Poet Ferreira Gullar elected to Brazilian Academy of Letters

The Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL) granted poet Ferreira Gullar after a vote held Friday (Oct 9) chair number 37, empty since July 3, when poet and translator Ivan Junqueira died. Gullar received 36 of 37 possible ballots.

Ferreira Gullar, whose real name is José Ribamar Ferreira, was born in the northeastern state of Maranhão on September 10, 1930. At the age of 18, he became involved in the literary milieux of the capital. A year later, he discovered modern poetry, after reading poems by Carlos Dummond de Andrade and Manuel Bandeira.