Luz Machado

Luz Machado was a Venezuelan poet, essayist and journalist. Considered one of the fundamental voices of Venezuelan poetry in the 20th century, she was an enthusiast of the feminist movement in her country, actively participating in several associations. In addition, she was a co-founder of Círculo Escritores de Venezuela and the Venezuelan Association of Writers.

She was born on February 3, 1916, in Ciudad Bolívar, where she lived until her marriage at the age of 15. She marries Coromoto Arnao Hernández (politician and poet), with whom she will have five daughters and one son. And then, she moves to Barquisimeto, in the Central-Western region of Venezuela.

Later, in 1941, she moved to Caracas, where she published her first book "Ronda". From 1941 to 1961, she signed her works using her married name Luz Machado de Arnao. After her divorce, she signs her books as Luz Machado.

Note: Some sites mention the pseudonym Ágata Cruz used by the author. However, there is no association with any specific book or essays and collaborations in newspapers and magazines.

Between 1952-1956, she holds a diplomatic post as a cultural associate in Santiago, Chile.

Her literary work was awarded the Silver Medal of the Asociación de Escritores Venezolanos, the Premio Municipal de Poesía (1946), the Doctorate Honoris Causa by the Universidad de Guayana (1996), the Premio Nacional de Literatura (1987) and the ordinances Francisco de Miranda (1993) and Congreso de Angostura (1996)