Walter Mercado, a well-known and immaculately dressed Puerto Rican astrologer and icon in millions of Hispanic households passed away earlier this week at 87 years old.

When Walter Mercado called out your astrological sign through the sala TV on the Univision channel, you knew it was time to stop washing the dishes and start paying attention to your future predictions. The astrologer often demanded we take control of our lives, look out for distractions, eat uvas verdes, and wear yellow panties on New Year's for good luck.

Walter Mercado Salinas was born on March 9, 1932, in Ponce, Puerto Rico to his mother, Aída Salinas, and his father, José María Mercado. Mercado also had a brother named Henry Mercado Salinas. According to WLRN-TV, Mercado “was raised by a Spanish mother who believed strongly in God and a Puerto Rican father who honored the earth and loved his plants.” Walter always loved las estrellas, the arts, and self-expression, but to make his mother happy, Mercado set aside his natural and astrological inclinations to study pharmacy, psychology, and pedagogy.

Early on, Mercado was obsessed with astrology and loved to watch the stars. Vecinos nicknamed him “Walter de los Milagros” and would ask for consultations as well as seek the young child’s touch for good luck. Years later in an interview, Mercado shared that he was always interested in Astrology and Tarot, often asking fellow actors their zodiac signs and reading palms on set.

Mercado got his big break in 1969 by mistake when he filled in as an actor for Camilo Sesto on “El Show Del Medio Dia” Charityn Goyco’s late husband and producer, Elin Ortiz’ show on WKAQ-TV Puerto Rico. Ortiz and viewers loved Mercado’s improvised astrological segment so much that he was invited back on the show for weekly appearances. Three months later, from 1969-1990 Mercado began hosting his own one-hour astrology show. And thus, he became the star he so lovingly watched as a child. Walter later recalled an early role as a character who wore a cape and read tarot cards on “Renzo El Gitano”, a role that made him realize he was predestined for this.

Throughout the early ’60s Mercado worked as an actor and a dancer in telenovelas and movies. In an interview on “Estudio Actoral”, Mercado spoke about being an actor under hyper-masculine roles and how he attempted to grow a beard and even got into small accidents as a result of failed fight scenes due to his tender nature.

While never leaving Puerto Rico, in 1994 the astrologer was able to captivate 120 million people across the Atlantic throughout Latin America and the U.S. when he was offered his own daily segment on Univision. He was a mystic surrounded by lit candles and comfortable decor delivering 12 individual horoscope readings and sending us off with lessons, advice, and mucho, mucho amor for the week.

Although he quickly became a public figure, Mercado’s personal life was mostly private. In 2003, the public only learned of one Brazilian woman named Mariette Detotto, whom Mercado announced he shared a spiritual connection with. When asked about his love life, Mercado once responded: “I made a vow of celibacy until a woman came to awaken the energy of love in me and that is Mariette,”. Unfortunately, Mariette tragically passed away in a car accident in the Dominican Republic. He was not known to have another relationship following her death.

Throughout his career, Mercado founded Walters Actors Studio 64, an arts and drama school for aspiring performers. Mercado received numerous accolades, including the Mr. Televisión from the Association of Latin Entertainment Critics of New York and Señor Televisión at the 1972 Festival de Codazos in the Dominican Republic. Between his extensive career, Mercado also dabbled in Salsa music, dedicating a song to his Isla, Puerto Rico.

Walter Mercado always carried a message of esperanza and positivity with his predictions and readings. So much so, that in 2010, he changed his name to Shanti Ananda, meaning peace and happiness in Sanskrit. He stated that the name change came after a "being of light" gave him a spiritual revelation. Following his name change in 2010, after a fifteen-year relationship, Mercado announced that he and Univision had parted ways. During this television hiatus, Mercado maintained a connection with viewers using Facebook, Youtube and his website, waltermercado.com. He even launched several mobile applications on IOS and Android. In less than two months, the apps were ranked #2 in Mexico and 144th in the United States. He began writing columns for newspapers and magazines and became the syndicated writer of the Miami Herald. Mercado also had his own radio show and wrote several books including “Guia Para Una Vida Mejor” and “Beyond the Horizon: Visions of the New Millennium”.

In December 2011, Mercado was hospitalized in Puerto Rico after he fell ill with a cold and developed pneumonia. As his condition worsened, in January 2012, he was flown to Cleveland Hospital in Ohio with cardiac problems.

In August 2019, Mercado traveled to Miami to visit the HistoryMiami Museum, for his tribute titled, “Mucho, Mucho Amor: 50 Years of Walter Mercado”. He arrived wearing his traditional regalia in a fitting gold plated chair. Three months later, Walter died from reported renal failure on Dia De Los Muertos, November 2nd, 2019 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

While Walter is no longer with us on earth, fear not — his spirit and readings live on as he has left a pre-written trove of predictions leading up to 2020 in El Nuevo Herald. We can also anticipate the release of “Mucho, Mucho Amor”, a Biopic Documentary on Mercado’s life premiering in 2020. Walter Mercado will always be remembered as one of the most recognized television figures in Hispanic culture and for shining just as bright as the stars he read. Our abuelas, mamis, and tias will miss Walter Mercado. We hope to see him in the constellations. Descansé en paz, en mucha paz, Walter, pero sobre todo, con mucho, mucho, mucho *kiss* amorrr.

WALTER MERCADO

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