Gabriel García Márquez, renowned Latin American author, Nobel Prize laureate, and master of literary magical realism, turned 80 years old yesterday. Born in Colombia in 1928, García Márquez first won international acclaim with his book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, a defining classic work of twentieth century literature. García Márquez is no stranger to controversy, inspired by the choice to incorporate strong political themes into his novels. He has used his literary noteriety and personal funds to champion a variety of revolutionary political and social causes in Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Angola, and Argentina. He also helped to found HABEAS, an organization seeking to correct the abuses of Latin American dictatorships and to free the political prisoners of these regimes.

His controversial friendship with Fidel Castro has raised more than a few eyebrows. The United States even placed travel restrictions on the author for several years until they were lifted by Bill Clinton in 1997. Although García Márquez claims to be very good friends with Castro — who helped him edit Chronicle of a Death Foretold — during the late 1970s he composed a “very harsh, very frank” book about the negative effects of living under the Castro regime and the shortcomings of the Cuban Revolution. He plans to publish the book when Cuban and US relations are normalized.

and find out what Human Rights Watch is up to in Latin America. Don’t forget to check out the trailer below for Love in the Time of Cholera, another well-known and well-loved novel by García Márquez, which comes out on DVD March 18th.