Miami (April 17, 2025) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) remembers and honors the outstanding participation of writer and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa in several of our General Assemblies.
Vargas Llosa, who received the IAPA's 2011 Chapultepec Grand Prize, remained steadfast in his commitment to press freedom. His sharp reflections on contemporary culture have left an indelible mark on our organization and on the defense of democratic values throughout the Americas.
This speech became the seed for his later book of the same name, in which he delves deeper into the trivialization of culture and the role of the media in this phenomenon. You can access the full text of his address
here.
In 2011, at the IAPA General Assembly held in Charleston, South Carolina, Vargas Llosa was interviewed by journalist Andrés Oppenheimer. In that conversation, he addressed key issues such as freedom of expression, the role of the media in democracies, and the challenges journalists face in contexts of censorship and repression. The full interview is available in this
link.
The IAPA acknowledges and is grateful for Mario Vargas Llosa's valuable contribution to the promotion of press freedom and his critical reflection on the role of the media in contemporary society. His participation in our assemblies has enriched the dialogue and strengthened our commitment to defending democratic principles and fundamental rights.
