Poets - Ecuadorian Literature

Sheyla Bravo

Sheyla Bravo Velásquez (Quito, 1953 – Quito, June 10, 2011) was a writer, plastic artist, and cultural promoter. In 2009, her complete works “Obra poética completa 1968-2008″ won the prestigious Jorge Carrera Andrade Poetry Prize. She was also the editor of an anthology of erotic poems by 110 Ecuadorian women from 2 centuries entitled, “La voz de eros.” A poem of hers was included in the anthology, “Volcanic Reflections: A Bilingual Anthology of Contemporary Ecuadorian Poetry.”

Yana Lema

Yana Lema, full name Yana Lucila Lema Otavalo (Peguche, Otavalo canton, Ecuador, 1974) is an Ecuadorian journalist, writer, poet, translator, cultural promoter, and college professor. She writes in Spanish and Quechua. For more than seven years, she worked as a presenter on the RTS Kichwapi newscast and later on Ecuador TV’s Willaykuna newscast. In 2016, she published her story “Chaska” in Quechua and Spanish, and in 2019, her collection of poems “Tamyawan Shamukupani.” Lema has participated in fairs and literary festivals in Quito, La Paz, Havana, Guadalajara, Guayaquil, Medellín, Bogotá, Mexico, and Genoa. In 2021, her poetry book “Tengo hambre de tu boca” won the Jorge Carrera Andrade Prize. She resides in Guayaquil and serves as a professor at the University of the Arts, where she teaches Oral and Latin American Literature.

Margarita Laso

Margarita Laso (Quito, July 20. 1963) is an Ecuadorian writer, editor, singer, and music producer. She has dedicated herself to the interpretation of songs based on traditional and regional genres of Ecuador, she has recorded pasillos, boleros, tangos, Christmas songs, and traditional Ecuadorian music. She has produced over 12 records and has authored several poetry books. In 1997, her poetry book, “El trazo de las cobras” won the Jorge Carrera Andrade Prize. She has worked as a columnist for the newspaper Hoy.

Edwin Madrid

Edwin Madrid (Quito, 1961) is an Ecuadorian poet, essayist, and editor known for his impressive body of work comprising 14 poetry books. Arising from the influential literary workshops led by Miguel Donoso Pareja in the 1980s, Madrid has emerged as one of the most notable poets of his generation. Currently serving as the director of the writing workshops at the House of Ecuadorian Culture, he plays a pivotal role in mentoring and nurturing the next generation of poets in Ecuador. Madrid’s deep involvement in the poetry community extends to organizing gatherings, recitals, and even running a publishing house. His poetic prowess has earned him recognition and awards both within Ecuador and internationally. With translations of his work available in multiple languages, including English, Portuguese, German, French, Arabic, and Italian, Madrid’s poetic voice has resonated with readers around the globe.

Yuliana Marcillo

Yuliana Marcillo Mirabá (Chone, 1987) is an Ecuadorian poet, writer, journalist, and editor. She worked as a journalist and co-editor of the Manabí newspaper La Marea, as well as an editor at the House of Ecuadorian Culture in Quito. Her poems have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and anthologies. She’s a former member of the literary workshop Soledumbre, directed by the poet Pedro Gil at the Civil University Eloy Alfaro of Manabí. Marcillo’s first poetry collection, “No debería haber mujeres buenas,” was published in 2010.

Fernando Escobar Páez

Fernando Escobar Páez (Quito, 1982) is an Ecuadorian writer, poet and journalist. His first book, “Los ganadores y yo,” was a poetry collection published in 2006. His second book, “Miss O´gginia,” was a book of short stories which won several awards and was published in six countries, including Spain, Argentina and Chile. He has also published the poetry collections, “Escúpeme en la verga” (2013) and “Tu retorno con aliento a biberón, peluche y verga ajena” (2018). His work has been published in over twenty anthologies of poetry and journalistic chronicles, both in Ecuador and abroad. Some of his work has been translated into several languages, including English, German, Portuguese, Russian, and French.

Marialuz Albuja Bayas

Marialuz Albuja Bayas (Quito, 1972) is an Ecuadorian poet, writer, translator, and university professor. She is the author of several poetry collections, including “Las naranjas y el mar,” “Llevo de la luna un rayo,” “Paisaje de sal,” and “La pendiente imposible,” which received numerous awards and was published by Ecuador’s Ministry of Culture, as well as “Detrás de la brisa,” which received honorable mention at the César Dávila Andrade Award. She has also written two novels: “En caso emergencia (no) rompa el vidrio”and “Maura.” In 2017 and 2019 respectively, both books received the Darío Guevara Mayorga Award for best published novel. Some of her work has been translated into English, Portuguese, French, Italian and Arabic, and has appeared in anthologies and publications throughout Latin America and Europe. She has worked as a professor at the Universidad de Los Hemisferios (University of the Hemispheres) in Quito.

