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This is a list of some of the most important writers from Latin America, organized by cultural region and nationality. The focus is on Latin American literature.

Andeans

Bolivia

• Alcides Arguedas (1879–1946), historian
• Matilde Casazola
• Javier del Granado (1913–1996), poet
• Alfonso Gumucio Dagron
• Víctor Montoya
• Edmundo Paz Soldán (born 1967), novelist
• Jaime Sáenz (1921–1986), poet and novelist
• José Ignacio de Sanjinés (1786–1864), poet
• Pedro Shimose
• Gastón Suárez (1929–1984), novelist and dramatist
• Franz Tamayo (1878–1956), poet
• Adela Zamudio (1854–1928), poet and novelist

Chile

• Fernando Alegria
• Isabel Allende
• Miguel Arteche
• Sergio Badilla Castillo
• Pedro Balmaceda
• Eduardo Barrios
• Alberto Blest Gana
• Roberto Bolaño
• María Luisa Bombal
• Marta Brunet
• Francisco Coloane
• Adolfo Couve
• Eugenio Cruz Vargas
• Pedro Nolasco Cruz Vergara
• José Donoso
• Ariel Dorfman
• Joaquín Edwards Bello
• Jorge Edwards
• Diamela Eltit
• Francisco Antonio Encina
• Alberto Fuguet
• Olga Grau
• Óscar Hahn
• Vicente Huidobro
• Hermógenes Irisarri
• Enrique Lafourcade
• Pedro Lemebel
• Enrique Lihn
• Baldomero Lillo
• Carmen Marai
• Gabriela Mistral
• Pablo Neruda
• Nicanor Parra
• Violeta Parra
• Marcela Paz
• Carlos Pezoa Véliz
• Salvador Reyes
• Gonzalo Rojas
• Manuel Rojas
• Luis Sepúlveda
• Marcela Serrano
• Miguel Serrano
• Víctor Domingo Silva
• Antonio Skármeta
• Mercedes Valdivieso
• Egon Wolff

Colombia

• Héctor Abad Faciolince, writer and journalist
• Manuel Ancízar, writer and journalist
• Gonzalo Arango, poet and novelist
• Helena Araújo
• Porfirio Barba-Jacob
• Andrés Caicedo
• James Cañón
• Tomás Carrasquilla
• Germán Castro Caycedo
• Gabriel García Márquez, Nobel Prize in Literature winner (1982)
• Adolfo León Gómez, poet
• León de Greiff
• Magdalena León de Leal, sociologist and writer
• Jorge Isaacs
• Jaime Manrique, writer and painter
• Santiago Martínez Delgado, writer and painter
• Álvaro Mutis
• Rafael Pombo
• Laura Restrepo González
• José Eustasio Rivera
• Daniel Samper Pizano
• José Asunción Silva
• Guillermo Valencia
• Fernando Vallejo
• José María Vargas Vila

