Cuban poet Fina Garcia Marruz, 88 years old, has won the Queen Sofia Latin American Poetry Prize, which acknowledges the work by a living author who for his or her literary value represents a significant contribution to the cultural heritage of Latin America and Spain. This award is also a tribute to the Origins group made up by Cuban poets Lezama Lima, Eliseo Diego or Gaston Vaquero, as recalled Spanish poet Francisco Brines.

Marruz, "The great secret poet ", as she has been described by Spanish poet Luis Antonio de Villena, who was a member of the jury along with Spanish poet Francisco Brines, former winner at the last edition, is one of the most representative figures of the Cuban poetry, belonging to that group that revolutionized and modernized the island since the forties. The Origins group is similar to that of the Generation of 27 in Spain regarding its influence and importance “stated Brines, who was one of those defenders of Marruz García’s candidature.

The Reina Sofia Award, one of the most important and prestigious poetry awards, and provided with 42,100 euros, is announced by the Spanish Institution National Heritage and the University of Salamanca. This prize- like the Cervantes Prize-has an unwritten law through which writers from Spain and writers from Latin America are awarded on alternate years. "So, this year the turn comes to: A poet from the other side and a woman," said De Villena.

Fina Garcia published her first poems in the forties with the group “Origenes”. In 1961, she received a Ph.D. in Social Sciences and devoted herself since then to literary research. She has made contributions in the field of poetry, essays and literary criticism.

Part of Fina’s poetic work includes some books like “Las miradas perdidas” (lost looks), 1951; “Visitaciones” (Visitation), 1970; “Poesías escogidas” (Selected Poems), 1984; “Viaje a Nicaragua con Cintio Vitier” ( Journey to Nicaragua with Cintio Vitier),  1987; Creditos de Charlot (Charlot’s credits), 1990 -National Critics Prize 1991; The Rembrandt de l'Hermitage, 1992; “Viejas melodias” (Old melodies) , 1993; “Habana del centro”  (Havana center), 1997.

Luis Antonio de Villena has highlighted the "secret" way life of this poet who has lived her life focused on her "inside" world, and she has not been really given to attend cultural and poetic events. "None of us knows her personally," Antonio noted. "Her poetry reaches people in a direct way and shows a delicacy of spirit," he stated.  Antonio also explained that Marruz has also written some poems on political or social excitement”, and gave as examples of her work, a poem dedicated to Christ and another one on the Che Guevara.


"All the poets entering the competition -clarified De Villena-, which are a great amount since they are presented by many institutions, are considered the best ones of this genre. By the end of the ceremony had come Nicaraguan poet Ernesto Cardenal and Fina García Marruz. They took into account that up to that moment there were few female representatives.” Among the winners of previous events were Chilean Gonzalo Rojas (1992), Spaniard José Hierro (1995), Spaniard Angel Gonzalez (1996), Uruguayan Mario Benedetti (1999), Catalan Pere Gimferrer (2000), Argentinean Juan Gelman (2005) and Valencian Francisco Brines (2010).

This Prize is awarded annually by Queen Sofia in a ceremony taking place in the Hall of Columns, Royal Palace in Madrid.

A translation by: Silke Paez Carr

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