Dina Bellrham

Dina Bellrham, pseudonym of Edelina Beltrán Ramos, (Milagro, July 6, 1984 – Guayaquil , October 27, 2011) was an Ecuadorian poet. Recognized for having received the First Mention in the I Ileana Espinel Cedeño Poetry Contest, in 2008, by the House of Ecuadorian Culture in Guayas. She attended medical school at the University of Guayaquil and was part of the poetic group Buseta de Papel. The Guayaquilean writer Miguel Antonio Chávez said about her: “She mixed physiological and pharmacological terms in her poetry with the universe of loneliness, suffering and death, but with a special brilliance.” In her lifetime she published two books, “Con plexo de culpa” (2008) and “La mujer de helio” (2011). Her two other books “Je suis malade” (2012) and “Libro inédita Bellrham” (2013) were published posthumously. She died at the age of 27 from a possible overdose. Some of her poems have been translated into Italian and English.

Karla Armas

Karla Armas (Quito, July 6, 1978) is an Ecuadorian poet. In 2019, she released her first poetry collection, “Pez Amapola.” She has performed in a number of poetry recitals across the country. Her poems have appeared both inside and outside of Ecuador, most notably in Mexican poetry magazines. One of her poems appeared in a 2016 poetry anthology entitled, “Arrarrau. Trece poemas de antiamor, desamor y amor,” a collection of 13 poems by contemporary Ecuadorian poets.

Javier Cevallos Perugachi

Javier Cevallos Perugachi (Quito, January 18, 1976) is a poet, playwright, actor, and stage director. He has worked on over 25 stage productions with national and international groups and actors. His literary works include the poetry collections, “La ciudad que se devoró a sí misma” (2001) and “C” (2005), as well as the plays “¡Repúbica! / Danzante” (2012) and “Ofelia City & Llaktayuk” (2014).

Kelver Ax

Kelver Ax, pseudonym of Kleber Ajila Vacacela (Loja, 1985 – January 18, 2016) was an Ecuadorian poet and plastic artist. His books include: “CU4D3RN0 D3 4R3N4” (2012), Pop-Up (2014), and posthumously “Egagrópilas” (2016), which won the first Alejandro Carrión National Poetry Contest. His work has appeared in national and international magazines as well as anthologies. In 2019, his collected works appeared in a book, “Su sombra como un mapa: obra reunida de Kelver Ax.” He was invited to several fairs and festivals such as FIL QUITO (Quito, 2012), Latino Poets (New York, 2015), and VI Poetry Festival (Lima, 2015). He was also an award-winning plastic artist whose work has been featured in galleries and cultural centers. He was and continues to be one of the most distinctive, powerful, and original artists of his country and of his time. He died in 1985 at the age of 30.

Carla Badillo Coronado

Carla Badillo Coronado (Quito, 1985) is an Ecuadorian poet, writer, journalist, translator, and travel writer based in Lisbon, Portugal. Her poetry books have won numerous prestigious awards. In 2010, she received the Moradalsur Award for her poetry collection “Belongings / Pertenencias”; in 2011, she won the César Dávila Andrade National Poetry Award for her book “Partituras Incompletas”; and in 2015, her poetry book “El color de la granada” won the Loewe Foundation International Poetry Prize for Young Creation. Her short novel “Abierta sigue la noche” received honorable mention at both the 2015 La Linares Prize and the 2017 Joaquín Gallegos Lara Prize.

Bernardita Maldonado

Bernardita Maldonado (Loja, 1969) is an Ecuadorian poet and writer. She has resided in Spain for over 25 years. She is the author of several poetry collections, including “Biografía de los pájaros” (2007) and “Con todos los soles lejanos” (2015). She has compiled the poetry of Héctor Manuel Carrión and written an introduction to it. Her native city of Loja honored her as “Woman of Letters 2015.” She is a member of the Ecuadorian House of Culture in Loja.

Esteban Poblete Oña

Esteban Poblete Oña aka E. Plobete (Quito, 1979) is an Ecuadorian novelist, short story writer, and poet. In 2017 he published his debut novel “El ojo a través de la calavera.” In 2021 he published the novels “Tres cantos fúnebres para Ella” and “Tremolar” which are part of a tetralogy named “Tetralogía de Q.” Its next 2 books, “El celo de los malditos” and “El Dragón en la Flor,” are expected for release in 2022.

Andrea Rojas Vasquez

Andrea Rojas Vasquez (Loja, November 26, 1993) is an Ecuadorian poet. Her first poetry collection, “Matar a un conejo” [To Kill a Rabbit], was published in 2020. Her second book, “Llévame a casa, por favor” [Take Me Home, Please], was published in 2021. Her poetry entry, “Llámame Ismael” [Call Me Ishmael], was awarded the 2021 best poetry prize at the Ileana Espinel Cedeño International Poetry Festival held in Guayaquil.