Writer, poet Affonso Romano de Sant'Anna dies in Rio
Writer and poet Affonso Romano de Sant'Anna died on Tuesday (Mar. 4) at the age of 87 at his home in Rio de Janeiro, from Alzheimer's disease.
He published over 60 books, spanning genres such as poetry and chronicles. He was also a columnist for Jornal do Brasil and O Globo. The poet was married to fellow writer Marina Colasanti, whom he lost in January of this year.
In a statement, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva mourned the writer's death and highlighted Sant'Anna's achievements, including the creation of public policies that remain in effect today.
"As a public official, he chaired the National Library Foundation from 1990 to 1996, overseeing key initiatives to promote reading. Among these were the creation of the National Library System and the National Reading Incentive Program, which continues to this day. My condolences to the family, friends, and admirers of Affonso Romano de Sant'Anna," wrote Lula.
Biography
In the 1950s and 1960s, he was actively involved in poetic avant-garde movements. In 1961, he graduated in Neo-Latin Letters from the Faculty of Letters at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), where he also earned his doctorate in 1969.
In 1965, he taught at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and in 1968, he participated in the International Writers Program at the University of Iowa, which brought together 40 writers from around the world.
He has lectured at universities in Germany (University of Cologne), the United States (University of Texas and UCLA), Denmark (University of Aarhus), Portugal (Nova University), and France (University of Aix-en-Provence).
