A jury awarded the 2026 FIL Prize for Literature in Romance Languages to Nicaraguan writer Gioconda Belli for her renewal of literary language and status as a powerful voice in contemporary Latin American authors. ^[1] Specialists highlighted that Belli's work, characterized by direct and everyday expression, has revitalized poetic expression of the female body, desire, and pleasure. ^[2] The jury, which included Alain Mabanckou from the Republic of Congo, Carmen Alemany from Spain, Carmen Mușat from Romania, Francisco Noa from Mozambique, Graciela Goldchluk from Argentina, Sabina Longhitano from Italy, and Xavi Ayén from Spain, decided unanimously to grant the prize. ^[3] Gioconda Belli described the current era as difficult due to the fear that human speech will be replaced by a mechanical word from AI. ^[4] Gioconda Belli stated that literature is a defense against the impact of artificial intelligence on new generations. ^[5] Carmen Alemany, representative of the 2026 FIL Prize jury, stated at a press conference in Guadalajara, Mexico, that Belli's poetry unites sensory dimensions and political consciousness, merging the intimate with the collective. ^[6]