The literary world has suffered a great loss. Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the most important writers of our time, died on April 13, 2025, in Lima. The sad news was announced by his son, Álvaro Vargas Llosa, who reported that his father passed away peacefully, surrounded by his closest family. The family also announced that, in accordance with the deceased’s wishes, there will be no public funeral service, and his body will be cremated. The news of the Peruvian Nobel laureate’s death has saddened his family, friends, and the countless readers around the world who cherished his rich body of work and his commitment to important social issues.
Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa was born on March 28, 1936, in Arequipa, the second-largest city in Peru. He spent his early years in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where his maternal grandfather served as Peru’s honorary consul, and later in Piura, a city in northern Peru. During his childhood, Vargas Llosa believed that his father was deceased. The truth about his parents’ separation was hidden from him by his mother and her family. It was not until the age of ten, after moving to Lima, that he met his father. Upon his return to Peru, in Lima, he attended the Colegio La Salle Catholic high school, and then, against the wishes of his father, who wanted to instill discipline in him through a military education, he enrolled in the Leoncio Prado Military Academy. However, his literary ambitions proved stronger. Even before graduating from the academy, at the age of sixteen, he began working as a journalist for local newspapers. He ultimately abandoned the military academy and completed his studies in Piura, where he worked for the local newspaper “La Industria” and had the opportunity to see his first play, “La huida del Inca,” staged. In 1953, he began studying law and literature at the National University of San Marcos in Lima. After graduating in 1958, he received a scholarship to the Complutense University of Madrid. Two years later, he moved to Paris, where he initially struggled financially, but it was there that he began his intensive writing career. He was married twice in his lifetime, first to Julia Urquidi, and later to Patricia Llosa, with whom he had three children: Álvaro, Gonzalo, and Morgana.
Mario Vargas Llosa’s literary output is remarkably rich and diverse. His most important works include novels such as “The Time of the Hero” (“La ciudad y los perros”), which brought him international acclaim and is considered one of the first modern Latin American novels. Other significant titles include “The Green House” (“La casa verde”), “Conversation in the Cathedral” (“Conversación en La Catedral”), a novel inspired by the period of dictatorship in Peru; “Captain Pantoja and the Special Service” (“Pantaleón y las visitadoras”), “Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter” (“La tía Julia y el escribidor”), based on his first marriage; the epic “The War of the End of the World” (“La guerra del fin del mundo”), “The Feast of the Goat” (“La fiesta del Chivo”), which deals with the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, and “The Bad Girl” (“Travesuras de la niña mala”). His last work is the novel “Le dedico mi silencio” (translated as “That’s For You, My Silence”), published in 2024. Vargas Llosa’s work is characterized by a rich language and a variety of forms, including autobiographical and historical novels, and even thrillers. In his works, he often addressed themes of power, corruption, social injustice, and the complex human condition, setting them in a Peruvian and, more broadly, Latin American context. His early novels uncompromisingly portrayed a Peruvian world full of militarism, the decadence of the elites, and the contrast between modern poverty and traditional communities.
For his outstanding literary achievements, Mario Vargas Llosa was honored with many prestigious awards. The most important of these is the Nobel Prize in Literature, which he received in 2010 for his “cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.” He was also a recipient of the Cervantes Prize, considered the most important literary award in the Spanish-speaking world. His extensive list of awards also includes the Prince of Asturias Award, the Rómulo Gallegos Prize, and the Planeta Prize. His significance in the world of literature is further confirmed by the fact that he was a member of the Royal Spanish Academy and one of the “immortals” of the French Academy, a remarkable distinction for a writer who worked primarily in Spanish.
Mario Vargas Llosa played a key role in the so-called “boom” of Latin American literature, a literary phenomenon that shook the world in the 1960s and 1970s. His novel “The Time of the Hero” is often cited as one of the works that launched this movement and contributed to the international popularity of literature from Latin America. Considered one of the most important contemporary novelists, he had a significant influence on world literature. His work combined literary mastery with compelling plots, addressing universal themes, which earned his books translations into many languages and readers around the world. His political engagement and his bold portrayal of Latin American history in his works contributed to his global recognition as an intellectual and writer. His work remains a lasting symbol of the struggle for freedom, truth, and individual dignity, representing a priceless contribution of Latin American culture to the world’s literary heritage. In his prose, Vargas Llosa was able to combine sensuality with deep political reflection. His essays and columns published in “El País” demonstrated his constant intellectual curiosity and his desire to actively participate in the most important social and political debates.
Mario Vargas Llosa died peacefully surrounded by his family in Lima. His son shared the news of his peaceful passing. The exact cause of the writer’s death has not been released to the public. In accordance with his wishes and the family’s decision, there will be no official funeral ceremonies, and his body will be cremated.
Mario Vargas Llosa was undoubtedly a giant of world literature, and his rich and diverse body of work, as well as his commitment to important social and political issues, have left an indelible mark on the history of literature. His novels, essays, and journalistic writings inspired and provoked thought in millions of readers around the world. His literary legacy will live on through his numerous works, which will remain an important point of reference for future generations of writers and readers.
