Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, more commonly known as Mario Vargas Llosa, is a Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist, and former politician. The Marquess of Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading writers of his generation. With a career that spans over decades, he has made a remarkable impact on the literary world, being celebrated for his complex narratives and profound insights into society, power, and individual resistance.

Vargas Llosa rose to international fame in the 1960s with novels such as The Time of the Hero (La ciudad y los perros), The Green House (La casa verde), and the monumental Conversation in the Cathedral (Conversación en la catedral). His prolific writing spans across an array of literary genres, including literary criticism and journalism. Noteworthy among his accolades is the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010, "for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual's resistance, revolt, and defeat."

Beyond his literary endeavors, Vargas Llosa has been politically active throughout his career. Initially supporting the Cuban revolutionary government, he later distanced himself due to disagreements with its policies. A staunch advocate for liberalism, he ran for the Peruvian presidency in 1990 but was defeated by Alberto Fujimori. In recent years, he has continued to support right-wing activists and candidates internationally.

In acknowledgment of his contributions to literature and culture, Vargas Llosa was made the 1st Marquess of Vargas Llosa by King Juan Carlos I of Spain in 2011. Additionally, in 2021, he was elected to the Académie française, becoming the first member who has not written works in French, though he speaks the language fluently.