Corripio Foundation National Literature Prize: Pedro Vergés

Selected yesterday for the 2026 National Literature Prize, the writer Pedro Vergés, a prominent novelist, poet, and essayist, takes another step forward in recognition of his texts and narrative structure, whose prose is characterized by “balanced sobriety”.

The highest award for Dominican literature, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Corripio Foundation, pays tribute this time to Vergés, “For his impeccable command of the language and his valuable contribution to contemporary literature with fundamental works such as the novel previously awarded two important prizes in Spain and the depth of his work as a literary researcher and essayist.”

Her presence in Dominican bibliography stems from her being celebrated in 2023 at the Book Fair for her novel “Ya yo estaré lejos” (I Will Be Far Away), which was highly praised for portraying a period of Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship during its first 25 years of oppression and the effects of his crimes on society and the country’s economic stability, focusing its content on the yearning for freedom and democracy in society.

His narrative had previously made an impact in the cradle of the Spanish language, receiving in 1981 in Madrid the prestigious prize awarded by the “Critics’ Society for Castilian Narrative” for his work “Solo cenizas hallarás (Bolero).” That same year, he also received the Blasco Ibáñez International Prize for the same work, thus consolidating his literary success in Spain. In his own country, before this 2016 National Literature Prize, the author had received the support of admirers of quality literature who considered the aforementioned novel essential, deeming it a pure expression of Dominican society after the fall of the dictator, with a masterful use of colloquial language, a sentiment echoed by international acclaim. The jury that annually selects the most deserving authors is composed, in a highly representative manner, of rectors from the main universities, representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Dominican Academy of Language, and an advisor from the Corripio Foundation.