The Power of Culture

"In the 1960s and 1970s, writers including Garcia Márques, Carlos Fuentes and Octavio Paz put Latin American literature on the world map. No true literary trends have been seen since. What characterises contemporary Latin American literature is an enormous variety of literary styles and genres. Some authors are linked together by extra-literary mechanisms, e.g. the publishers' marketing techniques. But there are no directing manifests or groups of writers working in consultation with one another."

"In awarding our literary prizes, we strive to emphasise that diversity by highlighting various genres each year: this year those are poetry, short story collections and social-historical essays. Last year we had novels, art-historical literary essays, theatre and literary testimony. As a result, Casa de las Américas has done much for less well-known and sometimes less-appreciated genres, like literary testimony."

"Casa de las Américas created a prize for this in 1970, and the genre has since gained significant international importance and respect. Moreover, many of the prize winners are young authors who have not yet reached the general public. They have not yet been able to get a foot into the doors of the large publishing houses. A prize like those presented by Casa de las Américas can be of considerable assistance at the beginning of their literary careers."