The Peruvian-Spanish novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, aged 87, is currently hospitalized in Madrid due to a Covid-19 infection. A short message released on social media by his children on Monday confirmed that the renowned writer has been in hospital since the previous Saturday after testing positive for the virus. The family statement noted that the medical update was shared because there was audience interest and media attention surrounding his health, but it also asked for privacy during this time for the writer and his loved ones.
The veteran author, who typically receives care in his home base of Madrid, has been seen in recent weeks with his children and his former partner Patricia Llosa during private engagements related to his ongoing work in Spain and Peru. Observers and fans are reminded that in moments like these, the family prioritizes medical oversight and discreet handling of information while awaiting further health assessments.
In the family statement, there was emphasis on the positive note that Vargas Llosa is being treated by highly qualified medical professionals and supported by family members who remain close by. The request to the press and the public was to respect the family’s privacy at this challenging juncture while acknowledging the public’s longstanding interest in the author’s affairs and career.
Earlier in the political landscape, a Peruvian lawyer and former Prime Minister, Pedro Cateriano, shared a photograph of Vargas Llosa signing his membership in a newly formed political party. Cateriano described this action as an honor, underscoring the writer’s longstanding engagement with cultural and civic matters in the Andean region and beyond.
There were reports from May indicating Vargas Llosa had expressed a wish to spend extended periods in the Dominican Republic, and discussions with the Dominican president, Luis Abinader, had touched on the possibility of acquiring Dominican citizenship. In public remarks, Vargas Llosa described the government under Abinader as prudent and sensible within the difficult regional climate, reminding readers that the region faces significant social and political challenges that color the cultural conversation today.
Vargas Llosa’s influence on modern literature remains substantial. He became the first Spanish-language writer to be inducted into the Academy of the French Language earlier in the year, and in a speech tied to that honor he reflected on discovering another Latin America through experiences in France, where he began writing some of his most acclaimed works. The author’s connections to Europe have long enriched his perspective, shaping novels that explore power, identity, and the complexities of Latin American history and culture.
Earlier health concerns surfaced in April of the previous year when Vargas Llosa spent several days hospitalized in a Madrid hospital for Covid-19, an episode that marked another difficult period in a life devoted to literature, public discourse, and cultural exchange across continents.