At the time of his death in 1995 he was recognized as one of the most important sculptors in Colombia and Latin America.
[1] Most of the major cities in Colombia have statues sculpted by Arenas Betancourt.
[citation needed] Arenas Betancourt died on 14 May 1995 in the municipality of Caldas, located in the southern end of the Valley of Aburrá and part of the Medellín Metropolitan Area.
[1] His bronze statues are characterized by their enormous proportions and dramatic expression.
[1] Examples of his artwork are: Additionally to sculpture, Arenas Betancourt worked in printmaking and book illustration.