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Mexico: Netizens Say Goodbye to Writer Carlos Fuentes

Categories: Latin America, Mexico, Arts & Culture, Citizen Media, Literature

On May 15, 2012, Latin America lost one of its most important contemporary writers. Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes [1] died in Mexico City, at the age of 83. The main cause of his death was a hemorrhage. Fuentes was best known for being part of the writers from the “Latin American Boom [2]”, and for writing a book at least every 12 months.

People from all over the world expressed their concerns over this terrible loss. Blogger Juan José Meneu, from Blogs La Rioja, explained why he was so fond [3] [es] of Fuentes’ way of writing:

Era un escritor terriblemente culto e inteligente y exigía de sus lectores atención y esfuerzo para alcanzar esa cultura y esa inteligencia. Con la convicción de que la literatura era un instrumento poderoso para denunciar la realidad, para mostrar los errores de los seres humanos pero también, para la esperanza, para la educación, para la enseñanza, para combatir el olvido.

He was a terribly educated and intelligent writer, and he demanded from his readers attention and special effort to reach that culture and that intelligence. With the conviction that literature was a powerful tool to report reality, to show the errors of human beings, but also for hope, for education, to combat forgetfulness.

Meneu finished his blog post with a sincere goodbye, wishing he had more books [3] [es] by Carlos Fuentes:

Ha muerto Carlos Fuentes. Me queda el consuelo de que aún tengo algún libro suyo por leer. Me queda la tristeza de que no habrá más.

Carlos Fuentes has died. What is left is the consolation that I have yet to read another book written by him. It is sad that there won't be any more [books written by him].
[4]

Carlos Fuentes, 2008. Image from Flickr user Casa de América (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

On HuffPost Voces, the Spanish version of The Huffington Post, writer Marga Britto published a text dedicated to the author [5] [es], where she assures that the death of Fuentes has left a country in pure loneliness:

Hubiese sido maravilloso escuchar la opinión de Carlos Fuentes tras las elecciones. Hubiese sido de gran consuelo contar con una voz de autoridad en dónde refugiarnos y hacer sentido de este gran naufragio nacional.

Nos dejas solos, Carlos Fuentes. Nos dejas un enorme hueco en la razón y en el tiempo. De pronto las letras se han quedado huérfanas y solos tendremos que vérnoslas con quien se empeña en ganar la batalla con palabras espurias, con su lenguaje bastardo, con la banalidad de los tiempos modernos.

It would have been wonderful to hear what Carlos Fuentes thought after the (Mexican) elections. It would have been a great comfort to have a voice of authority where we could find shelter and make sense of this great national shipwreck.

You leave us alone Carlos Fuentes. You leave a huge hole in reason and in time. Suddenly, the letters have been orphaned and are dealing alone with who is determined to win the battle with spurious words, with a bastard language, with the banality of modern times.

Rafa García from Fayerwayer mentioned the trending topics related [6][es] to the author's passing:

El autor de novelas como Aura, La Muerte de Artemio Cruz, Agua quemada, La silla del Águila, Gringo y La Región más Transparente, Carlos Fuentes, muerió hoy a los 83 años de edad en la Ciudad de México.

La noticia recorrió de inmediato todos medios de comunicación y las redes sociales, particularmente en Twitter donde su nombre Carlos Fuentes [7] y el #todoscomocarlos [8] se convirtieron en tema tendencia.

Q.E.P.D.

The author of novels such as Aura, The Death of Artemio Cruz, Burned Water, The Chair of the Eagle, Gringo and The Most Transparent Region, Carlos Fuentes, died today at 83 years of age in Mexico City.

The news swept away all media and social networks, especially on Twitter where his name Carlos Fuentes [7] and #todoscomocarlos [8] (“Everyone like Carlos”) became trending topics.
RIP

Writers and other public figures used Twitter to express their sadness and pay homage to Carlos Fuentes. Mexican President Felipe Calderón (@FelipeCalderon) [9][es] wrote:

Expresé mis condolencias telefónicas a Silvia Lemus, viuda del gran Carlos Fuentes.

I expressed my condolences on the telephone to Silvia Lemus, widow of the great Carlos Fuentes.

The account of the United States Ambassador in Mexico, Embajador Wayne (@USEmbassyMex) [10] [es], tweeted:

 #EmbajadorWayne [11]: Lamento profundamente el fallecimiento de Carlos Fuentes. Su partida es una gran pérdida para el mundo.

#EmbajadorWayne [11]:: I deeply regret the death of Carlos Fuentes. His departure is a great loss to the world.

Mexican writer Elena Poniatowska [12] (@EPoniatowska) [13] [es] similarly expressed her condolences:

Lamento profundamente la muerte #CarlosFuentes [14]

I deeply regret the death of #CarlosFuentes [14]

British-Indian writer Salman Rushdie (@SalmanRushdie) [15] said:

RIP Carlos my friend. Yesterday the hoax about Gabo, but this is sadly true. “Carlos Fuentes dies at 83 http://t.co/2uQGHgvC [16] via @USATODAY [17]

Finally, an account that publishes quotes by Argentinian comic strip character Mafalda [18] (@MafaldaQuotes) [19][es] wrote:

“Algún día se dará más valor a la cultura que al dinero” #QEPD [20] Carlos Fuentes. #MafaldaQuotes [21]

“Someday we will give more value to culture than money” #RIP Carlos Fuentes. #MafaldaQuotes