Ecuador

• Abdón Ubidia (born 1944)
• Adalberto Ortiz (1914–2003), novelist and poet
• Alejandro Carrión (1915–1992), journalist
• Alfredo Pareja Diezcanseco (1908–1993)
• Alicia Yánez Cossío (born 1929)
• Ángel Felicísimo Rojas (1909–2003)
• Arturo Borja (1892–1912)
• Benjamín Carrión (1897–1979)
• Carlos Eduardo Jaramillo Castillo (born 1932)
• César Dávila Andrade (1918–1967)
• Demetrio Aguilera Malta (1909–1981)
• Edna Iturralde (born 1948)
• Efraín Jara Idrovo (1926–2018)
• Enrique Gil Gilbert (1912–1973)
• Ernesto Noboa y Caamaño (1889–1927)
• Eugenio Espejo (1747–1795)
• Euler Granda (1935–2018)
• Fanny Carrión de Fierro, poet, essayist, professor
• Francisco Arízaga Luque (1900–1964)
• Gabriel Cevallos García (1913–2004)
• Galo René Pérez (1923–2008)
• Humberto Fierro (1890–1929)
• Ignacio Lasso (1911–1943)
• Ileana Espinel (1933–2001)
• Iván Carvajal Aguirre (born 1948)
• Iván Oñate (born 1948)
• Joaquín Gallegos Lara (1909–1947)
• Jorge Carrera Andrade (1903–1978)
• Jorge Enrique Adoum (1926–2009)
• Jorge Icaza Coronel (1906–1978), novelist and playwright
• José de la Cuadra (1903–1941)
• José María Egas (1896–1982)
• José Martínez Queirolo (1931–2008)
• José Rumazo González (1904–1995)
• Juan León Mera (1832–1894), poet and novelist
• Juan Montalvo (1832–1889)
• Julio Pazos Barrera (born 1944)
• Karina Galvez (born 1964)
• Luis Aguilar-Monsalve (born 1942)
• Luis Cordero Crespo (1833–1912)
• Luis Costales (1926–2006)
• María Fernanda Espinosa (born 1964)
• Medardo Ángel Silva (1898–1919)
• Miguel Donoso Pareja (1931–2015)
• Miguel Riofrío (1822–1879)
• Nelson Estupiñán Bass (1912–2002)
• Numa Pompilio Llona (1833–1912)
• Osvaldo Hurtado (born 1939)
• Pablo Balarezo Moncayo (1904–1999)
• Pedro Jorge Vera (1914–1999)
• Rafael Díaz Ycaza (1925–2013)
• Raúl Andrade Moscoso (1905–1983)
• Remigio Crespo Toral (1860–1939)
• Rodolfo Pérez Pimentel (born 1939)
• Sergio Román Armendáriz (died 1934)
• Sonia Manzano Vela (born 1947)
• Vicente Cabrera Funes (1944–2014)
• Víctor Manuel Rendón (1859–1940)

Peru

• Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
• Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala
• José María Arguedas
• Cesar Vallejo
• Alfredo Bryce
• Manuel González Prada
• Clorinda Matto de Turner
• José Carlos Mariátegui
• Julio Ramón Ribeyro
• Abraham Valdelomar
• José María Eguren
• Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize in Literature winner (2010)
• Enrique Lopez Albujar
• Ricardo Palma
• Alonso Cueto (born 1954), novelist
• María Emma Mannarelli (born 1954), feminist writer
• Antonio Cisneros (1942–2012), poet and writer
• César Calvo (1926–2009), poet and writer
• Gunter Silva Passuni (born 1977), writer
• Blanca Varela (1852–1909)
• Carlos Yushimito (born 1977), writer
• Renato Cisneros (born 1976)
• Daniel Alarcón (born 1977), novelist
• Mario Bellatin (born 1960)
• Santiago Roncagliolo (born 1975), novelist
• Ciro Alegría (1909–1967)
• Martín Adán (1908–1985), poet
• Enrique Verástegui (1950–2018), poet and writer
• Manuel Scorza (1928–1983)
• Carlos Castaneda (1925–1998), writer
• Gabriela Wiener (born 1975), writer
• Jaime Bayly (born 1965), novelist
• Fernando Iwasaki (born 1961)
• Iván Thays (born 1968)
• Claudia Ulloa (born 1979)

