Montevideo - Uruguayans intellectuals today commemorated the 95 anniversary of the birth of prominent writer, poet and essayist Mario Benedetti, who died in 2009, after leaving a valuable and voluminous work.

The Mario Benedetti Foundation remembers the author of novels like 'The Truce' and 'Thank you for the fire' and it will also announce the Mario Benedetti International Award to the struggle for Human Rights and solidarity.

Benedetti published seven novels, the last was 'Scaffolding' (1996), 30 books of poems, 17 essays, 10 books of short stories, four plays and eight albums, of these, several along with the Uruguayan singer Daniel Viglietti.

The work of the prestigious member of the 1945 Generation, to which belonged intellectuals as Idea Vilariño and Juan Carlos Onetti, has more than 80 books, several of them translated into twenty languages.

Being the son of a working family, this writer interrupted his studies early, traveled to neighboring Argentina and, in return, directed and edited the publication Marginalia volume of essays 'vicissitudes and novel'.

Soon after, he was part of the editorial and then headed the literary section of the weekly Marcha, where he worked until 1974, when it was closed by the regime of Juan María Bordaberry. He also wrote in the important literary magazine Número (Number).

In 1964 was theater critic for the newspaper La Mañana (The Morning) and Peloduro magazine contributor, as well as movie commentator in La Tribuna Popular (Popular Tribune).

Besides, Benedetti was representative of the March 26 Movement in the Executive Board of the Frente Amplio from 1971 to 1973, while directing the Department of Hispanic-American Literature at the University of the Republic.

The coup of 1973 forced him to leave the country and traveled to Argentina, then to Peru, Cuba and Spain. In total, he lived 10 years in exile, separated from his relatives.

Back in Uruguay in 1983 he joined the Editorial Board of the new magazine Brecha (Breach) (a continuity of March, closed in 1974) and participated in demonstrations denouncing the crimes committed during the military dictatorship (1973-1985).

Benedetti's work was laureate in numerous countries, including Bulgaria, Chile, El Salvador, Spain, Italy and Venezuela, plus Uruguay.

In Cuba, where he worked in the Casa de Las Americas, he received the Félix Varela Order and the Medal Haydeé Santamaría, both awarded by the Council of State of Cuba, among other honors.

After his death at the age of 88, his remains were veiled with honors in the Hall of Lost Steps of the Legislative Palace, surrounded by a crowd of intellectuals, academics and workers.