Juan Guzmán Cruchaga

Who was Juan Guzmán Cruchaga?

Juan Guzmán Cruchaga was a Chilean poet and diplomat. He won the Chilean National Prize for Literature in 1962. Was of Basque descent. He was the son of Juan José Guzmán Guzmán and Amelia Cruchaga Aspillaga. He attended the colegio de San Ignacio from 1905, finishing his humanities subjects in 1912. In 1913 he enrols into the Faculty of Law of Universidad de Chile, desisting during third year. He was hired as an employee at the Court of Accounts, which he fulfilled till 1917. He collaborated with the Zig-Zag magazine, becoming a poet in his own right, later publishing his first book: "Juan al brasero". He began travelling in 1917, briefly returning to Chile from time to time. He then was named consul at Tampico, México, which would only be the first diplomatic post he acquired. He continued writing, becoming famous, culminating in being the recipient of the Chilean National Literary Prize in 1962. Juan Guzmán Cruchaga died in Viña del Mar on 21 July 1979. He was married to Raquel Tapia Caballero. He is the father of former judge Juan Guzmán Tapia.