Venezuela

• Andrés Bello (1781–1865)
• Adriano González León (1931–2008)
• Andrés Eloy Blanco (1897–1955)
• Aquiles Nazoa (1920–1976)
• Arturo Uslar Pietri (1906–2001)
• Boris Izaguirre (born 1965)
• Eduardo Blanco (1840–1903)
• Eduardo Liendo (born 1941)
• Eugenio Montejo (1938–2008)
• Francisco Herrera Luque (1927–1991)
• Francisco Massiani (1944–2019)
• Fermín Toro (1807–1865)
• Guillermo Meneses (1911–1978)
• Hanni Ossott (1946–2002)
• Juan Antonio Pérez Bonalde (1846–1892)
• Laureano Vallenilla Lanz (1870–1936)
• Manuel Díaz Rodríguez (1871–1927)
• Mariano Picón Salas (1901–1965)
• Miguel Otero Silva (1908–1985)
• Rafael Arráiz Lucca (born 1959)
• Rafael Cadenas (born 1930)
• Rómulo Gallegos (1884–1969)
• Rufino Blanco Fombona (1874–1944)
• Salvador Garmendia (1928–2001)
• Teresa de la Parra (1889–1936)
• José Antonio Ramos Sucre (1890–1930)
• Vicente Gerbasi (1913–1992)
• Alberto Barrera Tyszka (born 1960)

Brazil

• Adalgisa Nery (1905–1980)
• Adélia Prado (born 1935)
• Adolfo Caminha (1867–1897)
• Adonias Filho (1915–1990)
• Afonso Arinos (1868–1916)
• Alberto de Oliveira (1859–1937)
• Alcântara Machado (1901–1935)
• Alfredo d'Escragnolle Taunay (1843–1899)
• Alice Dayrell Caldeira Brant (1880–1970)
• Aluísio de Azevedo (1857–1913)
• Alvarenga Peixoto (1744–1792)
• Álvares de Azevedo (1831–1852)
• Ana Cristina César (1952–1983)
• Ana Maria Machado (born 1941)
• Ana Miranda (born 1951)
• Aníbal Machado (1894–1964)
• Antônio Gonçalves Dias (1823–1864)
• Antônio José da Silva (O Judeu) (1705–1793)
• António Vieira (1608–1697)
• Ariano Suassuna (1927–2014)
• Aristides Fraga Lima (1923–1996?)
• Artur Azevedo (1855–1908)
• Augusto de Campos (born 1931)
• Augusto de Lima (1859–1934)
• Augusto dos Anjos (1884–1914)
• Autran Dourado (1926–2012)
• Basílio da Gama (1741–1795)
• Bernardo Guimarães (1825–1884)
• Camilo Pessanha (1867–1926)
• Carolina Maria de Jesus (1914–1977)
• Carlos Drummond de Andrade (1902–1987)
• Casimiro de Abreu (1839–1860)
• Castro Alves (1847–1862)
• Cassiano Ricardo (1895–1974)
• Cecília Meireles (1901–1964)
• Clarice Lispector (1925–1977)
• Cláudio Manuel da Costa (1729–1789)
• Conceição Evaristo (born 1946)
• Cora Coralina (1889–1985)
• Dias Gomes (1922–1999)
• Érico Veríssimo (1905–1975)
• Euclides da Cunha (1866–1909)
• Fabrício Carpi Nejar (born 1972)
• Ferreira Gullar (1930–2016)
• Gilberto Mendonça Teles (born 1931)
• Gonçalves de Magalhães (1811–1882)
• Graça Aranha (1868–1931)
• Graciliano Ramos (1892–1953)
• Gregório de Matos (1636–1696)
• Gustavo Dourado (born 1960)
• Haroldo de Campos (1929–2003)
• Henriqueta Lisboa (1901–1985)
• Hilda Hilst (1930–2004)
• João Cabral de Melo Neto (1920–1999)
• João da Cruz e Sousa (1861–1898)
• João do Rio (1881–1921)
• João Gilberto Noll (1946–2017)
• João Guimarães Rosa (1908–1967)
• João Simões Lopes Neto (1865–1916)
• João Ubaldo Ribeiro (1941–2014)
• Joaquim Manuel de Macedo (1820–1882)
• Jorge Amado (1912–2001)
• José de Alencar (1829–1877)
• José Lins do Rego (1901–1957)
• José Mauro de Vasconcelos (1920–1984)
• Laerte (born 1951)
• Lima Barreto (1881–1922)
• Lúcia Machado de Almeida (1910–2005)
• Lya Luft (1938–2021)
• Lygia Fagundes Telles (1923–2022)
• Machado de Assis (1839–1908)
• Manuel Bandeira (1886–1968)
• Manuel de Araújo Porto-alegre (1777–1838)
• Márcio Souza (born 1946)
• Mário de Andrade (1893–1945)
• Mario Quintana (1906–1994)
• Martins Pena (1815–1848)
• Menotti Del Picchia (1892–1988)
• Milton Hatoum (born 1952)
• Monteiro Lobato (1882–1948)
• Murilo Mendes (1901–1975)
• Narbal Fontes (1902–1960)
• Nélida Piñon (1937–2022)
• Nélson Rodrigues (1912–1980)
• Olavo Bilac (1865–1918)
• Orígenes Lessa (1903–1986)
• Osman Lins (1924–1978)
• Oswald de Andrade (1890–1954)
• Pagu (1910–1962)
• Paulo Coelho (born 1947)
• Paulo Leminski (1944–1989)
• Paulo Lins (born 1958)
• Pedro Bloch (1914–2004)
• Rachel de Queiroz (1910–2003)
• Raul Pompéia (1863–1895)
• Rubem Braga (1913–1990)
• Rubem Fonseca (1925–2020)
• Sérgio Sant'Anna (1941–2020)
• Socorro Acioli (born 1975)
• Sousândrade (1833–1902)
• Tomás Antônio Gonzaga (1744–1819)
• Vladimir Herzog (1930–1975)
• Zélia Gattai (1916–2008)
• Ziraldo Alves Pinto (born 1932)

