Pedro Bonifacio Palacios, also known by the nickname Almafuerte, was an Argentine poet who also served as a teacher. Born in Buenos Aires in a very humble family, he lost his mother as a child and was abandoned by his father, for which he was raised by some relatives.
In the beginning he showed a great interest in the world of painting, but he was denied a scholarship to travel to Europe to perfect his technique and was forced to dedicate himself to writing and teaching. At only sixteen years old, he was already the director of a school, although when conducting an investigation the authorities discovered that he lacked the title that would allow him to practice the profession, although there are those who have dared to assure that there were actually some political interests and the regime He did not like his critical poems against the president and his team.
Forced to leave the world of education, he reached a post as a deputy in Buenos Aires and later went to live in La Plata to work as a journalist for the newspaper El Pueblo. Years later he resumed his work as a teacher, but was again retired for political reasons just two years later.
Reluctant to carry out political work, his activity in this field was always quite uncomfortable, since he was dedicated to criticizing all those who dedicate themselves to living at the expense of citizens’ pockets by charging them taxes.
Almost in his last days, he was granted a pension so that he could dedicate himself to writing poetry, however he did not get to collect his first monthly payment since he died in his early sixties.
In the last city where he lived, a museum dedicated to his memory is preserved, in the house where he spent his last years. The house has been declared a historical monument of the city of La Plata, of the entire province and of the Argentine nation. In the museum there are photographs and drawings, books and manuscripts, as well as furniture and some personal objects that the writer used during his life.
Some of Almafuerte’s works were written under different aliases, although the aforementioned Almafuerte is the one that became popular and by which he is most commonly known. In the early fifties a film was produced that revolved around his figure, and it was the winner of the Silver Condor in 1949 for best film.