Paco Ignacio Taibo II (Francisco Ignacio Taibo Mahojo), born in Gijón, Spain, in 1949, is one of the most influential writers and cultural promoters in the Spanish-speaking world. His life and work are marked by a blend of literature, history, and social activism, which has made him a unique figure in Mexican and Latin American culture.
Childhood and Arrival in Mexico
The son of writer and journalist Paco Ignacio Taibo I, he grew up in a home surrounded by books and political debates. In 1958, his family moved to Mexico, fleeing Franco’s dictatorship. There, he not only shaped his literary path but also developed as an intellectual committed to the social and political realities of his time.
Prolific Writer and Creator of Detective Belascoarán
Taibo II is especially known for his detective novels, a genre he revitalized in Mexican literature. His most famous character is Héctor Belascoarán Shayne, an independent, ironic detective deeply critical of Mexican society. Works such as Days of Combat (1976), Some Easy Things (1977), and Border Dreams (1990) established him as a master of Latin American noir fiction.
Historian and Chronicler
In addition to being a novelist, Taibo is a passionate historian. His biographies of figures such as Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Ernesto Guevara, Also Known as Che, 1996) and Francisco Villa (¡Viva la Revolución!, 2006) are landmarks of historical popularization, blending rigorous research with an accessible and vibrant narrative style.
Cultural and Political Work
Taibo II has not limited himself to writing: he has also been a teacher, lecturer, and cultural promoter. He co-founded the Semana Negra de Gijón (Gijón Noir Week), an international literary festival dedicated to crime and adventure fiction that became a meeting point for writers from around the world.
His political commitment has always been present. A lifelong leftist activist, since 2018 he has served as director of the Fondo de Cultura Económica (FCE) in Mexico, seeking to make books more affordable and accessible through wide-reaching reading programs.
Style and Legacy
Taibo II’s style is direct, passionate, and infused with humor. His novels combine suspense with social critique, while his essays and historical works give voice to forgotten popular struggles and figures.
With more than 50 published books, translated into several languages, Paco Ignacio Taibo II today stands as a key figure in genre fiction, social history, and cultural promotion—an author who has succeeded in blending entertainment with critical awareness.