María Elena Llana nominated for Miguel de Cervantes Prize

Cuban writer and journalist María Elena Llana has been nominated for the 2026 Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the highest distinction in Spanish-language literature. The 90-year-old author was proposed by Dr. Alejandra Giovanna Amatto Cuña, a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and a member of the prize jury representing the Union of Universities of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Llana’s career spans over six decades, during which she has established herself as an influential figure in contemporary Cuban literature. Her work often blends memory, human relationships, and fantastic elements within everyday life. Her literary debut, ‘La reja’ (1965), paved the way for a prolific career including notable works such as ‘Casas del Vedado’, ‘Castillos de naipes’, and ‘Ronda en el Malecón’.

In addition to her fiction, Llana is recognized for her work as a cultural journalist and screenwriter. She was awarded the National Literature Prize of Cuba in 2023. The nomination highlights her mastery of the short story and her contributions to the genres of fantasy and magical realism.