One of Mexico’s best known and beloved writers, Carlos Fuentes Macias, has died at age 83 years old at the Angeles del Pedregal Hospital in Mexico City, today sometime around noon.

Fuentes was born on November 11, 1928 and was celebrating the 50th anniversary of some of his most well known works “Aura” and “The Death of Artemio Cruz’”.  Just yesterday Fuentes had been appointed Doctor Honoris Cause of the University of the Balearic Islands in Spain – one of numerous recognitions he had received in his lifetime. 

He is the recipient of France’s highest civilian award the ‘National Order of Merit’ and he also won the ‘Cervantes Prize’ in 1987, when Mexico recognized him as their most distinguished living author.

He often criticized his beloved Mexico but never gave up on its glory and potential.  President Felipe Calderon wrote on Twiiter: “I deeply lament the death of our beloved and admired Carlos Fuentes, a universal Mexican writer.”

The son of a Mexican diplomat he traveled the world before coming home to Mexico at age 16 and started early as one of the great chroniclers of Mexico’s history and its role in the 20th century.

He wrote over 20 novels, countless short stories and essays and had his work made into movies and theatrical productions shown throughout the world.