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3mo ago

Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa Dies at 89, Ending an Era of Latin American Literature

The Peruvian novelist's passing in Lima concludes a prolific career spanning over five decades, marked by literary brilliance, political engagement, and a private battle with illness.

Peruvian-born literature Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa attends a conference with students at the Teatro de la Ciudad in Monterrey, Mexico, March 9, 2011. REUTERS/Tomas Bravo/File Photo
Mario Vargas Llosa, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize for Literature, applauds during the opening ceremony of the international seminar "Latin America: Opportunities and Challenges" in Lima, March 20, 2012. REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil/File Photo
Image
Mario Vargas Llosa, Peruvian writer and Nobel Prize winner, dressed in the traditional attire of French Academicians with his ceremonial epee, poses in the library of the Institut de France before the ceremony during which he will be inducted into the Academie Francaise (French Academy) as an 'Immortal' member, in Paris, France, February 9, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo

Overview

  • Mario Vargas Llosa, a Nobel Prize-winning author and pivotal figure of the Latin American Boom, passed away peacefully in Lima on April 13, 2025, at the age of 89.
  • His family confirmed that his final wishes for cremation and a private farewell have been honored, with no public ceremony planned.
  • Over his illustrious career, Vargas Llosa authored over 50 works, exploring themes of power, resistance, and human experience, earning global acclaim and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2010.
  • The writer privately battled an incurable illness for nearly five years, continuing to write and engage in public discourse until his final works in 2023.
  • Tributes have poured in from family, peers, and leaders, including Peru's President Dina Boluarte, who hailed him as the 'most illustrious Peruvian of all time.'