhood?
I had a good childhood, very homey. I was the type to stay at home. When I was 4 years old I was orphaned from my father. This meant I was the only boy between my sisters, my grandmother and my mom. That’s why I was very dedicated to my studies. I went to Primary School Martin J. Sanabria and my High School was at Fermin Toro. For economical reasons, that my mom was the one that was holding the family together.
I had to start working at an early age, at 14 I started working on the newspaper and I still work there.
How do you define your family life?
A total success, I have always fought so that my family will be one hundred percent united. We have always been tight with my children and grandchildren. We have shared a lot trips, encounters and also with my siblings, but not as much with my immediate family. In my family we never had excess, there has always been small fights, the normal ones as it happens in every family, but in general my life has been very fruitful. I am very happy because I have three sons who are well educated and they have given me 4 grandchildren.
Which moment, do you consider it has been the happiest in your life?
Well, I am going to tell you about two moments, the first one is obviously when I got married with my late wife Delia, when I was young that was my dream to get married and when I did it, it was a dream come true.
The second one was when the owners of the newspaper gave me an acknowledgment for the years I have worked there, I felt very happy, because it wasn’t something organized by my colleagues, but for the same confidence that the owners had placed in me.Those two in between of other great moments, the birth of my children and grandchildren were of great joy to me.
Do you admire anyone? And why?
Well, I admired in the political aspect Rómulo Betancourt. I consider that he was a true politician, full as what today politician lack. Hopefully today there were at least ten politicians like him, he knew how to guide the masses, that is what a true politician does.
In the musical aspect I have various idols, Oscar de León, Jhonny Pacheco in his epoch. My wife used to admired a lot Marc Anthony, because she said he looked like me when I was young (laughter) I also like his music.
What the future holds
Does Sixto Dorta have any aspirations for his future? What do you want to do in the upcoming years?
Well, look, staying where am I am. I am almost 75 years old, I am good, healthy, I have my family. Hopefully I will work until God wants me to do so. I am very satisfied with what I have accomplished, I have my children, my grandchildren and a great granddaughter.
What message can you transmit to the people that want to work in printed media or what can you teach the youth that studies communications?
Well, I would say that printed media it’s not a novelty anymore with all the technological advances, such as the internet. News is like lighting. Those who want to work in printed media, have to dedicate themselves to research, journalism that leaves something is the name of the journalist.
After this amazing chat with Sixto Dorta he left something extremely clear: you have dig deep on the subject, not the news, not because the news is produced but what background does it have, to capture the attention of the reader, because a news can be told by any one, but an investigation and the story cannot.
