Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa Dies Peacefully at 89 in Lima

• Apr 14, 2025

Peruvian author and Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa has died at the age of 89, his family confirmed Sunday.

In a statement shared by his eldest son Álvaro Vargas Llosa on social media, the family said the renowned writer passed away peacefully in Lima, surrounded by loved ones. The message, also signed by his siblings Gonzalo and Morgana, described the moment as one of deep sorrow but also reflection on a long and accomplished life.

Born into a middle-class family in Peru, Vargas Llosa rose to international fame during the Latin American literary boom of the 1960s and 1970s. Alongside literary icons like Colombia’s Gabriel García Márquez and Argentina’s Julio Cortázar, he helped define an era of storytelling that brought global attention to Latin American fiction.

His death marks the end of a literary generation that redefined Latin American literature and inspired countless writers worldwide. In recent months, there had been growing concern about his health. His son Álvaro previously noted that, as he approached his 90th birthday, the writer had stepped back from public life to rest.

“There will be no public ceremony,” the family noted, saying this was Vargas Llosa’s personal wish. His body will be cremated, and the family has asked for privacy as they say goodbye in a private gathering.

Many in Peru and around the world have paid tribute. Peru’s President Dina Boluarte called him an “illustrious Peruvian for the ages,” noting that his legacy will live on through his extensive body of work. Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe described him as a “Master of Masters,” while the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau praised the global relevance of his writing.

Vargas Llosa was known for powerful novels like The City and the Dogs (1963) and Conversation in the Cathedral (1969), which explored social and political issues in Latin America. His final works, including Five Corners (2016) and I Dedicate My Silence To You (2023), were written in Lima, where he had returned in his final year.

His writings have been translated into about 30 languages, and in 2016, he became the first living foreign author included in France’s prestigious Pléiade literary collection.

Vargas Llosa’s death closes a remarkable chapter in world literature, but his influence will continue for generations.