Colombian actor Germán Quintero Laverde died on the morning of Thursday 15 October 2026, according to reports from Colombian media. He was best known to Spanish-speaking audiences in the United States as don Martín Acevedo in the telenovela Pasión de gavilanes.
A telenovela is a serialised television drama, and Telemundo broadcast the second season of Pasión de gavilanes in the United States from 14 February 2022. Quintero also played a real journalist in Escobar, el patrón del mal, which makes his death news well beyond Colombia.
Key Facts
—Who. Germán Quintero Laverde, a Colombian actor with more than 40 years on screen.
—What. Died after health complications, the cause given by family sources; the family has not disclosed details.
—Where. The place of death has not been reported.
—When. The morning of Thursday 15 October 2026.
—Known for. Don Martín Acevedo in Pasión de gavilanes and journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza in Escobar, el patrón del mal.
—Status. As of 15 October 2026, 17:45 GMT. No funeral plans have been announced.
What We Know
Germán Quintero Laverde died on the morning of Thursday 15 October 2026, as reported by El Universal and El Tiempo. No report says where he died.
El Tiempo cited family sources who named health complications as the cause. The family has not given further details, and we do not speculate about them.
His niece, the photographer Alejandra Quintero Sinisterra, posted a tribute on Instagram. It read “Inmortal, único e intransferible. 1956-2026”, as quoted by El Universal and El Espectador.
Our account rests on the five Colombian outlets listed under Sources. Where they differ, as on his age, we say so rather than choose one figure.
Caracol Televisión, one of Colombia’s main television networks, announced the death on its digital page, according to El Espectador. Colombian television figures then paid tribute to him.
El Tiempo listed Mónica Pardo, Natalia Jerez, Majida Issa and Marcela Carvajal among them. It also named Juan Fernando Sánchez, Manuela González Daza and Laura Archbold.
What Is Not Known
His age is unconfirmed, because Colombian outlets disagree. Semana and El Espectador say he was 72, while El Universal says he was 70.
His niece’s post gives 1956 as the year of birth. We will state an age only when the family or an official source confirms it.
The place of death has not been reported in any of the coverage we reviewed. The family has also not disclosed what the health complications were.
No funeral or memorial arrangements had been announced when these reports appeared. We will add them here if the family or Caracol Televisión publishes them.
His Career
Quintero’s television career began in 1984 with El Bogotazo, according to El Heraldo. He went on to spend more than 40 years on screen.
In Pasión de gavilanes he played don Martín Acevedo, the grandfather of the family at the centre of the story. He took over the role in the second season from the Cuban actor Jorge Cao.
His credits cover telenovelas, crime series and feature films.
In 2012 he played the journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza in Escobar, el patrón del mal. The series is a Colombian drama about the drug trafficker Pablo Escobar.
His other television credits include Sueños y espejos in 1994, Cara o sello in 1995 and Montecristo in 2007. He also appeared in El cartel de los sapos, Chepe Fortuna, Pecados capitales and Jugar con fuego.
On the big screen he appeared in La milagrosa, Gente de bien and Sin mover los labios. His sister, the actress Talú Quintero, is known as Margarita in Yo soy Betty, la fea.
What It Means for Readers in the US
Telemundo aired the second season of Pasión de gavilanes in the United States, starting on Monday 14 February 2022. Viewers who followed it will know Quintero as don Martín Acevedo.
Some will also recognise him as Guillermo Cano Isaza in Escobar, el patrón del mal. El Tiempo calls the Escobar role one of his most remembered.
Viewers who followed the second season may recall that Quintero took over the role of don Martín from Jorge Cao. Colombian coverage of his death is in Spanish, and the five outlets we relied on are linked below.
For more on the country behind these stories, see our Colombia coverage. We will update this report if his age, the place of death or funeral plans are confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Germán Quintero?
He was a Colombian actor with more than 40 years on screen, best known as don Martín Acevedo in Pasión de gavilanes. He also played the journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza in Escobar, el patrón del mal in 2012.
When did Germán Quintero die?
He died on the morning of Thursday 15 October 2026, according to El Universal and El Tiempo. No report states where he died.
What was the cause of death?
Family sources told El Tiempo that the cause was health complications. The family has not disclosed any further details.
How old was Germán Quintero?
Colombian outlets disagree on his age. Semana and El Espectador say 72, while El Universal says 70.