The poet and professor from Huelva Enrique Zumalabe Ramblado He has become a leading figure in the literary scene by winning the 46th Ibero-American Poetry Prize Juan Ramon Jimenez with his book Grammar of disorderThis is a symbolic milestone for the province of Huelva, as it is the first time that an author born in this territory has won an award considered one of the most important in the Spanish language within the poetry genre.
The award comes after a highly competitive selection process, in which the jury had to choose from more than a thousand original submissions from around the world. The prize is endowed with 25.000 euros -one of the highest amounts in poetry in Spain– and also contemplates the publication of the poetry collection, reinforcing both the visibility of the work and the projection of the author's career.
A historic failure for Huelva poetry
The announcement of the verdict was made at an event held at the Provincial Council of Huelva, presided over by David ToscanoThe head of the institution. Also participating were the mayor of Moguer and the president of the Zenobia-Juan Ramón Jiménez Foundation, Gustavo Cuellar; the director of the Foundation, Antonio Ramírez Almanza; and the members of this edition's jury, including Aurelio Major, Juan José Téllez and María Jesús Ruiz Fernández.
For the first time since the competition's inception in 1981, the award has gone to an author from the province. The provincial government and the foundation that safeguards Juan Ramón Jiménez's legacy emphasize that this outcome represents a boost to literary creation in Huelva and consolidates the connection between the prize and the territory that saw the birth of the Nobel laureate from Moguer.
During the ceremony, Toscano emphasized that this recognition is, for any poet, "among the most exciting and thrilling pieces of news one can receive." He also stressed that culture is one of the best ways to "project the image of the province beyond its borders," especially through an award with this kind of recognition. international impact in the Hispanic world.
The jury stated that the decision was not easy due to the high quality and variety of the work received. However, Zumalabe's work ended up prevailing unanimously thanks to its formal solidity, its internal coherence and the way in which it articulates a generational perspective recognizable to readers of different ages.
"Grammar of disorder": time, generation and melancholy
The poems Grammar of disorder It was defined in the jury's report as “a reflection on the passage of time”sustained by an aesthetic that harmoniously blends emotion and diction. Those responsible for the judging highlight that it is a work that constructs a “generational portrait” marked by a diversity of formal registers and by a “collective, moving, and vital melancholy.”
This description places the book within a tradition of poetry that doesn't remain confined to individual introspection, but rather opens personal experience to the shared. melancholy that runs through the poems It does not fall into absolute pessimism, but is accompanied by an energy that keeps alive the link with memory, loss and the possibility of continuing to move forward, even when disorder prevails in daily life.
The jury itself has pointed out that in the work one perceives a long-term workThe book is the fruit of almost a decade of writing and revision. The author has confessed that he has been working on it since 2018, polishing texts, reorganizing sections, and refining the tone until achieving a recognizable and mature voice within the current poetic landscape.
One of the most valued points has been the coexistence of different poetic forms within the same volume, a dialogue is created between tradition and contemporary thought. The result, according to the jury members, is a book that can be read as a sentimental map of a generation that has experienced social changes, economic crises, and technological transformations without abandoning a critical and sensitive perspective.
An award with record participation and international reach
The 46th edition of the Juan Ramón Jiménez Ibero-American Poetry Prize has set a new record for participation, with 1.031 works submitted from Europe, America and other continentsAfter the validation process, 955 poetry collections were finally accepted, a figure that confirms the consolidation of the international contest as a reference for authors in the Spanish language.
Spain had the largest presence, with 654 originals sent from various parts of the country. Alongside this majority participation, the strong Ibero-American representation stands out: 88 poetry collections from Argentina58 from Colombia, 49 from Mexico and 30 from Chile, in addition to 20 originals sent from the United States.
Beyond the strictly Hispanic American sphere, the prize has received works from places as diverse as New Zealand, Ethiopia, Austria, or AlgeriaThis reflects the global interest in Spanish poetry and the prestige that this award has acquired over the years.
The organizers of the competition, from the Huelva Provincial Council and the Zenobia-Juan Ramón Jiménez Foundation, have emphasized not only the quantity, but also the “diversity of aesthetics” present in the originals. In his opinion, the poets are venturing into very different lyrical territories, expanding formal and thematic horizons and showing the vitality of poetry written today in Spanish.
