The Chiapas State Council for Culture and the Arts (Coneculta) announced on July 14, 2026 that the Jaime Sabines Poetry Prize is reclaiming its international scope and extended the submission deadline to August 31. The measure responds to a petition signed on July 10 by the Sabines Rodríguez family and the Chiapas cultural community.
Jaime Sabines (1926-1999) is one of the defining voices of twentieth-century Mexican poetry. Author of books such as *Los amorosos* and *Algo sobre la muerte del mayor Sabines*, his work is read across Latin America and in Spanish departments at US universities. The prize bearing his name had operated with international reach in its early editions, but in recent years it was reduced to a local call. The return to international standing, confirmed by El Universal on July 15, puts Mexican poetry back on the global literary map and opens a window for poets from the Latino community in North America, including those writing from the United States and Canada.
In parallel, the Rodulfo Figueroa State Poetry Prize is also being elevated to a national competition, with the same closing deadline: August 31 at 3:00 p.m. According to the Coneculta statement, the amendments published on July 14 include adjustments to the evaluation periods and an update to the General Considerations for both calls. The state agency noted that the adjustments seek to 'broaden the reach of the prizes and optimize the conditions for their development.' The Sabines Rodríguez family led the formal petition that resulted in the announced changes.
The complete call for entries and the amendments are available on the official Coneculta portal. The award date and the composition of the jury will be announced in the coming weeks through the institution's official channels. The international opening renews the prize's profile and opens the door to poets from across the Spanish-speaking world.
This article was drafted with AI assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.