Jorge Kahwagi, star of ‘Big Brother VIP’ and ‘Clase 406’, died at 58.
Jorge Kahwagi Macari, a businessman, former congressman, boxer, and Mexican television celebrity, died on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, aged 58. Senator Manuel Velasco, who served beside him in the Chamber of Deputies, verified the news, prompting goodbye comments from close acquaintances including Roberto Palazuelos.
Kahwagi pursued an atypical career that merged politics, business, professional sports, and entertainment, particularly after his remarkable appearance on ‘Big Brother VIP’.
What is known about the death of Jorge Kahwagi?
To date, Jorge Kahwagi’s family has not revealed the cause of his death. Milenio stated that the show “Sale el Sol” referenced a suspected stroke, although this was not confirmed by family members, representatives, or any official source.
After the news broke, Manuel Velasco wrote a statement commemorating their time together in Congress:
“I am very saddened by the passing of my friend Jorge Kahwagi Macari, with whom I served as Federal Deputies in the LIX Legislature. My heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends, whom I surround in their sadness with a brotherly and supporting hug. “May he rest peacefully.”
Roberto Palazuelos also bid farewell to his friend on social media, with a message and a photo of the two of them: “fly high, just as you lived.”
Kahwagi suffered health difficulties years ago. In April 2019, he was admitted to the hospital with a perforated ulcer. He recounted what happened on social media at the time, but no evidence links that incident to his death.
From ‘Class 406’ and ‘Big Brother VIP’ to the Chamber of Deputies
In addition to his political and business career, Jorge Kahwagi had a presence on Mexican television during the early 2000s. One of his appearances was in ‘Clase 406’, a popular Televisa teen telenovela that aired between 2002 and 2003, where he played himself. The production featured a cast that included Sherlyn, Dulce María, Christian Chávez, Alfonso Herrera, Aarón Díaz, and Anahí, among others.
His television exposure reached an even greater level in 2004, when he made an unusual decision for a sitting legislator. Kahwagi, then a federal deputy for the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico, requested a temporary leave of absence to enter ‘Big Brother VIP 3’.
His participation generated criticism because he took time off from Congress to take part in the Televisa reality show, but it also ended up making him one of the most talked-about figures of that era. Kahwagi remained in the house for several weeks and made it to the show’s finale.
His political career began with the Green Party (PVEM), for which he served as a deputy during the 59th Legislature, from 2003 to 2006, where he coordinated the parliamentary group. Later, he joined the New Alliance Party, eventually becoming its president, and returned to the Chamber of Deputies during the 61st Legislature, between 2009 and 2012.
Boxing career of Jorge Kahwagi
Before and during his political career, Jorge Kahwagi also pursued a career as a professional boxer. He debuted in 2001, when he was over 30 years old, and finished his career with 12 wins in 12 fights, all by knockout or technical knockout.
In August 2002, he defeated Russian Alexey Osokin in St. Petersburg to win the WBC International Cruiserweight title. After several years away from the ring, he returned in July 2015 to face Ramón Olivas in the Philippines, a fight he won by technical knockout in just 40 seconds.
Over the years, Kahwagi significantly reduced his public appearances. His death comes just over six months after that of his father, Jorge Kahwagi Gastine , businessman and president of La Crónica de Hoy , who passed away on March 23 at the age of 85.
