Panama, 9 July 2026. - The writers Dimitrios Gianareas and Paul Guillermo Escobar Archer have been awarded winners of the National Narrative Award "Ariel Barria Alvarado" 2026, in the category Cuento, and of the Pedro Correa Literary Award, respectively, after the qualifying jurors unanimously select the most outstanding works among those presented at both competitions organized by the Ministry of Culture.

The National Narrative Award "Ariel Barria Alvarado" 2026 participated in 22 proposals. The Jury, composed of Raisa Calderon, Irina de Ardila and Rodolfo de Gracia, distinguished the tale "Everything comes from somewhere," submitted under the pseudonym Raymod, whose pica revealed as his author Dimitros Gianareas.

The decision highlights the mastery of the narrative office as shown in the work, the management of the speaker's voice and the construction of dialogues, as well as the depth with which he develops characters faced with complex and intense situations. Jury also valued the rhythm, tone and suspense of his accounts, capable of building atmospheres with great narrative force, as well as the use of unexpected turns and titles that pay tribute to well-known Panamanian storyteller.

The Jury also emphasized the quality of a large part of the contiguous works and expressed his interest that this prize continue to promote national literary creation and honor the memory of the writer Ariel Barria Alvarado.

The Pedro Correa Literary Prize brought together 24 works. The Jury formed by Gonzalo Menendez, Gloriela Carles and Luis Armando Lescure unanimously chose the book "The End of Words," submitted with the pseudonym William Cerezo. Following the opening of the pic, it was known that the complainant was Paul Guillermo Escobar Archer.

In his verdict, the Jury described his work as a set of high conceptual and solid metal pic tales, written with a purified and elegant language. He also emphasized how science and imagination fuses to build a narrative universe where quantum physics, multitists and a reflection about human condition, chaos and the search for meaning through words converge.

The literary awards organized by the Ministry of Culture are a platform to recognize the excellence of Panamanian literature and to stimulate production of new works that enrich the cultural landscape of the country