Carlos Fuentes Macías was a highly regarded Mexican novelist and essayist in the Spanish-speaking world. He was born in Panama City, Panama, on November 11, 1928, to Mexican parents. Fuentes' father was a diplomat, which resulted in the family moving around frequently during his childhood, living in cities such as Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Washington, Santiago, and Buenos Aires. Fuentes later returned to Mexico in his adolescence and lived there until 1965.
Fuentes is known for his essays and novels, which were particularly popular among Spanish-speaking authors of the 20th century. His writing was influenced by famous authors such as Cervantes, Juan Rulfo, Thomas Mann, James Joyce, Alfonso Reyes, Balzac, Proust, Stendhal, Faulkner, and many others. Most of his works have been translated into English and other foreign languages.
In 1959, Fuentes married the film star Rita Macedo, but they separated in 1973 due to his infidelity. Fuentes was known for being a habitual philanderer, and his affairs, which he claimed included film actresses such as Jean Seberg and Jeanne Moreau, caused Macedo great distress. Fuentes later married Silvia Lemus, with whom he remained until his death.
In addition to his career as a writer, Fuentes also served as a diplomat, following in the footsteps of his parents. He became a diplomat in 1965 and served in London, Paris, and other capitals. Fuentes resigned from his post as ambassador to France in 1978 in protest over the appointment of Gustavo Diaz Ordaz, former president of Mexico, as ambassador to Spain. Fuentes also taught courses at various universities, including Brown, Princeton, Harvard, Penn, George Mason, Columbia, and Cambridge.