“Las Américas”, una historia de novelas. El Concurso Literario de la Unión Panamericana como instrumento diplomático

Abstract

The article analyzes the Latin American Prize Novel, convened by the Pan American Union in 1940. The aim of the contest was to introduce Latin American writers to the American publish market. With the Second World War as a backdrop, the call had a political intention: to promote the ideal of Pan American solidarity among readers, editors and writers. The contest was an instrument of cultural diplomacy, designed to serve as an articulating axis between the main literary networks of the continent. Unlike other inter-American cooperation projects, the Prize was not an initiative unilaterally sponsored by the United States, but was organized by a multilateral institution and by Latin American officials and institutions.