Caribbean

Cuba

• Reinaldo Arenas
• Guillermo Cabrera Infante
• Alejo Carpentier
• Daína Chaviano
• Julián del Casal
• Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda
• Nicolás Guillén
• José María Heredia
• José Lezama Lima
• José Martí
• Heberto Padilla
• Virgilio Piñera
• Ena Lucía Portela
• Pedro Pérez Sarduy
• Severo Sarduy
• Pedro Juan Gutiérrez

Dominican Republic

• Julia Alvarez
• Arambilet
• Juan Bosch
• Manuel del Cabral
• Aída Cartagena Portalatín
• Hilma Contreras
• Junot Díaz
• Pedro Henríquez Ureña
• Jeannette Miller
• Pedro Mir
• Salomé Ureña
• Geovanny Vicente

Haiti

• Edwidge Danticat
• René Depestre
• Roger Dorsinville
• Franck Étienne
• Frédéric Marcelin
• Félix Morisseau-Leroy
• Justin Lhérisson
• Jacques Roumain

Puerto Rico

• Fray Íñigo Abbad y Lasierra
• Manuel Alonso
• Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro
• Alejandrina Benítez de Gautier
• Giannina Braschi
• Julia de Burgos
• Nemesio Canales
• Cayetano Coll y Toste
• Virgilio Dávila
• Nelson Antonio Denis
• Abelardo Díaz Alfaro
• José de Diego
• Edwin Figueroa
• Rosario Ferré
• Magali García Ramis
• José Gautier Benítez
• José Luis González
• Eugenio María de Hostos
• Enrique Laguerre
• Mercedes Negrón Muñoz a.k.a. "Clara Lair"
• Tato Laviera
• Juan Damián López de Haro
• Luis López Nieves
• René Marqués
• Nemir Matos-Cintrón
• Francisco Matos Paoli
• Olga Nolla
• Luis Palés Matos
• Benito Pastoriza Iyodo
• Pedro Pietri
• Miguel Piñero
• Manuel Ramos Otero
• Lola Rodríguez de Tió
• Luis Rafael Sánchez
• Esmeralda Santiago
• Mayra Santos-Febres
• Alejandro Tapia y Rivera
• Diego de Torres Vargas
• Luz María Umpierre
• Lourdes Vázquez
• Ana Lydia Vega
• Manuel Zeno Gandía

