In which country was journalist, novelist, and poet Mario Benedetti born?

Mario Orlando Hardy Hamlet Brenno Benedetti Farrugia, best known as Mario Benedetti, (born Sept. 14, 1920, Paso de los Toros, Uruguay—died May 17, 2009, Montevideo), was an Uruguayan journalist, novelist, and poet who was best known for his short stories.

Benedetti was born to a prosperous family of Italian immigrants. He began his literary career by publishing poetry, but he soon turned to short stories and novels. His most accomplished stories appeared in the collection “Montevideanos” (1959; “Montevideans”). His works became best sellers in Uruguay, and by the 1960s his reputation had spread throughout Latin America.

His novel “La tregua” (1960; “The Truce”) was widely read, as was his allegorical novel “El cumpleaños de Juan Angel” (1971; “Juan Angel’s Birthday”). Benedetti published “Despistes y franquezas” (1989; “Errors and Sincere Statements”) and “La borra del café” (1992; “Coffee Grounds”). A collection of his short stories was translated into English as “Blood Pact and Other Stories” (1997).

For 12 years, from 1973 to 1985, when a civic-military dictatorship ruled Uruguay, Benedetti lived in exile. He returned to Uruguay in March 1985 following the restoration of democracy, and thereafter divided his time between Montevideo and Madrid.

He died in Montevideo on 17 May 2009. His remains are buried at the National Pantheon in the Central Cemetery of Montevideo