Jacinto Santos Verduga (Bahía de Caráquez, September 16, 1944 – Guayaquil, December 2, 1967) was an Ecuadorian poet known for his emotionally charged and existentially reflective works. Despite his short life, Chintolo, as he was affectionately called, published three notable poetry collections: Testimonio (1965), La Llaga Insomne (1967), and Con Los Días Contados (1967). His poetry, marked by themes of nostalgia, sorrow, and a deep contemplation of life and death, continues to be celebrated posthumously, with unpublished poems discovered decades after his death contributing to his enduring literary legacy.
Early Life and Education
Jacinto Santos Verduga, affectionately known as “Chintolo,” was born on September 16, 1944, in Bahía de Caráquez, Manabí, Ecuador. He was the son of Jacinto Santos Santos, a long-serving customs administrator and fire chief, and Magdalena Verduga Andrade, a native of Chone. Chintolo attended the Juan Montalvo School for his primary education under the guidance of Professor Sucre Mieles and later enrolled at Eloy Alfaro High School. While there, he began experimenting with poetry and contributing to the local bisemanal El Heraldo and the short-lived magazine Panorama. Recognizing that his hometown offered limited intellectual opportunities, Chintolo moved to Guayaquil in 1961. There, he continued his education at Vicente Rocafuerte High School, where he excelled in literary contests, earning third place in an inter-school poetry competition and two prizes from the Dolores Sucre Literary Contest. In 1964, he graduated with a degree in Philosophy and Social Sciences, consistently ranking among the top students. His formative years were marked by a growing involvement in the literary community, which laid the foundation for his later work as a poet.
Literary Career
Chintolo’s brief but impactful literary career began in 1965 with the publication of his first poetry collection, Testimonio. The collection, which received critical praise, was noted for its raw emotional depth and existential themes. Chintolo introduced himself as a poet who had “witnessed the fading of childhood and the birth of love and pain,” and his work resonated with readers who saw in him a young, sincere voice grappling with the complexities of life. Critics such as Alberto Borges described Testimonio as a work that captured “the poetry of ancient and ever-renewed sadness.”
In 1967, Chintolo published La Llaga Insomne, a deeply personal collection dedicated to his sister, Bertha Santos Verduga de Vallejo López. This work further showcased his evolving poetic voice, blending tenderness and intellectual conflict, particularly in his renowned “Poema al Hijo,” dedicated to his unborn child. The poem earned him second place in the Ismael Pérez Pazmiño national competition organized by El Universo, with critics lauding its emotional intensity and intimate dialogue with the unborn.
His final collection, Con Los Días Contados, appeared just days before his death in 1967. Dedicated to his parents, it carried a melancholic weight as Chintolo reflected on life, mistakes, and death. As poet León Ocqueteaux observed, Chintolo’s poetry often hinted at a tragic understanding of life, with themes of death and existential despair running throughout his work. Several unpublished poems, including “El loco Santos no está loco,” surfaced posthumously, deepening readers’ appreciation of his unique poetic voice.
Personal Life
Jacinto Santos Verduga’s personal life was filled with emotional complexity, which was reflected in his poetry. He was married to Patricia Camacho Menoscal in 1966, and their relationship, though deeply loving, was fraught with conflicts. The couple’s turbulent romance, marked by Chintolo’s intense and sometimes erratic behavior, was a source of both inspiration and tension in his life. He dedicated several of his most poignant works to his family, including La Llaga Insomne to his sister and Con Los Días Contados to his parents. In 1967, Patricia became pregnant, and Chintolo’s “Poema al Hijo,” written for their unborn child, became one of his most celebrated works. However, Chintolo’s life was increasingly overshadowed by his emotional struggles and personal turmoil.
An affair with a student at Dolores Sucre, where he was teaching literature, led to a scandal and cost him his job. This event contributed to his growing instability. Chintolo became more reclusive and erratic, frequently carrying a gun and indulging in heavy drinking. His growing fascination with death and his erratic behavior were reflected in his poetry during this period. Despite these challenges, he remained close to his family, and his poetry continued to resonate with themes of love, conflict, and existential questioning. His final months were a mixture of reconciliation with his wife and escalating inner turmoil.
Mental Health and Decline
As Chintolo’s emotional struggles deepened, his erratic behavior became more pronounced. He frequently drank heavily and exhibited impulsive actions, such as cutting his veins in a moment of despair. His conversations increasingly revolved around death, leading friends to advise him to take precautions, such as using an electric razor and drinking from plastic cups. His poetry during this period, including “Siempre,” “Telegrama Urgente,” and “Cosecha,” reflected his inner conflict and growing despair. Despite attempts at reconciliation with his wife and a temporary return to normalcy, his mental health deteriorated.
His tragic death on December 2, 1967, occurred after a heated argument with a lover over an earlier abortion. In a moment of desperation, Chintolo fatally shot his lover and then turned the gun on himself. He was just 23 years old. His wife, Patricia, returned from a trip abroad just in time to attend his funeral.
Death
Chintolo’s death marked the end of a promising literary career. On December 2, 1967, after a day of heavy drinking and an argument with a lover, Chintolo died in a tragic murder-suicide. His sudden and violent death left a significant void in Ecuadorian literature, and his work, which had often foreshadowed his preoccupation with mortality, gained even more poignancy in the aftermath. His Poema Final, which seemed to predict his death, serves as a haunting testament to the emotional turmoil that consumed his final years.
Legacy and Posthumous Recognition
Although Chintolo’s life was tragically brief, his poetry left a lasting mark on Ecuadorian literature. His ability to capture the melancholia of life, combined with a raw, existential awareness, resonated with readers and critics alike. Posthumous discoveries of his unpublished works only served to deepen interest in his life and contributions to literature. Hernán Rodríguez Castelo, Gonzalo Espinel, and other prominent critics have spoken to the unique intensity of Chintolo’s work, with Espinel composing a moving sonnet in his honor. His family, particularly his widow Patricia and son Juan Fernando, have worked to preserve his literary legacy, ensuring that his poetry continues to be read and appreciated long after his passing.
Works
- Testimonio (1965)
- La Llaga Insomne (1967)
- Con Los Días Contados (1967)
- Obras completas (1967)
References
- Chintolo, maintained by Juan Fernando Santos Camacho. Retrieved on September 25, 2024.
- Pérez Armijos, Jorge Luis. “Poema al Hijo by Jacinto Santos Verduga.” Retrieved on September 25, 2024.
- Pérez Pimentel, Rodolfo. “Santos Verduga, Jacinto.” Retrieved on September 25, 2024.
- Google Books. “Obras Completas by Jacinto Santos Verduga.” Retrieved on September 25, 2024.