The General Director of the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), Marisol Schulz, emphasized the importance of culture as a fundamental means to strengthen relationships, particularly with Spain, the guest country of honor at this year's event. In an interview with EFE, Schulz praised the "overwhelming" program with which Spain arrives at the fair, including the presence of writers, visual artists, musicians, thinkers, scientists, and culinary experts such as chef Ferran Adrià.
"Spain comes with everything," Schulz expressed, highlighting that the Spanish presence is constant at the FIL in Guadalajara and that many publishers consider this fair to be one of the most important, even more so than some fairs in Spain. The relationship between Mexico and Spain, according to Schulz, is a continuous exchange, a "two-way street," as outlined by Nicaraguan author Sergio Ramírez for this edition of the event.
Regarding the diplomatic controversy between Spain and Mexico due to the exclusion of King Felipe VI from the inauguration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Schulz emphasized that the fair remains detached from these conflicts. She believes that in a changing world, marked by invasions and colonizations, it is necessary to leave behind these types of confrontations and move towards greater understanding and mutual respect.
The event, which will take place from November 30 to December 8, will feature prominent Spanish authors such as Fernando Aramburu, Rosa Montero, Javier Cercas, and Nobel Prize in Literature Abdulrazak Gurnah, who will present his latest novel 'The Deserter'.
Regarding the relationship with the new government of Claudia Sheinbaum, Schulz expressed optimism and confidence in establishing good relations, considering the importance of having a woman and a scientist with international experience at the forefront. Although the previous administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador was critical of the fair, Schulz hopes that the new phase will be prosperous for the event.
Although writer Paco Ignacio Taibo II has criticized the fair for being elitist, Schulz defended the diversity and universality of the FIL, highlighting the participation of 50 countries and the commemoration of authors from different parts of the world, such as Mozambican writer Mia Couto, who will receive the FIL Prize for Literature and Romance Languages.