Central America

Costa Rica

• Joaquín García Monge
• Carmen Naranjo
• Oscar Núñez Oliva

El Salvador

• Manlio Argueta, novelist
• Roque Dalton, poet and revolutionary
• Jacinta Escudos, novelist
• Claudia Lars, poet
• Salarrué (Salvador Salazar Arrué), novelist, poet, painter

Guatemala

• Miguel Ángel Asturias (1899–1974), Nobel Prize in Literature winner (1967)
• Marco Antonio Flores (1937–2013)
• Augusto Monterroso (1921–2003)

Honduras

• Óscar Acosta (1933–2014), poet and critic
• Ramón Amaya Amador (1916–1966), novelist and journalist
• Eduardo Bähr (born 1940)
• Augusto Coello (1884–1941)
• Julio Escoto (born 1944)
• Javier Abril Espinoza (born 1967)
• Lucila Gamero de Medina (1873–1964)
• Juan Ramón Molina (1875–1908), poet
• Leticia de Oyuela (1935–2008)
• Roberto Sosa (1930–2011), poet
• Juan Pablo Suazo Euceda (born 1972)
• Froylán Turcios (1874–1943)

Nicaragua

• Claribel Alegría (1924–2018), poet, received the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2006
• Emilio Álvarez Lejarza (1884–1969), writer
• Emilio Álvarez Montalván (1919–2014), political writer
• Gioconda Belli (born 1948), poet
• Tomás Borge (1930–2012), writer, poet, and essayist
• Omar Cabezas (born 1950), writer
• Ernesto Cardenal (1925–2020), poet
• Blanca Castellón (born 1958), poet
• José Coronel Urtecho (1906–1994), poet, translator, essayist, critic, narrator, playwright, and historian
• Alfonso Cortés (1893–1969), poet
• Arturo Cruz (born 1954), writer
• Pablo Antonio Cuadra (1912–2002), poet
• Rubén Darío (1867–1916), poet, referred to as the "father of Modernism"
• Karly Gaitán Morales (born 1980), film historian, and writer
• Salomón Ibarra Mayorga (1887–1985), poet and lyricist of "Salve a ti, Nicaragua", the Nicaraguan national anthem
• Erwin Krüger (1915–1973), poet and composer
• Francisco Mayorga (born 1949), writer
• Christianne Meneses Jacobs (born 1971), writer, editor, and publisher
• Rosario Murillo (born 1951), poet
• Azarías H. Pallais (1884–1954), poet
• Joaquín Pasos (1914–1947), poet
• Horacio Peña (born 1946), writer and poet
• Sergio Ramírez (born 1942), writer
• Arlen Siu (died 1972), essayist
• Julio Valle Castillo (born 1952), poet, novelist, essayist, literary critic and art critic
• Daisy Zamora (born 1950), poet

Panama

• Rosa María Britton, writer
• Gloria Guardia, novelist and essayist
• María Olimpia de Obaldía
• Ricardo Miró, poet
• José Luis Rodríguez Pittí, writer and photographer

