Naturalized Ecuadorians - Ecuadorian Literature

Sergio Ramírez Mercado

Sergio Ramírez Mercado (August 5, 1942) is a prominent Nicaraguan author and a recipient of the prestigious Cervantes Prize. In February of 2023, he accepted an offer of Ecuadorian citizenship from President Guillermo Lasso after being exiled from Nicaragua in 2021 and subsequently stripped of his nationality in 2023, along with 93 other individuals, by the government of Daniel Ortega, who branded them as traitors. He was a key figure in 1979 revolution, served in the leftist Government Junta of National Reconstruction and as vice president of the country 1985–1990 under the presidency of Daniel Ortega. He is currently residing in Spain, where he also holds citizenship, and had previously been granted citizenship by Colombia before being offered citizenship by Ecuador. Ramírez is widely recognized as Nicaragua’s “best-known living writer,” having authored numerous novels, short story collections, and works of non-fiction. Some of his work has been translated into English.

Salomon Isacovici

Salomon Isacovici (Sighetu Marmaţiei, Romania, 1925 – February 1998) was a businessman based in Ecuador who also penned a memoir detailing his survival experiences during the Holocaust. Born in Romania in 1924, he spent challenging years in Auschwitz and Gross-Rosen concentration camps before being liberated by U.S. soldiers. After the war, he moved to Ecuador, leaving behind the devastation of his homeland. In Ecuador, Isacovici worked his way up from modest beginnings to become a successful businessman, demonstrating his resilience and determination. His experiences during the Holocaust were vividly captured in his co-authored book, “Man of Ashes”, an award-winning memoir that shed light on his experiences as a Romanian Jew during one of history’s darkest periods. Isacovici’s died of cancer in 1998, but his legacy continues to endure through his impactful memoir, serving as a testament to the human capacity for survival and renewal.

Juan Manuel Rodríguez López

Juan Manuel Rodríguez López is a novelist, short story writer, literary critic, columnist and professor. Born in Bilbao, Spain in 1945, Rodríguez is a naturalized Ecuadorian citizen and has lived in Quito most of his adult life. Rodríguez’ award-winning fiction includes the novels El poder de los vencidos (2003), El pulso de la nada (1996), and El Espantapájaros (1990 & 1995). In 1990, his short story collection Fricciones won the prestigious Aurelio Espinosa Pólit Prize.