National literature took center stage at the Montevideo International Book Fair.
As part of the ceremony organized by the Uruguayan Book Chamber, the 2025 Bartolomé Hidalgo Awards were presented, the country’s highest honor for literary achievement.
In the Feature Writing and Investigative Journalism category, the award was presented to Carolina Delisa and Martín Tocar for their book *Gustavo Penadés: Two Faces of a Man in Power* (Sudamericana), an in-depth investigation into the Uruguayan politician that dominated the media agenda over the past year.
A rigorous and revealing investigation
Throughout the process, Delisa and Tocar took a thorough approach that combined documentary research, interviews, and contextual analysis, with the aim of offering a critical and well-founded perspective on one of the most significant political cases in recent times.
"Gustavo Penadés: Two Faces of a Man in Power " represents a significant contribution to investigative journalism in Uruguay, highlighting the role of the press in public scrutiny and the construction of collective memory.
- You might be interested in: Investigative Journalism in Uruguay Today
Notable careers in journalism
Martín Tocar holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and currently teaches at the School of Communication at Universidad ORT Uruguay. Throughout his career, he has built a strong track record in investigative journalism, with a particular focus on political and social issues.
Carolina Delisa, who also holds a degree in Communication, contributed her experience and critical perspective to the collaborative effort. Her participation was key to enriching the narrative and analytical approach of the project, helping to build a journalism team that combined rigor, sensitivity, and in-depth investigative work.
A tribute to Uruguayan journalism
The 2025 Bartolomé Hidalgo Award recognizes not only the literary quality of the book but also the value of investigative journalism in crafting the narratives necessary for understanding the national reality.
The award given to Delisa and Tocar reinforces the importance of feature writing and investigative journalism as fundamental genres within Uruguayan publishing, and celebrates the dedicated work of journalists who contribute to public memory and debate.
Learn more about the Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Content Creation