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00:00:00 – 00:23:39
The video explores the dramatic and tumultuous relationship between renowned authors Gabriel García Márquez and Mario Vargas Llosa, focusing on a notorious altercation in which Vargas Llosa punched García Márquez over personal grievances involving Patricia, Vargas Llosa's wife. The video also touches on the context of their friendship, which transformed into animosity, largely influenced by Vargas Llosa's personal background marked by a brutal upbringing and his father's abuse. Key scenes include the confrontation at a documentary screening and García Márquez's humorous attempts to treat his injuries. Patricia's frustrations with domestic life in Barcelona and the financial struggles of the Vargas Llosa family further strained the situation. The narrative also highlights Vargas Llosa's career shift from a professor in London to a full-time writer in Barcelona, supported by a patron promising a higher income. The segment concludes with a hint at the continuation of their story as the family considers moving back to Lima.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, Luis introduces the book “Los Genios” by Jaime Bailey, which explores the famous altercation between Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel García Márquez. He explains that the book delves into the background and context of the incident, which was widely discussed in Lima, Colombia, and Spain, especially since both authors were prominent literary figures at that time. Luis mentions that Bailey’s account is a mix of factual stories and fictional elements. He plans to read the beginning of the book to give viewers a glimpse into the story and the behind-the-scenes events. He highlights the close relationship between the two authors, who were once good friends and neighbors. The reading covers the dramatic moment when Vargas Llosa punches García Márquez, a pivotal scene hinting at deep personal grievances.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, Gabriel García Márquez encounters Mario Vargas Llosa in a reserved room before a private screening of a documentary. Although García Márquez greets him warmly, Vargas Llosa’s true intentions are far from friendly. Fueled by a desire for revenge and feeling dishonored, Vargas Llosa delivers a powerful punch, knocking García Márquez unconscious and leaving him with visible injuries. The confrontation incites an uproar, with García Márquez’s wife, Mercedes, and writer Elena Poniatowska rushing to his aid. Vargas Llosa justifies his actions by accusing García Márquez of wrongdoing against his wife, Patricia. The event takes place in front of numerous journalists who were present for the documentary screening.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, Mario encounters Vargas Llosa, who does not recognize him despite their past acquaintance in Barcelona. Patricia, Llosa’s wife, unaware of Mario’s plans, stayed at a hotel in Mexico City. She reflected on a traumatic event—the death of her sister Wanda in a plane crash 12 years earlier. The narrative shifted to García Márquez, who, injured and bleeding, humorously sought a raw steak to treat his eye injury. After unsuccessfully attempting to get raw meat from a butcher, the group, including photographer María Luisa Mendoza, decided to head to her house where she had meat available.
00:09:00
In this segment, Elena Poniatowska and María Luisa Mendoza arrive at Mendoza’s apartment to find Gabriel García Márquez with a black eye, lying on the sofa as Mendoza’s dog tries to snatch a steak from him. While recovering from the violent incident, García Márquez reveals that Mario Vargas Llosa punched him, accusing him of something related to Patricia. This confrontation is part of a pattern for Vargas Llosa, who learned to fight in a brutal military school in Lima, where as a young cadet he endured and learned to deliver severe beatings. Despite his initial shyness and introspective nature, Vargas Llosa became known for his ability to defend himself with his fists, earning respect from his peers.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, Vargas Llosa’s struggles and triumphs are highlighted. Initially described as a skilled fighter who learned to defend himself at the Military College, Vargas Llosa faced cruelty from his harsh, abusive father, Ernesto Vargas. He endured insults and violence, transforming his fear into defiance. One pivotal night, hearing his mother Dorita’s screams from being beaten, Vargas Llosa intervened, violently confronting his father and knocking him unconscious. He then decided to take his mother away, declaring they would no longer live under such abuse. This marked the end of Ernesto Vargas’s domestic violence in their home. The segment concludes with a scene at the Génova hotel, where Patricia, Vargas Llosa’s partner, confronts him about his actions towards someone named Gabriel, to which Vargas responds coldly.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, Patricia confronts Vargas Llosa angrily, accusing him of making her the subject of scandal due to Gabriel’s actions. She throws objects at him, including an ashtray and a lamp, but Vargas Llosa manages to dodge them. Their altercation is violent as it’s revealed that Patricia has a history of physically attacking him. Vargas Llosa tries to calm her down, explaining that he fought Gabriel out of love for her. The confrontation ends with journalist Francisco Igartua suggesting they go eat, and they visit a nearby restaurant where the unusual order of milk instead of alcohol is placed, leading Igartua to mock Vargas Llosa. Separately, Gabriel García Márquez visits his friend and photographer Rodrigo Moya to get a photo of his injured eye, humorously claiming he lost a boxing match, while hinting at Vargas Llosa’s jealousy as the cause.
00:18:00
In this segment, the tension between Gabriel García Márquez and Mario Vargas Llosa is highlighted, starting with an incident where García Márquez, after being punched by Vargas Llosa in Mexico City, requested a set of photographs be saved. This animosity ended their supposedly inseparable friendship, transitioning from close neighbors in Barcelona to adversaries. The strain extended to Vargas Llosa’s family life, with his wife Patricia expressing deep frustration over their living conditions and her overwhelming domestic responsibilities. Despite her hard work, she felt undervalued and demanded they either hire help or move back to Lima, causing further tension with Mario, who stressed they could not afford domestic help in Barcelona.
00:21:00
In this part of the video, the narrator discusses how someone convinced Mario Vargas Llosa to leave his job as a Spanish professor in London and move to Barcelona to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time professional writer. The supporter promised to pay him a salary double what he earned in London regardless of his book sales. This support allowed Vargas Llosa to avoid taking other jobs and to focus solely on writing. His wife, Patricia, eventually found the domestic responsibilities overwhelming and desired to return to Lima, where they believed they could afford more help. The video hints at the next topic, which will cover the move to Lima and events leading up to Vargas Llosa’s infamous altercation with Gabriel García Márquez. Viewers are encouraged to subscribe, comment, share, and like the video for more content.