Eduardo Galeano was a Uruguayan writer, journalist, and thinker who stood out for his commitment to social causes and his criticism of neoliberalism. His most well-known work is the trilogy Memory of Fire, a history of Latin America from its origins to the 20th century. In this article, we delve deeper into his life and legacy.

Galeano was born in Montevideo on September 3, 1940. From a young age, he showed an interest in art and politics. At the age of 13, he published his first cartoons in the socialist newspaper El Sol, under the pseudonym Gius. He also worked as a laborer, collector, painter, messenger, typist, cashier, and editor.

In the 1970s, he suffered repression under the military dictatorships that ravaged the Southern Cone. He was imprisoned in Uruguay and had to go into exile in Argentina, where he was also persecuted by death squads. In his book Days and Nights of Love and War, he recounts his experiences during those years of terror.

He sought refuge in Catalonia, where he collaborated with Spanish, German, and Mexican media. There, he wrote his masterpiece, Memory of Fire, a poetic and testimonial narrative of the history of Latin America from the pre-Columbian era to the 20th century. The trilogy consists of the books Genesis, Faces and Masks, and Century of the Wind.

Galeano returned to Uruguay in 1985, after the end of the dictatorship. He continued writing and publishing books such as The Book of Embraces, Open Veins of Latin America, Upside Down: A School of the World Upside Down, Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone, among others. He also ran his own publishing house, El Chanchito.

Galeano was a defender of the left and participatory democracy. He criticized the neoliberal model that impoverishes and exploits the peoples of Latin America. He supported social movements and the struggles for justice and dignity. He was an intellectual and moral reference for many generations.

Galeano died in Montevideo on April 13, 2015, at the age of 74. His work remains relevant and is a source of inspiration and hope for those who dream of a better world. If you want to learn more about this great writer, we invite you to read his books or share this article with your friends and family.