Mario Vargas Llosa, born Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, is a renowned Peruvian writer, journalist, essayist, college professor, and former politician, who also holds Spanish and Dominican citizenship.

Vargas Llosa is regarded as one of the most significant novelists and essayists in the Spanish language and a leading writer of his generation. He achieved international recognition in the 1960s with novels such as The Time of the Hero (1963), The Green House (1966), and Conversation in The Cathedral (1969). His works span various literary genres, including comedies, murder mysteries, historical novels, and political thrillers, and have been adapted into films.

In 2010, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his deep exploration of structures of power and the individual's resistance. Other accolades include the Rómulo Gallegos Prize, Prince of Asturias Award, and the Miguel de Cervantes Prize.

Many of Vargas Llosa's works are inspired by Peruvian society and his experiences in Peru, though he has also explored themes beyond his native country in novels like The Feast of the Goat (2000), set in the Dominican Republic.

Politically active, he initially supported the Cuban government but later became disillusioned and identified as a liberal. He ran for the Peruvian presidency in 1990 but was defeated. In 2021, he was elected to the Académie française.