Miguel de Cervantes Prize


The Miguel de Cervantes Prize is awarded annually to honour the lifetime achievement of an outstanding writer in the Spanish language. The Encyclopædia Britannica calls it the "most prestigious and remunerative award given for Spanish-language literature".
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History

The prize was established in 1975 by the Ministry of Culture of Spain and first awarded the following year. The winner receives a monetary award of 125,000 euros, which makes it one of the richest literary prizes in the world. The prize rewards authors from any Spanish-speaking nation and recognizes the recipient's overall body of work. Of the forty-seven prizes awarded in the history of the Cervantes Prize, only six have ever been awarded to women. In 1988, the Spanish writer María Zambrano was the first female writer to be honored. The award is named after Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. The candidates are proposed by the Association of Spanish Language Academies.
As of the presentation of the 2024 award to Álvaro Pombo, the recipients have been recognized for their writing of novels, poetry, short stories, essays, translations, philosophy or dramas – or for combinations thereof. With two winners in 1979, there have been 50 recipients of the Miguel de Cervantes Prize.

The Cervantes Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature

Three of the 50 winners of the Miguel de Cervantes Prize have also won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Octavio Paz and Mario Vargas Llosa, were awarded the Nobel Prize in subsequent years, while Camilo José Cela received the Nobel Prize in 1989 and was awarded the Cervantes Prize in 1995.

Laureates

The list of winners is available at the official Premio 'Miguel Cervantes' website.
YearPictureWinnerCountryGenre
1976Jorge Guillénpoetry
1977Alejo Carpentiernovel, essay
1978Dámaso Alonsopoetry
1979Jorge Luis Borgesshort story, poetry, essay, translation
1979Gerardo Diegopoetry
1980Juan Carlos Onettinovel
1981Octavio Pazpoetry, essay
1982Luis Rosalespoetry, essay
1983Rafael Albertipoetry
1984Ernesto Sabatonovel, essay
1985Gonzalo Torrente Ballesternovel
1986Antonio Buero Vallejodrama
1987Carlos Fuentesnovel, essay
1988María Zambranophilosophy, essay
1989Augusto Roa Bastosnovel
1990Adolfo Bioy Casaresnovel, short story
1991Francisco Ayalanovel, short story, essay, translation
1992Dulce María Loynazpoetry
1993Miguel Delibesnovel
1994Mario Vargas Llosanovel, essay, short story, drama
1995Camilo José Celanovel
1996José García Nietopoetry
1997Guillermo Cabrera Infantenovel
1998José Hierropoetry
1999Jorge Edwardsnovel
2000Francisco Umbralnovel, essay
2001Álvaro Mutispoetry, novel
2002José Jiménez Lozanonovel
2003Gonzalo Rojaspoetry
2004Rafael Sánchez Ferlosionovel, essay
2005Sergio Pitolnovel
2006Antonio Gamonedapoetry
2007Juan Gelmanpoetry
2008Juan Marsénovel
2009José Emilio Pachecopoetry, novel, short story
2010Ana María Matutenovel
2011Nicanor Parrapoetry
2012José Manuel Caballero Bonaldpoetry, novel
2013Elena Poniatowskanovel
2014Juan Goytisolonovel, essay
2015Fernando del Pasonovel, poetry, essay, drama, short story
2016Eduardo Mendozanovel, drama
2017Sergio Ramíreznovel, short story, essay
2018Ida Vitalepoetry, prose, essay
2019Joan Margaritpoetry
2020Francisco Brinespoetry
2021Cristina Peri Rossiprose, poetry, short story, translation
2022Rafael Cadenaspoetry, essay
2023Luis Mateo Díeznovel, essay
2024Álvaro Pombonovel, short story, poetry, essay
2025Gonzalo Celorionovel, essay

Laureates per country

The following table shows the number of laureates per country:
RankCountryLaureates
126
27
34
43
43
43
71
71
71
71
71
Total51