Alejo Carpentier and Nicolás Guillén 2024 literary prizes awarded

The 2024 Alejo Carpentier Literary Prizes for essays, short stories, and novels, as well as the Nicolás Guillén Poetry Prize, were announced on Monday by a distinguished panel of judges, as reported by Letras Cubanas publishing house and the Cuban Book Institute (ICL).

In the essay category, the award went to El cuerpo audiovisual by writer Juan Antonio García Borrero; for the novel category, Cielo raso by Lázaro Zamora Jo received recognition; in the short story category, Reo de cuaresma by Rafael de Águila Borges was honored, with a special mention for Las dos mitades del escriba by Miguel Terry Valdespino.

The Nicolás Guillén Poetry Prize was bestowed upon Cartas de la plaga by writer Roberto José Méndez Martínez.

Sponsored by the ICL, Letras Cubanas, and the Alejo Carpentier and Nicolás Guillén Foundations, these prizes aim to foster the creation and promotion of literary works in the genres of novel, short story, essay, and poetry.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez