Gioconda Belli wins 2026 FIL Prize for Literature

Nicaraguan writer Gioconda Belli has been unanimously awarded the 2026 FIL Prize for Literature in Romance Languages. The announcement was made during a press conference in Guadalajara, Mexico, by the jury of the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL).

The jury praised Belli as “one of the most powerful voices among contemporary Latin American authors,” noting her ability to revitalize the poetic expression of the body, desire, and female joy. Her work is recognized for merging sensory dimensions with political consciousness, spanning poetry, novels, memoirs, and essays.

Belli, who has lived in exile in Madrid since 2020 after having her Nicaraguan nationality revoked by the government in 2023, will receive the $150,000 prize during the inauguration of the 40th edition of the FIL Guadalajara, scheduled from November 28 to December 6, 2026. She is the first Central American woman to receive this distinction.