43 moments

1. Birth in Guatemala City

   1899-10-19 · Guatemala City, Guatemala

   Miguel Ángel Asturias was born in Guatemala City.

2. Return to Guatemala City

   1908-01-01 · Guatemala City, Guatemala

   After his family returned from Baja Verapaz, Asturias spent his adolescence in the suburbs of Guatemala City. The source specifies suburbs of Guatemala City; coordinates represent the city.

3. Student delegation to Mexico

   1921-08-01 · Mexico

   Asturias traveled to Mexico as a representative of university students during his law studies. The source identifies Mexico but not a city; coordinates are a representative national point.

4. Popular University teaching

   1922-01-01 · Guatemala

   As a founder of the Popular University of Guatemala, Asturias taught grammar and literacy classes to workers and gave a weekly lecture. The source identifies Guatemala but does not specify a city; coordinates are a representative national point.

5. Political-economy study visit

   1923-01-01 · London, England, United Kingdom

   Asturias traveled to London with exiled Peruvian senator José Antonio Encinas to study political economy.

6. Arrival in Paris

   1923-09-01 · Paris, France

   Asturias moved to Paris, beginning the decade-long European period central to his ethnological and literary formation.

7. Mayan studies in Paris

   1925-01-01 · Paris, France

   

   In Paris, Asturias studied with Georges Raynaud and began translating the Popol Vuh with José María González de Mendoza.

8. Extended stay in Guatemala

   1928-01-01 · Guatemala

   Following his Havana visit, Asturias spent several months in Guatemala while developing literary projects. The source does not specify a locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

9. Journalists' congress visit

   1928-01-01 · Havana, Cuba

   Asturias traveled to Havana to attend a congress of journalists.

10. Spanish Republican-era visit

    1930-01-01 · Spain

    Asturias was in Spain at the beginning of the Second Spanish Republic and published Leyendas de Guatemala during this period. The source gives a two-year span and no city; coordinates are a representative national point.

11. Journey through Egypt

    1932-01-01 · Egypt

    Asturias traveled in Egypt while continuing poetry and completing the manuscript that became El Señor Presidente. The source gives no locality or more precise date; coordinates are a representative national point.

12. Journey through Palestine

    1932-01-01 · Palestine

    Asturias traveled in Palestine during a wider 1932 journey in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. The source gives no locality or more precise date; coordinates represent the historical-geographic area identified by the source.

13. Return from Paris to Guatemala

    1933-07-14 · Guatemala

    Asturias returned to Guatemala after ten years in Paris. The source identifies Guatemala but not an arrival city; coordinates are a representative national point.

14. Relocation to Mexico

    1945-01-01 · Mexico

    Asturias established himself in Mexico after Guatemala’s 1944 political transition. The source gives an early-1945 date but does not specify a city; coordinates are a representative national point.

15. Cultural attaché in Mexico

    1946-01-01 · Mexico City, Mexico

    President Juan José Arévalo appointed Asturias cultural attaché at Guatemala’s embassy in Mexico. Mexico City is used as the defensible location of the Guatemalan embassy; the quoted source names Mexico rather than the city.

16. Transfer to Buenos Aires

    1947-08-08 · Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Asturias moved with his children to Buenos Aires after being named cultural attaché in Argentina.

17. Visit to Pablo Neruda

    1948-01-01 · Chile

    Asturias traveled to Chile to visit Pablo Neruda. The source does not specify a Chilean locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

18. Research stay in Guatemala

    1949-12-01 · Guatemala

    Asturias returned to Guatemala to gather material for Viento Fuerte and remained into March 1950. The source does not specify a locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

19. Marriage in Montevideo

    1950-01-01 · Montevideo, Uruguay

    Asturias traveled to Montevideo to marry Blanca Mora Araujo.

20. Minister-counselor appointment

    1952-01-01 · Paris, France

    President Jacobo Arbenz appointed Asturias minister-counselor in Paris.

21. Visit invited by Víctor Paz Estenssoro

    1952-10-01 · La Paz, Bolivia

    Asturias traveled to La Paz at the invitation of Bolivian president Víctor Paz Estenssoro.

