'Nobel Prize in Literature' Asturias returns to home country 52 years after death

The remains of the late Miguel Angel Asturias (1899-1974), winner of the 1967 Nobel Prize in Literature, have been returned to his home country, Guatemala. It has been 52 years since his death.

According to local media outlets Laprensa and Infoba on the 13th (local time), the remains of the deceased arrived at Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City from France the afternoon before. Progressive President Bernardo Arevalo, the bereaved family, government officials, and artists came to the airport to receive the remains.

Asturias is a leading writer in Central and South America. As a child, after his father, a judge, was dismissed for protesting against the dictatorship, he moved to the Verapas region, which has many indigenous people. There, he was introduced to the indigenous community, oral traditions, and worldview of the Mayan Quiche people.

After making his debut with 'The Legend of Guatemala' (1930), he emerged as a representative Latin American writer using indigenous elements, political criticism, and experimental language through 'Mr. President' (1946) and 'The Corn Man' (1949). In particular, he directly addressed the issues of dictatorship, inequality, and political oppression prevalent in Latin America, earning him the hatred of right-wing regimes.

After the 1954 coup led by Castillo Armas, he, who also worked as a diplomat, was stripped of his citizenship for supporting the left-leaning government, and lived in exile for 12 years until his citizenship was restored in 1966. He was the first Guatemalan to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1967.

The author spent his last years traveling between Madrid, Spain and Paris, France. He died of cancer in 1974 and was buried in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. This is where the graves of lead singer Jim Morrison of the group ‘The Doors’, writer Oscar Wilde, and composer Chopin are located.

Previously, French authorities delivered the remains to the Asturian family after excavating and cremating them. Guatemala's Ministry of Culture planned a four-day memorial event to honor Asturias. On the 15th, his remains will be placed at the monument of the Miguel Angel Asturias Cultural Center located in the capital Guatemala City.