Rafael Díaz Ycaza, Ecuadorian journalist, author, and poet (b. 1925)
Rafael Díaz Ycaza (October 24, 1925 - August 28, 2013) was an Ecuadorian poet, novelist, short story writer, and columnist for the Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo.He is the author of many books of poetry, and also wrote novels. His first published work was Statues at Sea (1946) and the last was Pure Beast Alba, a poem anthology, published in September 2007.Rafael Díaz Ycaza rose to prominence with his poems at a young age, earning a reputation as a poet of great talent. He became one of the most popular and respected poets of Guayaquil and the country. Ycaza also wrote prose. He was also a journalist, writing the column 'Bottle Sea' in El Universo for several years. He also occupied the position of president of the Guayas branch of the House of Ecuadorian Culture. His stellar career and contributions to Ecuadorian literature were acknowledged in 2011, when he was awarded the Eugenio Espejo National Award.