List of Latin American writers

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.

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)

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

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)
 * Oriel María Siu (born 1981)
 * 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

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