In a significant recognition of literary excellence, the distinguished Dominican author Pedro Vergés has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2026 National Literature Prize. The award, jointly sponsored by the Dominican Ministry of Culture and the Corripio Foundation, represents the highest honor in Dominican letters and celebrates Vergés’ extraordinary contributions across multiple genres including fiction, poetry, and essays.
The selection committee, comprising representatives from leading universities, the Ministry of Culture, the Dominican Academy of Language, and the Corripio Foundation, honored Vergés for his impeccable command of language and substantial impact on contemporary literature. The jury specifically noted his ‘balanced sobriety’ in prose and his valuable scholarly work as both literary researcher and essayist.
Vergés’ literary significance was previously acknowledged during the 2023 Book Fair, which celebrated his novel ‘Ya yo estaré lejos’ (I Will Be Far Away). The work received critical acclaim for its powerful depiction of the first 25 years of Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship, exploring its societal trauma and economic consequences while capturing the collective yearning for freedom and democracy.
The author’s international recognition began in 1981 when he received Spain’s prestigious Critics’ Society for Castilian Narrative award for ‘Solo cenizas hallarás (Bolero).’ That same year, he was also honored with the Blasco Ibáñez International Prize for the same work, establishing his reputation beyond Dominican borders. Even before this national accolade, Vergés had garnered admiration from literary circles who considered his work essential reading for understanding post-dictatorship Dominican society, particularly praised for its masterful use of colloquial language and narrative structure.