La Jornada: The writer Lídia Jorge wins the Camoes 2026 literature prize

The Portuguese writer Lídia Jorge was awarded the Camoes 2026 Prize, the most important award for literature in the Portuguese language. Yesterday the distinction was announced for his work for his “literary style with a strong lyrical charge and focused on collective memory,” according to the jury.

The referee unanimously decided to award the award to the narrator for her literary production “characterized by dense poetic prose; it addresses Portugal’s dictatorial past, the female condition, the impact of historical transformations on daily life, the meaning of revolutions and emigration.”

The importance of Jorge’s lyrics lies, stated in the award minutes, in which he explores “the tensions between modern and postmodern society, the conflicts between generations and family breakups, with a literary style with a strong lyrical charge and focused on collective memory.”

The author will receive 100 thousand euros, granted by the National Library Foundation of Brazil and the government of Portugal, and a diploma signed by the leaders of both nations. Jorge’s novels can be obtained, among others, under the labels Elefanta Editorial and the Fondo de Cultura Económica.

The jury highlighted that “since The day of wondersfrom 1979, Jorge’s varied work contributes to enriching the literary and civic-cultural heritage of the Portuguese language, providing experiences from the last stage of the colonial war.

“The coast of murmursfrom 1988, is an important milestone in her work, as it highlights her life experience in Mozambique and deconstructs versions of the colonial war from a woman’s perspective. One of his latest novels, Misericordiafrom 2022, addresses old age, the urgency of life and resistance to the end.”