Latin America Regional Advisory Council /

Leonardo Padura

Leonardo Padura Fuentes is a renowned Cuban writer, journalist, and screenwriter. With a degree in Latin American literature from the University of Havana, he has garnered international acclaim for his detective novel series featuring Mario Conde. His most celebrated work, “The Man Who Loved Dogs” (2009), delves into Cuban history and investigates the life of Ramón Mercader, the assassin of Leon Trotsky. Padura’s narrative is anchored in crime fiction, while deftly reflecting the realities of Cuban society and offering insightful social commentary. 

Beyond his literary endeavours, Padura is a prolific literary essayist and screenwriter, crafting scripts for both documentaries and feature films. In 2016, Netflix launched the miniseries “Four Seasons in Havana,” an adaptation of Padura’s novels published between 1991 and 1998, comprising the tetralogy “The Four Seasons.” 

Padura’s literary prowess has been recognised with numerous esteemed awards, including the 2012 National Prize for Literature of Cuba, the Order of Arts and Letters bestowed by the French government in 2013, and the prestigious Princess of Asturias Prize for Literature in 2015.