The Argentine writer and journalist Leila Guerriero, recognized for her extensive work in various media in Latin America and Europe, has been awarded the Zenda Narrative Prize 2023-2024 in its first edition in Spain. Born in 1967, Guerriero is an editor for Latin America of the Mexican magazine Gatopardo and the author of several books, including "The Suicides of the End of the World," "Strange Fruits," and "A Simple Story."
The work that earned her this prize, titled "The Call" and published by Anagrama, addresses the story of Silvia Labayru, a victim of the Argentine military dictatorship who was kidnapped in 1976 and held at the Navy Mechanics School (ESMA) in Buenos Aires. The jury praised Guerriero's work, highlighting her ability to transform a case of political terrorism into a moving, humorous, and powerful narrative about survival in extreme situations.
After learning that she had been distinguished with this award, Leila Guerriero expressed her joy and surprise, commenting that it seemed fantastic to her that prizes were being created to recognize the work of various authors in a context where, more than celebrating and recognizing, we seem to be bent on destroying. The author, who has seen some of her works translated into several languages, emphasized the importance of having others select the works for this prize, which made her feel honored.
The Zenda Awards are promoted by the Zenda Libros platform with the aim of recognizing literary, editorial, and reading promotion efforts, covering the publishing period from August 2023 to July 2024. The award ceremony is scheduled for January 14 in Madrid and will feature the presence of the award winners. The initiative for the Zenda Awards was founded by writer and academic Arturo Pérez-Reverte in 2016, and this first edition includes ten categories and an honorary prize.
