21st Century Writers - Ecuadorian Literature

Aracely Cevallos

Aracely Cevallos Ramírez de Velasco is an Ecuadorian poet who has been dubbed “la jardinera de la palabra” [The Word Gardener]. She is regarded as one of the most representative poetic voices of Manabi literature, distinguished by her modernist style and her ability to capture beautiful metaphors about nature, which she understands as an agricultural engineer and co-founding member of the Portoviejo Gardening Club. She is a member of the Manabi chapter of the House of Ecuadorian Culture.

Juan Romero Vinueza

Juan Romero Vinueza (Quito, 1994) is an Ecuadorian poet and editor. He has published the following poetry books: “Revólver Escorpión” (2016), “39 poemas de mierda para mi primera esposa” (2018), and “Dämmerung [o cómo reinventar a los ídolos]” (2019), which was given Honorable Mention in the 2019 Jorge Carrera Andrade National Poetry Award. He co-edited the anthology “Despertar de la hydra: antología del nuevo cuento ecuatoriano” (2017) with Abril Altamiro, which won the Ecuadorian Ministry of Culture and Heritage’s 2016-2017 Competitive Funds incentive. He and Kimrey Anna Batts edited and translated “País Cassava / Casabe Lands” (2017), a binational anthology of stories from Ecuador and Nigeria. In 2021, a collection of his poetry was published in an anthology titled “Ínfimo territorio kamikaze.”

Cristina Reyes

Cristina Reyes, born Cristina Eugenia Reyes Hidalgo (Guayaquil, August 26, 1981) is an Ecuadorian lawyer, legislator, politician, former beauty contestant, and poet. Since 2000, Reyes has published 4 poetry collections. She was the first runner-up in the Miss Ecuador 2004 pageant, and she also competed in Miss World 2004 in Sanya, China, and Miss Earth 2005 in Quezon City, Philippines. She has worked as a show host for TC Televisión, Telesistema (now RTS), Telerama, and Ecuavisa. Her first television appearance as a reporter was on the show Ventana a la Calle, which was hosted by Kenneth Carrera, who was later replaced by Reyes after he became involved in politics. She served in Ecuador’s Constituent Assembly as a member of the Social Christian Party from 2007 to 2008, and has also served as an assemblywoman in Ecuador’s National Assembly. She is currently an Andean Parliamentarian of Ecuador and Vice President of the Education Commission.

Laura Hidalgo Alzamora

Laura Hidalgo Alzamora (Riobamba, November 18, 1937) is an Ecuadorian writer, scholar, literary critic, and professor. She is the author of several books on Ecuadorian literature, such as “La mujer en la literatura ecuatoriana de tradición oral” (1989), “Décimas esmeraldeñas” (1990), and “Un lenguaje desnudo” (1995). From 1989-1990, she was the secretary general of the House of Ecuadorian Culture. Since May 11, 2016, she has been a corresponding member of Ecuador’s Academy of Language. She has lectured on Ecuadorian literature at conferences in Peru, Austria, and the U.S., including Boston, New Mexico and Kentucky. Since 1993, she has been a literature professor at the San Francisco University of Quito (USFQ).

Miguel Molina Díaz

Miguel Molina Díaz (Quito, 1992) is a writer, lawyer, columnist, and college professor. He earned a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) from New York University (NYU) in Creative Writing in Spanish. He earned his law degree from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ). In 2017, he published his book of poems, “Postales,” and in 2020, he published a book of short stories, “Cuaderno de la lluvia.” As a columnist, he received an Honorable Mention in the 2017 Journalistic Excellence Award from the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), in the Opinion category. His columns have been published in several magazines in Ecuador, such as La Hora, El Comercio, La República, and Mundo Diners.

Desirée Marín Sevilla

Desirée Marín Sevilla (Quito, 1966) is an Ecuadorian poet. Her poetry collection “Almohada sin huella” won the prestigious Jorge Carrera Andrade Prize in Quito in 2010.

Sheyla Bravo

Sheyla Bravo Velásquez (Quito, 1953 – Quito, June 10, 2011) was a writer, plastic artist, and cultural promoter. In 2009, her complete works “Obra poética completa 1968-2008″ won the prestigious Jorge Carrera Andrade Poetry Prize. She was also the editor of an anthology of erotic poems by 110 Ecuadorian women from 2 centuries entitled, “La voz de eros.” A poem of hers was included in the anthology, “Volcanic Reflections: A Bilingual Anthology of Contemporary Ecuadorian Poetry.”

Yana Lema

Yana Lema, full name Yana Lucila Lema Otavalo (Peguche, Otavalo canton, Ecuador, 1974) is an Ecuadorian journalist, writer, poet, translator, cultural promoter, and college professor. She writes in Spanish and Quechua. For more than seven years, she worked as a presenter on the RTS Kichwapi newscast and later on Ecuador TV’s Willaykuna newscast. In 2016, she published her story “Chaska” in Quechua and Spanish, and in 2019, her collection of poems “Tamyawan Shamukupani.” Lema has participated in fairs and literary festivals in Quito, La Paz, Havana, Guadalajara, Guayaquil, Medellín, Bogotá, Mexico, and Genoa. In 2021, her poetry book “Tengo hambre de tu boca” won the Jorge Carrera Andrade Prize. She resides in Guayaquil and serves as a professor at the University of the Arts, where she teaches Oral and Latin American Literature.

