The Premio Eugenio Espejo [Eugenio Espejo Award] is Ecuador’s national prize and the highest honor bestowed on its citizens. The prize was established by Decrees 667 and 699 (in August of 1975 and September of 1997, respectfully) and is awarded by Ecuador’s president every other year. The National Council of Culture selects finalists for the award, which are divided into five categories.
The 5 award categories
- Cultural Promotion
- Arts
- Literature
- Science
- Public or Private Institutions.
The Award
Winners receive a sum of money, a diploma, a medal, and a lifetime stipend.
Recipients
From 1975 to 2018 there have been 98 recipients of the prize. Because not all categories are awarded every year, the number of recipients for each category varies. Up until 2018, 26 awards for cultural promotion had been given, 19 for the arts, 24 for literature, 23 for science, and 9 for public or private institutions.
| Year | Recipient | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Benjamin Carrion | Culture |
| 1977 | Jorge Carrera Andrade | Culture |
| 1979 | Alfredo Pareja Diezcanseco | Literature |
| 1983 | Raúl Andrade Moscoso | Culture |
| 1984 | Fray José María Vargas O.P. | Culture |
| 1986 | Leslie Wright Durán Ballén | Culture |
| 1986 | Alejandro Carrión Aguirre | Literature |
| 1986 | Eduardo Kingman Riofrío | Art |
| 1986 | Plutarco Naranjo Vargas | Science |
| 1987 | Antonio Parra Velasco | Culture |
| 1987 | José Rumazo González | Literature |
| 1987 | Galo Galecio | Art |
| 1987 | Miguel Salvador | Science |
| 1988 | Edmundo Ribadeneira Meneses | Culture |
| 1988 | Gabriel Cevallos García | Literature |
| 1988 | Enrique Tábara | Art |
| 1988 | Augusto Bonilla Barco | Science |
| 1989 | Jorge Pérez Concha | Culture |
| 1989 | Jorge Enrique Adoum | Literature |
| 1989 | Araceli Gilbert de Blomberg | Art |
| 1989 | Miguel Acosta Solís | Science |
| 1991 | Hernán Crespo Toral | Culture |
| 1991 | Pedro Jorge Vera | Literature |
| 1991 | Oswaldo Guayasamín | Art |
| 1991 | Agustín Cueva | Science |
| 1993 | Gerardo Guevara Viteri | Culture |
| 1993 | Nelson Estupiñán Bass | Literature |
| 1993 | Alfredo Palacio Moreno | Art |
| 1993 | José Varea Terán | Science |
| 1995 | Jorge Salvador Lara | Culture |
| 1995 | Adalberto Ortiz | Literature |
| 1995 | Luis A. Romo Saltos | Science |
| 1997 | Nicolás Kingman Riofrío | Culture |
| 1997 | Ángel Felicísimo Rojas | Literature |
| 1997 | Oswaldo Viteri Paredes | Art |
| 1997 | Alfonso Rumazo González | Science |
| 1999 | Yela Loffredo de Klein | Culture |
| 1999 | Efraín Jara Idrovo | Literature |
| 1999 | Oswaldo Muñoz Mariño | Art |
| 1999 | Juan Larrea Holguín | Science |
| 2001 | Filoteo Samaniego Salazar | Culture |
| 2001 | José Martínez Queirolo | Literature |
| 2001 | Jorge Swett | Art |
| 2001 | Rodrigo Fierro Benítez | Science |
| 2001 | Parque Histórico de Guayaquil | Public or Private Institution |
| 2003 | Tránsito Amaguaña | Culture |
| 2003 | Galo René Pérez | Literature |
| 2003 | Leonardo Tejada | Art |
| 2003 | Jorge Marcos Pino | Science |
| 2003 | Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana | Public or Private Institution |
| 2005 | Luis Enrique Fierro | Culture |
| 2005 | Rodolfo Pérez Pimentel | Literature |
| 2005 | Theo Constanté | Art |
| 2005 | Rodrigo Cabezas Naranjo | Science |
| 2005 | Academia Ecuatoriana de la Lengua | Public or Private Institution |
| 2006 | Edgar Palacios | Culture |
| 2006 | Miguel Donoso Pareja | Literature |
| 2006 | Diego Luzuriaga | Art |
| 2006 | Ramón Lazo | Science |
| 2006 | Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional | Public or Private Institution |
| 2007 | Jaime Galarza Zavala | Culture |
| 2007 | Carlos Eduardo Jaramillo Castillo | Literature |
| 2007 | Aníbal Villacís | Art |
| 2007 | Frank Weilbauer | Science |
| 2007 | Grupo Folclórico “Tierra Caliente” de Petita Palma | Public or Private Institution |
| 2008 | Rodrigo Pallares | Culture |
| 2008 | Alicia Yánez Cossío | Literature |
| 2008 | Carlos Rubira Infante | Art |
| 2008 | Eduardo Villacís | Science |
| 2008 | Editorial “Abya Yala” | Public or Private Institution |
| 1995 * | Enrique Gil Calderón. Rejected in 1995 from President Sixto Duran Ballen, but accepted in 2008 from President Rafael Correa | Art |
| 2009 | Horacio Hidrovo Peñaherrera | Culture |
| 2009 | Euler Granda | Literature |
| 2009 | Estuardo Maldonado | Art |
| 2009 | Magner Turner Carrión | Science |
| 2009 | Academia Nacional de Historia | Public or Private Institution |
| 2010 | Jorge Núñez Sánchez | Culture |
| 2010 | Julio Pazos Barrera | Literature |
| 2010 | Esperanza Cruz Hidalgo | Art |
| 2010 | Claudio Cañizares Proaño | Science |
| 2010 | Ballet Folclórico Nacional “Jacchigua” | Public or Private Institution |
| 2011 | Guillermo Ayoví Erazo (Papá Roncón) | Culture |
| 2011 | Rafael Díaz Ycaza | Literature |
| 2011 | Luigi Stornaiolo Pimentel | Art |
| 2011 | José Amén-Palma | Science |
| 2011 | Fundación Ecuatoriana de Olimpiadas Especiales | Public or Private Institution |
| 2012 | Abdón Ubidia | Literature |
| 2012 | Luis Silva Parra | Art |
| 2012 | Eugenia María del Pino Veintimilla | Science |
| 2015 | Pilar Bustos | Culture |
| 2015 | Fernando Tinajero | Literature |
| 2015 | Luis Cumbal | Science |
| 2016 | Beatriz Parra | Culture |
| 2016 | Jorge Davila | Literature |
| 2016 | Manuel Cruz Padilla | Science |
| 2018 | Fernando Cazón Vera | Literature |
| 2018 | Enrique Males | Culture |
| 2018 | Marcelo Cruz | Science |
| 2020 | Juan Valdano Morejón | Literature |
| 2020 | Álvaro Manzano Montero | Culture |
| 2020 | Katya Susana Romoleroux | Science |