Guatemala to repatriate Nobel laureate Miguel Ángel Asturias' remains from France in October

Guatemala is set to repatriate the remains of its Nobel laureate in Literature, Miguel Ángel Asturias, from France. The interment ceremony is scheduled for October 19 in Guatemala City, fulfilling the late writer's wish to return to his homeland. Minister of Culture and Sports Luis Méndez Salinas announced that Asturias's remains will rest at the Miguel Ángel Asturias Cultural Center. The announcement came during a public ceremony honoring the author at his monument on Reforma Avenue, commemorating the anniversary of his death on June 9, 1974. Salinas emphasized the government's commitment to bringing Asturias back to the country he "loved so much" and "wished to return to." The repatriation is considered particularly significant this year. Preparations are underway for an extensive tribute agenda starting in late July. A highlight will be the staging of "La Tumba del Gran Lengua," a musical piece by Guatemalan maestro Joaquín Orellana. This production, featuring an orchestra, choir, marimba, sound instruments, and an actor, has not been performed in nearly 25 years.

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This year is so special because we are working very hard to finalize the return of his remains to his country, to the land that he loved so much and to the land that he wished to return to, it seems to me that the fact that we are here is particularly significant.