The Reina Sofia Prize for Ibero-American Poetry recently announced its XXXII edition, celebrating the creative energy and fearless poetic voice of Nicaraguan author Gioconda Belli. The decision, announced this Monday by the prize jury, centers on the belief that Belli’s body of work embodies a bold artistic spirit, a commitment to freedom, and a courage that resonates across the Spanish-speaking literary world.
The prize, conferred by National Heritage in partnership with the University of Salamanca, stands as the most prestigious honor for poetry written in Spanish and Portuguese. Each year it recognizes a living author whose oeuvre is deemed to have enduring cultural value for Latin America and the wider Iberian cultural ecosystem. The award carries a substantial prize of 42,100 euros, underscoring its stature and its role in elevating the global profile of contemporary Iberian-American poetry.
The recipients are typically introduced by prominent figures from the cultural world. This year Ana de la Cueva, president of National Heritage, and Ricardo Rivero, rector of the University of Salamanca, announced the laureate as Gioconda Belli, a Managua-born writer born in 1948, highlighting her sustained impact on modern poetry and her influence as a literary voice with regional resonance and international reach. In related contemporary notes, the cultural discourse around Nicaragua’s political history has been part of the broader regional conversation about freedom of expression and artistic autonomy.
The jury reached its decision unanimously, emphasizing the way Belli’s body of work embodies a crucial moment in contemporary culture. The award’s prestige is seen as reinforcing the standing of Spanish-American poetry on the world stage and affirming the importance of generous, shared cultural heritage between Latin America and Spain.
The head of Patrimonio Nacional commented that the choice was not easy, noting that Belli stood out from a diverse field of 49 nominees. The remarks reflected how the prize mirrors the vibrancy and variety of the current literary landscape, while also signaling a strong endorsement of Belli’s artistic courage and her ability to shape conversations about identity, gender, and power through poem and prose.
The rector of the University of Salamanca described Belli as a distinguished Nicaraguan writer who sits among a cadre of contemporary poets known for defending cultural values and resisting oppression. This description situates the laureate within a lineage of scholars and writers who see literature as a public good and a beacon for democratic ideals and human rights.
The XXII Reina Sofia Award jury, notable figures including the president of National Heritage, the rector of the University of Salamanca, the director of the Royal Spanish Academy, and other leading literary administrators, converged on a shared assessment of Belli’s enduring relevance. The panel’s composition reflected a cross-section of institutions dedicated to language, culture, and education across the Spanish-speaking world.
Past recipients, such as Olvido García Valdés in the previous edition, alongside prominent Mexican writer Jorge Luis Volpi and poet Raquel Lanseros, contributed to a living dialogue about Iberian and American literature. The presence of directors from the Cervantes Institute, the National Library, and other cultural bodies underlined the prize’s role as a hub for scholarly and creative exchange, where poets, scholars, and policymakers converge to discuss the power of literature as a catalyst for social change.
Gioconda Belli is slated to receive the Reina Sofia Award in a forthcoming autumn ceremony, where her latest contributions to the canon of modern poetry will be celebrated in the company of peers and students who have followed her remarkable career. The award ceremony will mark a moment of recognition not only for Belli’s poetic achievement but also for the broader ideals she embodies—creativity as a force for liberation, and poetry as a public voice that speaks to universal human experiences.