The voice of institutions: poetry, peace and the legacy of Juan Ramón Jiménez
In his address, the president of the Provincial Council, David Toscano, sought to frame the ruling within the current context, marked by conflicts and tensions in various parts of the world. He asserted that, in this scenario, “Poetry has an even deeper value”because it is configured as a language of peace, sensitivity and encounter between people.
Toscano emphasized that poetry serves to remind us of what human beings share despite their differences and to build bridges where others erect borders. This vision is directly linked to the Ibero-American vocation of the prize, which aspires to strengthen the cultural community around Spanish already the work of Juan Ramón Jiménez.
For his part, the mayor of Moguer, Gustavo Cuéllar, focused on the link between the competition and the legacy of the Nobel laureate from Moguer. He recalled that Juan Ramon Jimenez He was not only a reference point in universal literature, but also a symbol of a way of life linked to sensitivity, contemplation, and the spiritual quest that often beats in poetry.
Cuéllar argued that the spirituality and emotional intelligence that permeate poetic texts are difficult to reproduce using technological tools, insisting on the uniqueness of human experience in literary creation. He also emphasized that the prize has become one of the most important poetry competitions worldwide, with Juan Ramón Jiménez as its best ambassador.
Enrique Zumalabe's reaction: surprise, gratitude, and a career path
Enrique Zumalabe himself learned the news in a completely ordinary context: He received the call from the Provincial Council while he was teaching a class. as a primary school teacher. According to the institution, the poet was visibly surprised and very grateful to learn that his work had been chosen from among more than a thousand entries.
Zumalabe admitted that he thought he had no chance of winning, precisely because of the magnitude of the prize and the international competition. Despite that initial impression, his consistency in working on the manuscript and their involvement with the cultural fabric of Huelva has ended up finding very significant support.
Born in Huelva in 1977, the author has combined his teaching work with a constant presence in various literary projects. He has been involved in local initiatives such as Psiqueactiva and The Möbius StripThese spaces have been instrumental in revitalizing cultural life in Huelva. She also collaborated with Uniradio, the university radio station, on programs focused on books and creative writing.
Regarding his published work, the Provincial Council of Huelva published his chapbook in 2006 Close upand later the books were published Besides crying (2014) and Rain or morning (2018)Both are published by Ediciones de la Isla de Siltolá. Some of his poems and stories have also appeared in anthologies and literary magazines, reinforcing a career that until now had mainly operated in specialized circuits.
An award with more than four decades of history
The Juan Ramón Jiménez Ibero-American Poetry Prize was created in 1981 by the Provincial Council of Huelva and the then Juan Ramón Jiménez Foundation, with the aim of to pay tribute to the Nobel laureate from Moguer and to promote poetic creation in Spanish. From its first editions, the competition attracted the attention of the literary world due to the seriousness of its rules, the quality of the juries and the scope of its call for entries.
In the 1980s, for example, the award already attracted the participation of renowned poets and received significant coverage in magazines and cultural supplements. In 1982, the poet from Granada Javier Egea He was one of the names awarded for his work Walk of the Sad, in an edition that included several hundred poetry collections and in which key figures of Spanish poetry of the time participated, such as José Hierro, Félix Grande or Aurora de Albornoz.
Over time, the award expanded its scope beyond the national level until it became a reference point for authors from Spain and Latin AmericaCurrently, writers of any nationality can participate as long as their works are written in Spanish and are unpublished, which contributes to the diversity of voices that reach the competition.
In addition to the financial support, the call for proposals guarantees the edition of the winning bookThis is a key aspect for many poets who find in these kinds of awards a way into the publishing world. Throughout its forty-six editions, the competition has served both to discover new voices and to consolidate established literary careers.
Enrique Zumalabe's award thus forms part of a long history linking the province of Huelva with Spanish poetry. The prize reinforces the role of the Provincial Council and the Zenobia-Juan Ramón Jiménez Foundation as cultural agents of reference in the Ibero-American sphere, while also pointing to the enduring relevance of Juan Ramón Jiménez as a symbol of orality, writing, and shared memory.
With this new edition, the Juan Ramón Jiménez Ibero-American Poetry Prize reaffirms its role as a meeting point between different generations, geographies, and sensibilities. The success of Grammar of disorder and the fact that its author is from Huelva reinforces the idea that the poetryFar from being a minority genre, it continues to find readers, building bridges between countries and opening spaces for dialogue at a historical moment in which, perhaps more than ever, words capable of looking at the world with calm and depth are needed.
