September 29th, 2025 — We’re delighted to share that Gioconda Belli (CRF 2025) has been named one of six finalists for the VI Bienal de Novela Mario Vargas Llosa, the Mario Vargas Llosa Biennial Novel Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the Spanish-speaking literary world.
Belli is recognized for her novel Un silencio lleno de murmullos, which joins a distinguished shortlist reflecting the richness and diversity of contemporary literature in Spanish. Other finalists include Gustavo Faverón (Minimosca), Pola Oloixarac (Bad hombre), Ignacio Martínez de Pisón (Castillos de fuego), Sergio Ramírez (El caballo dorado), and David Uclés (La península de las casas vacías).
The Biennial, founded by the Cátedra Vargas Llosa in 2014, awards $100,000 USD to the best novel published in Spanish in the past two years. Previous winners include Juan Gabriel Vásquez, Rodrigo Blanco Calderón, and Carlos Franz.
The winner will be announced at the closing ceremony on October 25th at the Gran Teatro de Cáceres, concluding four days of panels, performances, and celebrations of literature’s power to connect worlds.
Congratulations, Gioconda!