List of Latin American Nobel laureates

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Nobel Prize is an annual, international prize first awarded in 1901 for achievements in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace, with an associated prize in Economics awarded since 1969.[1] As of October 2025, Nobel Prizes had been awarded to 965 individuals,[2] of whom 18 were Latin American recipients (1.8% of the 965 individual recipients).

Latin Americans have received awards in four of the six award categories: seven in Peace (35.3% of the Latin recipients), six in Literature (35.3%), three in Physiology or Medicine (17.6%), and two in Chemistry (11.8%). The first Latin American recipient, Carlos Saavedra Lamas, was awarded the Peace Prize in 1936. The most recent, María Corina Machado, was awarded the Peace Prize in 2025.

Among the Latin American laureates, two served as heads of state or government of their respective countries upon receiving the Nobel Prize. Those include Óscar Arias Sánchez of Costa Rica and Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, who were presidents; both of them were awarded the Peace Prize.

Chemistry

Two Latin Americans have been given the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

More information Year, Image ...
YearImageLaureateCountryComment
1970
Luis F. Leloir Argentina [3] First Hispanic to win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry
1995
Mario J. Molina Mexico
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Physiology or Medicine

Three Latin Americans have been given the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

More information Year, Image ...
YearImageLaureateCountryComment
1947
Bernardo Alberto Houssay Argentina First Latin American to win a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
1980
Baruj Benacerraf Venezuela
United States
1984
César Milstein Argentina
United Kingdom
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Literature

Six Latin Americans have been given the Nobel Prize in Literature.

More information Year, Image ...
YearImageLaureateCountryComment
1945
Gabriela Mistral Chile First Latin American to win a Nobel Prize in literature
1967
Miguel Ángel Asturias Guatemala
1971
Pablo Neruda Chile
1982
Gabriel García Márquez Colombia
1990
Octavio Paz Mexico
2010
Mario Vargas Llosa Peru
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Peace

Seven Latin Americans have been given the Nobel Peace Prize.

More information Year, Image ...
YearImageLaureateCountryComment
1936
Carlos Saavedra Lamas Argentina First Latin American to win a Nobel Prize, first Hispanic to win a Nobel Peace Prize
1980
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel Argentina [4]
1982
Alfonso García Robles Mexico
1987
Óscar Arias Sánchez Costa Rica
1992
Rigoberta Menchú Guatemala
2016
Juan Manuel Santos Colombia
2025
María Corina Machado Venezuela "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."[5]
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See also

References

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