22. Visit to Guatemala

    1953-01-01 · Guatemala

    Asturias spent several weeks in Guatemala to receive an homage from the Skart-ti group of young writers and artists. The source does not specify a locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

23. Exile in Buenos Aires

    1954-01-01 · Buenos Aires, Argentina

    After his Chile visit, Asturias settled again in Buenos Aires, where he published Viento Fuerte.

24. Neruda visit in Chile

    1954-01-01 · Chile

    Asturias traveled to Chile at Pablo Neruda’s invitation after the overthrow of Jacobo Arbenz. The source does not specify a Chilean locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

25. Return to diplomatic post

    1954-01-01 · San Salvador, El Salvador

    During the Guatemalan crisis, Asturias returned to his diplomatic seat in San Salvador and resigned there.

26. Tenth Inter-American Conference

    1954-01-01 · Caracas, Venezuela

    Asturias traveled with Guatemala’s delegation to Caracas for the Tenth Inter-American Conference.

27. Transit through Panama

    1954-01-01 · Panama

    After resigning his diplomatic post, Asturias traveled from Panama toward Chile. The source identifies Panama but not a specific locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

28. Writers' congress journey

    1957-01-01 · India

    Asturias made a trip through India in order to attend a congress of writers. The source gives no Indian locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

29. University invitation visit

    1959-09-01 · Guatemala

    Asturias arrived in Guatemala as a guest of the University of San Carlos and met editors of Lanzas y Letras. The source does not specify a locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

30. First-anniversary celebration of the Revolution

    1960-01-01 · Cuba

    Asturias traveled to Cuba for celebrations marking the first anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. The source does not specify a Cuban locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

31. Detention in Buenos Aires

    1962-01-01 · Buenos Aires, Argentina

    

    Asturias was detained in Buenos Aires amid suspicion over his support for Cuban revolutionaries, then began a European journey after release.

32. Third World Writers' Congress

    1964-12-01 · Genoa, Italy

    Asturias represented the French PEN Club at the Third World Writers’ Congress in Genoa.

33. Lenin Peace Prize ceremony

    1965-08-01 · Moscow, Soviet Union

    Asturias received the Lenin Peace Prize in Moscow from Dolores Ibárruri. Moscow was then in the Soviet Union.

34. Ambassadorial residence in Paris

    1966-01-01 · Paris, France

    

    After restoration of his Guatemalan citizenship, Asturias became Guatemala’s ambassador to France and took permanent residence in Paris.

35. Second Congress of Latin American Writers

    1967-04-01 · Mexico City, Mexico

    Asturias attended the Second Congress of the Community of Latin American Writers in Mexico City.

36. Nobel banquet speech

    1967-12-10 · Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

    Asturias gave a speech at the Nobel Banquet after receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature.

37. Latin American University Theatre Festival

    1968-01-01 · Manizales, Colombia

    

    Asturias presided over the Latin American University Theatre Festival in Manizales during a Colombian trip.

38. Visit invited by Léopold Senghor

    1969-01-01 · Senegal

    Asturias traveled to Senegal at the invitation of President Léopold Senghor. The source does not specify a Senegalese locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

39. President of Cannes Film Festival jury

    1970-01-01 · Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes, France

    Asturias served as president of the jury of the Cannes Film Festival. Coordinates identify the principal Cannes Film Festival venue.

40. Honors visit to Mexico

    1972-01-01 · Mexico

    Asturias visited Mexico at the invitation of President Luis Echeverría and received numerous honors. The source does not specify a city; coordinates are a representative national point.

41. Visit to Israel

    1972-05-01 · Israel

    Asturias traveled to Israel in May 1972. The source does not specify a locality; coordinates are a representative national point.

42. Final residence in Madrid

    1973-01-01 · Madrid, Spain

    Asturias returned to Madrid, where he spent the final two years of his life; in 1973 he met Juan D. Perón there.

43. Death in Madrid

    1974-06-09 · Madrid, Spain

    Asturias died in Madrid after illness during his final years in the city.