Bonil Leaves El Universo After Three Decades

Alan Gardner Published: March 24, 2026 1 minute 0 comments

Ecuadorian editorial cartoonist Xavier Bonilla “Bonil” announced on X that he is departing The Diario El Universo where his cartoons been published since 1995.

Final Bonil cartoon. Translation: “Thank you, dear readers, for all these 31 years of patience, camaraderie, freedom to express opinions—and to disagree as well—and for sharing smiles. I bid farewell to these cherished pages of EL UNIVERSO!”

His announcement on X:

I’ve been drawing in various media for 40 years, 31 of them at El Universo where I also enjoyed the freedom to opine and share smiles.

We all have our own visions. Each person has their own path. And mine is the same as always: wherever my pen takes me.

Under the final cartoon, the paper printed “EDITORIAL NOTE: After more than three decades of acutely tracing reality from our pages, today we say goodbye to Bonil, not because of an imposed absence, but because of his free decision. His talent remains an indelible part of the history of this newspaper. Good luck on the new paths.”

Neither the paper nor Bonil has announced his future plans.

His tenure at El Universo also garnered several international awards including the Golden Hat (2017), the Sociedad Interamericana de Prensas’ grand prize for Free Press 2015, and a Citation for Excellence in the United Nations Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Awards (2012).

Here’s a sample of his cartoons:

Bonil Leaves El Universo After Three Decades

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