Argentina: PEN International condemns attempted censorship of the book Cometierra

"By banning books, the authorities are attempting to stifle the essence of freedom; we must stand firm in protecting literature and books that serve as beacons of resistance in the contemporary world. We call on the Argentine authorities to end the ongoing harassment of writers" – Romana Cacchioli, Executive Director of PEN International  

22 November 2024: PEN International expresses deep concern at the Argentine authorities’ attempted censorship of Cometierra by writer Dolores Reyes. We urge the authorities to cease intimidating and stigmatising authors, books and publications, and to uphold cultural rights and freedom of expression in the country. 

On 7 November 2024, Victoria Villarruel, vice-president of Argentina, labelled the book Cometierra on her X account as immoral and degrading, sharing excerpts and calling for its removal from schools and libraries. PEN International views this as a dangerous step towards censorship and book banning based solely on the preferences of those in power. In 2024, PEN International has documented a significant increase in stigmatising speech and public insults targeting journalists, writers, publishers and media outlets in Argentina, a trend that must be halted.  

In 2019, the Argentinian publishing house, Sigilo released Cometierra, Dolores Reyes’s novel about a young woman who experiences visions when she eats soil. Cometierra was followed by Miseria (Alfaguara, 2023), a sequel addressing femicide in Latin America. Notwithstanding the vice-president's condemnation, the books remain part of library collections in Buenos Aires. 

“The school is a privileged place for educating readers; perhaps that is why it is constantly attacked” said Reyes, describing Villarruel's message as "an attempt to intimidate teachers by means of terror". 

PEN International calls on the authorities of Argentina to cease unfounded rhetoric that stigmatises publications and authors, and that undermine cultural rights and free expression. Argentina must uphold its obligation to promote, respect and protect the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in its Constitution and in the international treaties it has signed, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social, Political and Cultural Rights and the American Convention on Human Rights. 

For more information, please contact Alicia Quiñones, Head of the Americas Region, at PEN International, email: alicia.quinones@pen-international.org