Lima, Peru – Renowned Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, a key figure in the surge of Latin American literature’s global popularity, has passed away at the age of 89. His children, Álvaro, Gonzalo, and Morgana Vargas Llosa, confirmed his death in a statement released on Sunday. Vargas Llosa’s career, which spanned over 50 years, was marked by his exploration of themes such as power and corruption in works like The Time of the Hero, Conversation in the Cathedral, and The Feast of the Goat.
Born in Arequipa, Peru in 1936, Vargas Llosa began his professional life as a crime reporter at just 15 years old. Despite facing initial controversy for his unconventional marriage to his aunt by marriage at the age of 19, Vargas Llosa’s career as a writer began to flourish after a stint in Paris in 1958. The publication of his first novel, The Time of the Hero, in 1963 sparked both acclaim and controversy in Peru.
An influential figure in the Latin American literary boom alongside authors like Julio Cortázar and Carlos Fuentes, Vargas Llosa’s relationships with his peers were not always harmonious. A notorious feud with Gabriel García Márquez, which even led to a physical altercation in Mexico City in 1976, showcased the complexities of his personal interactions within the literary community.
As Vargas Llosa’s literary stature grew, so did his involvement in politics. He engaged in various political activities, from hosting a talk show in Peru to running for president in 1990. Despite his political pursuits, Vargas Llosa once admitted that he identified more as a writer than a politician, emphasizing his preference for literary adventures over political ones.
Throughout his career, Vargas Llosa continued to produce an impressive body of work, spanning plays, short stories, and novels that captivated readers worldwide. His accolades included the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010, an honor that both exhilarated and overwhelmed him due to the intense public scrutiny it brought.
In his later years, Vargas Llosa remained dedicated to his craft, releasing several more novels and even announcing his final work in 2023. Despite personal upheavals, including a highly publicized divorce and subsequent relationships, his commitment to literature never wavered. Vargas Llosa’s legacy as a literary icon and political figure will continue to be remembered and celebrated by readers and thinkers around the world.