Mexico mourns Sergio Pitol Demeneghi , writer, translator and diplomat born in the central state of Puebla in 1933, who passed away today in his home at Xalapa, Veracruz.
A recipient of the Cervantes Prize 2005, Pitol developed a vibrant literary translation craft, including the translation into Spanish of English, Czech, Russian and German writers, namely, Jerzy Andrzejewski , Jane Austen , Giorgio Bassani , Kazimierz Brandys , Anton Chekhov , Joseph Conrad , Witold Gombrowicz , Henry James , and Vladimir Nabokov .
Mexico Minister of Foreign Affairs posted their respects to the late writer in their Twitter account, alongside Mexico's Minister of Culture, María Cristina García Cepeda, and even left presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador :
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) deeply mourns the irreparable loss of the great writer, Sergio Pitol, a distinguished member of the Mexico Foreign Service (SEM) between 1974 and 1988. His essence will live through his writing."
"We deeply mourn the loss of Sergio Pitol. We celebrate his life and literary legacy. A legacy that featured a unique narrative body of work, translations, and essays that will endure over time as his contribution to the world literature. My sympathies to his family, friends and the whole of the cultural community."
"I mourn the passing of Sergio Pitol, always solidary with our cause, the same as Fernando del Paso and Elenita Poniatowska; the three, great writers and citizens with good intentions and social dimension."
For his part, Ricardo Anaya, presidential candidate for the "Mexico to the Front Coalition" posted his condolences on his Twitter account:
"I mourn the passing of Sergio Pitol, one of the greatest storytellers of our country, a writer of extraordinary wit and humor. My deepest sympathies and solidarity for his family and friends."
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