The Aurelio Espinosa Pólit National Prize for Literature is a literary prize awarded yearly to Ecuadorian writers by the School of Language and Literature of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador in the categories of poetry, nonfiction, short story, novel, and play. Along with the Eugenio Espejo Prize, it is one of the most important literary prizes in Ecuador. The award is named after the Ecuadorian writer (1894-1961).
Rules
Each year a panel of judges chooses a genre for the award (poetry, nonfiction, short story, novel, play). If no work is found meeting the requisites to win, no winner is declared (no winners have been declared on 10 occasions – the category play accounts for 5 occasions). A writer cannot win the prize again in the same category but can win the prize again in a different category. The School did not award the prize in 1998 as it convened to set new award rules.
| Year | Genre | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Nonfiction | Josué Augusto Durán Hermida | Minutas de bulla (published as El abandono de la experiencia) |
| 2018 | Short Story | Alexis Zaldumbide | Habitaciones con música de fondo |
| 2017 | Novel | Roberto Ramírez Paredes | No somos tu clase de gente |
| 2016 | Poetry | Andrea Crespo | Registro de La Habitada |
| 2015 | Nonfiction | Santiago Peña Bossano | Estética de la indolencia |
| 2014 | Novel | Luis Borja Corral | Pequeños palacios en el pecho |
| 2013 | Short Story | Ana Estrella Santos | La curiosidad mató al alemán |
| 2012 | Poetry | Marcelo Báez | El mismo mar de todas Las Habanas |
| 2011 | Play | No winner | |
| 2010 | Nonfiction | María Helena Barrera | Merton y Ecuador-La búsqueda del país secreto |
| 2009 | Novel | Hans Behr | Acaso si lloviesen. |
| 2008 | Short Story | Elking Araujo | Al pie de la letra |
| 2007 | Poetry | Carlos Vallejo | La orilla transparente |
| 2006 | Play | No winner | |
| 2005 | Novel | Lucrecia Maldonado | Salvo el calvario |
| 2004 | Short Story | Gabriela Fernández Argüello | La noche de Eva |
| 2003 | Play | Roberto Sánchez Cazar | Que no haya pena |
| 2002 | Poetry | Paúl Puma | Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala |
| 2001 | Nonfiction | Cristina Burneo | El sueño de Pierre Menard |
| 2000 | Novel | Marcelo Lalama Basante | Los Nazarenos |
| 1999 | Short Story | Raúl Vallejo | Huellas de amor eterno |
| 1998 | The School of Language and Literature did not award the prize in 1998 as it convened to set new award rules. | ||
| 1997 | No winner | ||
| 1996 | Poetry | No winner | |
| 1995 | Play | No winner | |
| 1994 | Novel | No winner | |
| 1993 | Short Story | Huilo Ruales Hualca | Fetiche y Fantoche |
| 1992 | Play | No winner | |
| 1991 | Poetry | Jorge Martillo | Fragmentarium |
| 1990 | Short Story | Juan Manuel Rodríguez López | Fricciones |
| 1989 | Novel | Natasha Salguero | Azulinaciones |
| 1988 | Poetry | No winner | |
| 1987 | Play | Eliécer Cárdenas | Morir en Vilcabamba |
| 1986 | Novel | No winner | |
| 1985 | Short Story | Rafael Díaz Ycaza | Prometeo el joven y otras marisquetas |
| 1984 | Play | No winner | |
| 1983 | Poetry | Iván Carvajal | Parajes |
| 1982 | Nonfiction | No winner | |
| 1981 | Novel | No winner | |
| 1980 | Short Story | Jorge Dávila Vázquez | Este mundo es el camino |
| 1979 | Poetry | Julio Pazos Barrera | La ciudad de las visiones |
| 1978 | Play | Carlos Benavides Vega | La herida de Dios |
| 1977 | No winner | ||
| 1976 | Novel | Jorge Dávila Vázquez | María Joaquina en la vida y en la muerte |
| 1975 | Novel | Iván Égüez | La Linares |