<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Royal Household, the Spanish Government, and the institutions of Spanish public diplomacy and cultural affairs paid tribute this Monday to the Spanish-Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Cervantes Prize winner, and Prince of Asturias Prize winner for Literature, who died this Sunday in Lima at the age of 89.</strong></h4> “The Olympus of universal literature has opened its doors to Mario Vargas Llosa,” the Royal Household declared on social media. “Thank you always for all his immense work to our eternal Spanish-Peruvian,” it continued. “Our deepest condolences to all his family and friends,” it concluded. “Spanish literature, despite Mario Vargas Llosa, universal master of words,” wrote Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on social media. “My gratitude as a reader for an immense body of work, for so many key books to understanding our times,” he continued. “On behalf of the Government of Spain, I send my sincere condolences to his family, friends, and the great community of readers around the world,” he concluded. "Mario Vargas Llosa, an Ibero-American author of a universal literary work in our equally universal language, has left us," wrote Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. "My deepest condolences to his family and friends," he added. "Winner of the Cervantes Prize in 1994 and Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010, Mario Vargas Llosa was one of the greatest authors of the Latin American boom and a leading figure in Spanish-language literature in the last century," the Ministry of Culture stated in a message on social media. "We mourn his passing. May he rest in peace," it added. "I regret the passing of Mario Vargas Llosa, the monumental Spanish-language writer of our time and a clear voice in defense of liberal ideas," declared the president of the People's Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, via social media. "My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and his eternal community of readers, which will continue to grow over time," he added. <h5><strong>Instituto Cervantes</strong></h5> “As a reader, I thank Mario Vargas Llosa for the quality of his novels and the literary lucidity of his essays. As director of the Instituto Cervantes, I am grateful for his generous support and commitment. As a friend, I always appreciated that differences in political opinion did not constitute a cause for enmity,” declared the director of the Instituto Cervantes, García Montero. The director of the Instituto Cervantes also highlighted Vargas Llosa's “double conscience”: “On the one hand, his commitment to literary renewal and, on the other, his constant vigilance to avoid degrading quality.” “His final period was exemplary, when he realized he was losing his talent and wrote his last novel, ‘I Dedicate My Silence to Him,’” he added. “We can highlight many of his works, such as ‘The City and the Dogs,’ which made him a leading author, ‘The Feast of the Goat,’ and ‘Conversation in the Cathedral,’” he continued. “The next Congress of the Spanish Language will be held in Arequipa (Peru) this fall at his request, since, as a true Arequipeño, he suggested it as the venue for this great celebration of Spanish,” he concluded. The Instituto Cervantes is already preparing a tribute at the Congress with the publication of the ‘Vargas Llosa Dictionary,’ in which one hundred writers were asked to name a word that defines him. In addition, a series of sessions on the Peruvian author's work as a columnist is planned for this event, which will take place at the Mario Vargas Llosa Library in the city. Vargas Llosa has been a member of the Instituto Cervantes' Board of Trustees since 1992 and has always been closely associated with the institution. On the occasion of the awarding of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Spanish-Peruvian writer held a press conference at the institution's New York City headquarters after learning the news. At the meeting, he stated that the Nobel Prize "not only rewards a writer, but also what surrounds them," referring to "the wonderful Spanish language, spoken by more than 500 million people, which unites people from different countries, traditions, customs, and beliefs, and is one of the most dynamic, energetic, and creative languages in the modern world." Vargas Llosa received a tribute in October 2020 at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid, marking the 10th anniversary of his Nobel Prize. His final public appearance at the Madrid headquarters of the Instituto Cervantes took place on April 11, 2023. Vargas Llosa attended the start of the double event, named after one of his books, "The Fire of Imagination," where he was honored by contemporary authors such as Sergio Ramírez and Carlos Granés. <h5><strong>Casa de América</strong></h5> For its part, Casa de América declared in a press release that "the literary world is mourning the loss of one of its greatest authors. Mario Vargas Llosa, Peruvian writer and emblematic figure of the so-called Latin American boom, passed away today at the age of 89." It also stated that the writer "forged a literary career that took him to the heights of international recognition," which resulted in him being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (2010), the Rómulo Gallegos Prize (1967), the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature (1986), and the Cervantes Prize (1994), among many others. “He collaborated as a columnist for various media outlets, ending a long journalistic career of thirty-three years at the newspaper ‘El País,’” Casa de América recalled. “The writer also bid farewell to literature that same year with his last novel, ‘Le dedica mi silencio,’ although he assured us that he would continue writing until the last day of his life,” the Spanish public diplomacy institution added. “Mario Vargas Llosa's time at Casa de América left an indelible mark on the memories of those who had the opportunity to attend his lectures, talks, and literary gatherings,” it continued. “Mario Vargas Llosa's career was marked by his passion for literature and his commitment to exploring the human condition through his stories,” it added. <h5><strong>Peru</strong></h5> For its part, the Peruvian Embassy in Spain issued a statement from the President of the Republic, Dina Boluarte, and the Peruvian government, in which they "deeply regret the passing of Mario Vargas Llosa, a universal writer and distinguished Nobel Prize winner in Literature." "His intellectual genius and vast body of work will remain an everlasting legacy for future generations. We express our deepest condolences to his family, friends, readers, and the world of literature. Rest in peace, illustrious Peruvian of all time," the statement added.
