Aena, led by Óscar Puente, has launched a new prestigious award called the Aena Prize for Hispanic American Literature, aimed to recognize literary excellence and promote the Spanish language across the Atlantic. The president of Aena, Maurici Lucena, highlighted that the award seeks to rival other esteemed literary prizes like France's Goncourt and the UK's Booker Prize, with the inaugural award set for April 8, 2025, in Barcelona.

The launch of this literary prize comes at a time when the Spanish literary award scene is perceived as saturated. However, the Aena Prize stands out due to its ambitious goal of achieving international acclaim and recognition. The competition will accept works written in Spanish or official languages translated into Spanish, which broadens its reach and inclusivity.

The most notable feature of this new prize is its substantial monetary reward of one million euros, positioning it competitively against the established Planeta Prize. This strategic move raises questions about the motivations behind the award's creation, particularly given its timing and the absence of prior consultation with Spain's Ministry of Culture, suggesting a potentially contentious relationship moving forward in the cultural sector.