Mexico

• Isabel Fraire (1934–2015)
• Nezahualcóyotl (1402–1472)
• Juan Ruiz de Alarcón (1581–1639)
• Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651–1695)
• José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi (1776–1827)
• Ignacio Manuel Altamirano (1834–1893)
• José Rosas Moreno (1838–1883)
• Manuel Acuña (1849–1873)
• Salvador Díaz Mirón (1853–1928)
• Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera (1858–1895)
• Amado Nervo (1870–1919)
• Mariano Azuela (1873–1952)
• Alfonso Reyes (1889–1959)
• Bruno Traven (1890–1969)
• Manuel Maples Arce (1898–1981)
• Germán List Arzubide (1898–1998)
• Carlos Pellicer (1899–1977)
• Arqueles Vela (1899–1977)
• Nellie Campobello (1900–1986)
• Antonieta Rivas Mercado (1900–1931)
• Esperanza Zambrano (1901–1992)
• Xavier Villaurrutia (1903–1951)
• Agustín Yáñez (1904–1980)
• Salvador Novo (1904–1974)
• Guadalupe Dueñas (1910–2002)
• Octavio Paz (1914–1998)
• José Revueltas (1914–1976)
• Elena Garro (1917–1998)
• Pita Amor (1918–2000)
• Alí Chumacero (1918–2010)
• Juan José Arreola (1918–2001)
• Juan Rulfo (1918–1986)
• Ricardo Garibay (1923–1999)
• Rosario Castellanos (1925–1974)
• Jaime Sabines (1926–1999)
• Tomás Segovia (1927–2011)
• Jorge Ibargüengoitia (1928–1983)
• Amparo Dávila (1928–2020)
• Carlos Fuentes (1928–2012)
• Margo Glantz (born 1930)
• Salvador Elizondo (1932–2006)
• Elena Poniatowska (born 1932)
• Juan García Ponce (1932–2003)
• Vicente Leñero (1933–2014)
• Sergio Pitol (1933–2018)
• Gabriel Zaid (born 1934)
• Fernando del Paso (1935–2018)
• Carlos Monsiváis (1938–2010)
• José Emilio Pacheco (1939–2014)
• Jesús Gardea (1939–2000)
• Homero Aridjis (born 1940)
• Héctor Aguilar Camín (born 1946)
• Paco Ignacio Taibo II (born 1949)
• Ángeles Mastretta (born 1949)
• Laura Esquivel (born 1950)
• Luis Zapata (1951–2020)
• Carmen Boullosa (born 1954)
• Juan Villoro (born 1956)
• Guillermo Arriaga (born 1958)
• Malva Flores (born 1961)
• Patricia Laurent Kullick (born 1962)
• Elvia Ardalani (born 1963)
• Sandra Cisneros

Rioplatenses

Argentina

• Juan Filloy
• Marcos Aguinis
• César Aira
• Jorge Luis Borges
• Adolfo Bioy Casares
• Emeterio Cerro
• Julio Cortázar
• Antonio di Benedetto
• Esteban Echeverría
• Macedonio Fernández
• Fogwill
• Juan Gelman
• Oliverio Girondo
• Che Guevara (born in Rosario, Argentina)
• Ricardo Güiraldes
• José Hernández
• Norah Lange
• Leopoldo Lugones
• Leopoldo Marechal
• José Mármol
• Ezequiel Martínez Estrada
• Manuel Mujica Láinez
• Silvina Ocampo
• Victoria Ocampo
• Juan L. Ortiz
• Ricardo Piglia
• Alejandra Pizarnik
• Manuel Puig
• Ricardo Rojas
• Ernesto Sábato
• Juan José Saer
• Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
• Alfonsina Storni
• Luisa Valenzuela
• Rodolfo Walsh

Paraguay

• Renée Ferrer de Arréllaga (born 1944)
• José Ricardo Mazó (1927–1987)
• Josefina Pla (1909–1999)
• José María Rivarola Matto (1909–1999)
• Augusto Roa Bastos

Uruguay

• Delmira Agustini
• Mario Benedetti
• Matilde Bianchi
• María de Montserrat
• Marosa di Giorgio
• Eduardo Galeano
• Julio Herrera y Reissig
• Jorge Majfud
• Leo Maslíah
• Tomás de Mattos
• Jesús Moraes
• Juan Carlos Onetti
• Emilio Oribe
• Mercedes Rein
• José Enrique Rodó
• Cristina Peri Rossi
• Horacio Quiroga
• Armonía Somers
• Juan Zorrilla de San Martín

See also

• Latin American literature
• List of Spanish-language poets
• List of African writers by country

References

• Lists of writers
• Latin American writers
• Latin America-related lists