Francisco Proaño Arandi (Cuenca, January 20, 1944) is an Ecuadorian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and diplomat. In the 1960’s he was part of the literary group called Tzántzicos. In 1961, when he was 17 years old, he published a poetry book titled “Poesías.” However, since then he has dedicated himself solely to prose. In 1964 he started the magazine Z with Alejandro Moreano, and the magazine La bufanda del sol (1965-1966) with Ulises Estrella and Alejandro Moreano. In 1972, he published his first book of poems, “Historias de disecadores.” In 1984, he published his first novel, “Antiguas caras en el espejo,” which was critically acclaimed and was awarded the José Mejía Lequerica Prize by the Municipality of Quito for best prose work. In 1993, he published a second novel, “Del otro lado de las cosas.” In 2003 his short story book, “Historias del país fingido,” won the Joaquín Gallegos Lara Prize. In 2003, his third novel, “La razón y el presagio” was published. His fourth novel, “Tratado del amor clandestino,” was a finalist of the Rómulo Gallegos International Prize (2009, Caracas, Venezuela) and the José María Arguedas Prize from the Casa de las Américas (2010, Havana, Cuba). In 2009, his fifth novel “El sabor de la condena” also won the Joaquín Gallegos Lara Prize. From 2002 to 2003 he was the director of the House of Ecuadorian Culture’s magazine Letras del Ecuador. Although he was born in Cuenca, he has lived in Quito most of his life since that’s where his family is originally from.
Diplomatic career
Francisco Proaño Arandi has served as a diplomat representing the Embassy of Ecuador in Colombia (1972–73), the former U.S.S.R. (1973–77), Cuba (1980–84), Yugoslavia (1990–92), Nicaragua (1995–97), Costa Rica (1997–2000), El Salvador (2004–6), and Argentina (2006–Present).
Education
In 1968, he received a bachelor’s degree in Public and Social Sciences from the Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE) in Quito, Ecuador.
Memberships
- Francisco Proaño Arandi is a member of the Ecuadorian Academy of Language (corresponding member March 9, 2010, full member October 17, 2012). He occupies chair P, which belonged to Mr. Plutarco Naranjo Vargas. He has been the institution’s secretary since 2013, he will serve in that capacity until 2024 (he was first elected to this role in 2016 and again in 2024).
- Francisco Proaño Arandi is a member of the House of Ecuadorian Culture. From 2002-2003 he was the director of their magazine Letras del Ecuador.
- From 1966 to 1968 he was the secretary of the Association of Young Artists and Writers of Ecuador (AEACI).
Journalism
Between the years 1985 and 1998 he was a columnist for the newspaper Hoy of the capital Quito and has been a guest columnist for the newspaper El Comercio, of the same city.
Essays on his work
His narrative work has been the subject of doctoral theses at some universities in Ecuador. Among them, a notable one is entitled “La narrativa barroca de Francisco Proaño Arandi” [The Baroque Narrative of Francisco Proaño Arandi] by Professor Rocío Bastidas of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador.
In translation
Francisco Proaño Arandi’s short stories have been translated and included in anthologies in various countries: United States, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Germany, France, Bulgaria, People’s Republic of China, Israel, Turkey, Peru, and, of course, in collections published in Ecuador.
Awards
- Premio CES AL 2021, by the publisher Centro de Estudios Sociales de América Latina, Cuenca.
- Máxima Presea Nubes Verdes de Montalvo, Ipiales, 2014.
- Aurelio Espinosa Pólit Prize, 2011, by the Municipality of Quito.
- Homage from the Seventh International Literature Congress: Memoria e imaginación de Latinoamérica y el Caribe (por los derroteros de la oralidad y la escritura), Quito, 2011.
- José María Arguedas Prize, 2010, Casa de las Américas, Cuba, Work title: “Tratado del amor clandestino,” novel.
- Finalist fir the Rómulo Gallegos Prize, 2009, Caracas, Venezuela. Work title: “Tratado del amor clandestino,” novel.
- Joaquín Gallegos Lara Prize, Municipality of Quito, 2003. Work title: “Historias del país fingido,” short stories.
- Medal from the Rubén Darío Cultural Institute’s Blue Centennial Order in the grade of Gran Cruz y Banda, Santiago de Chile, 1996.
- José Mejía Lequerica Prize, Municipality of Quito, 1984. Work title: “Antiguas caras en el espejo,” novel.
- Mention in the International Short Story Contest by the magazine Plural, Mexico, 1982, Short story: Oposición a la magia.
- Silver Medal in the Read Book Intercollegial Contest, Quito, 1962.
- Gold Medal in the Read Book Intercollegial Contest of Quito, 1961
Videos
Works
Novel
- Antiguas caras en el espejo (1984) Premio José Mejía Lequerica 1984.
- Del otro lado de las cosas (1993)
- La razón y el presagio (2003)
- Tratado del amor clandestino (2008) Premio José María Arguedas 2010.
- El sabor de la condena (2009)
- Desde el silencio (2014)
Short story
- Historias de disecadores (1972)
- Oposición a la magia (1986)
- La doblez (1986)
- Historias del país fingido (2003) Premio Joaquín Gallegos Lara 2003.
- Perfil inacabado -antología de cuentos- (2005)
- Elementos dispares (2015)