Mario Benedetti was born in Uruguay in 1920. Following a 1973 coup d'état, Benedetti's work was banned. From 1973 to 1985, he lived in exile for various periods in Argentina, Peru, Cuba, and Spain. Writing from exile, he was able to inform the world about tragedies happening in his home country. Today, his more than 80 books of poetry, fiction, essays, and drama are well-renowned around the globe, having been published in over 20 languages. A member of Generation '45, his work had notable influence on Uruguayan literary and cultural life. He died in 2009.