Margarita Laso

Margarita Laso (Quito, July 20. 1963) is an Ecuadorian writer, editor, singer, and music producer. She has dedicated herself to the interpretation of songs based on traditional and regional genres of Ecuador, she has recorded pasillos, boleros, tangos, Christmas songs, and traditional Ecuadorian music. She has produced over 12 records and has authored several poetry books. In 1997, her poetry book, “El trazo de las cobras” won the Jorge Carrera Andrade Prize. She has worked as a columnist for the newspaper Hoy.

Edwin Madrid

Edwin Madrid (Quito, 1961) is an Ecuadorian poet, essayist, and editor known for his impressive body of work comprising 14 poetry books. Arising from the influential literary workshops led by Miguel Donoso Pareja in the 1980s, Madrid has emerged as one of the most notable poets of his generation. Currently serving as the director of the writing workshops at the House of Ecuadorian Culture, he plays a pivotal role in mentoring and nurturing the next generation of poets in Ecuador. Madrid’s deep involvement in the poetry community extends to organizing gatherings, recitals, and even running a publishing house. His poetic prowess has earned him recognition and awards both within Ecuador and internationally. With translations of his work available in multiple languages, including English, Portuguese, German, French, Arabic, and Italian, Madrid’s poetic voice has resonated with readers around the globe.

Yuliana Marcillo

Yuliana Marcillo Mirabá (Chone, 1987) is an Ecuadorian poet, writer, journalist, and editor. She worked as a journalist and co-editor of the Manabí newspaper La Marea, as well as an editor at the House of Ecuadorian Culture in Quito. Her poems have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and anthologies. She’s a former member of the literary workshop Soledumbre, directed by the poet Pedro Gil at the Civil University Eloy Alfaro of Manabí. Marcillo’s first poetry collection, “No debería haber mujeres buenas,” was published in 2010.

Fernando Escobar Páez

Fernando Escobar Páez (Quito, 1982) is an Ecuadorian writer, poet and journalist. His first book, “Los ganadores y yo,” was a poetry collection published in 2006. His second book, “Miss O´gginia,” was a book of short stories which won several awards and was published in six countries, including Spain, Argentina and Chile. He has also published the poetry collections, “Escúpeme en la verga” (2013) and “Tu retorno con aliento a biberón, peluche y verga ajena” (2018). His work has been published in over twenty anthologies of poetry and journalistic chronicles, both in Ecuador and abroad. Some of his work has been translated into several languages, including English, German, Portuguese, Russian, and French.

Marialuz Albuja Bayas

Marialuz Albuja Bayas (Quito, 1972) is an Ecuadorian poet, writer, translator, and university professor. She is the author of several poetry collections, including “Las naranjas y el mar,” “Llevo de la luna un rayo,” “Paisaje de sal,” and “La pendiente imposible,” which received numerous awards and was published by Ecuador’s Ministry of Culture, as well as “Detrás de la brisa,” which received honorable mention at the César Dávila Andrade Award. She has also written two novels: “En caso emergencia (no) rompa el vidrio”and “Maura.” In 2017 and 2019 respectively, both books received the Darío Guevara Mayorga Award for best published novel. Some of her work has been translated into English, Portuguese, French, Italian and Arabic, and has appeared in anthologies and publications throughout Latin America and Europe. She has worked as a professor at the Universidad de Los Hemisferios (University of the Hemispheres) in Quito.

Dina Bellrham

Dina Bellrham, pseudonym of Edelina Beltrán Ramos, (Milagro, July 6, 1984 – Guayaquil , October 27, 2011) was an Ecuadorian poet. Recognized for having received the First Mention in the I Ileana Espinel Cedeño Poetry Contest, in 2008, by the House of Ecuadorian Culture in Guayas. She attended medical school at the University of Guayaquil and was part of the poetic group Buseta de Papel. The Guayaquilean writer Miguel Antonio Chávez said about her: “She mixed physiological and pharmacological terms in her poetry with the universe of loneliness, suffering and death, but with a special brilliance.” In her lifetime she published two books, “Con plexo de culpa” (2008) and “La mujer de helio” (2011). Her two other books “Je suis malade” (2012) and “Libro inédita Bellrham” (2013) were published posthumously. She died at the age of 27 from a possible overdose. Some of her poems have been translated into Italian and English.

Karla Armas

Karla Armas (Quito, July 6, 1978) is an Ecuadorian poet. In 2019, she released her first poetry collection, “Pez Amapola.” She has performed in a number of poetry recitals across the country. Her poems have appeared both inside and outside of Ecuador, most notably in Mexican poetry magazines. One of her poems appeared in a 2016 poetry anthology entitled, “Arrarrau. Trece poemas de antiamor, desamor y amor,” a collection of 13 poems by contemporary Ecuadorian poets.