González-Viaña, who has seven honorary degrees
from different universities and boasts an impressive academic and literary
record, talked about the ups and downs of the legal process the Peruvian writer
César Vallejo was subjected to in his lifetime, and insisted that reality is
often stranger than fiction.

The son and father of lawyers, González-Viaña
recalled his early fascination with law and how this interest had a powerful
influence on his literary works.

He writes novels, stories and newspaper articles, and lectures at
various universities, theatres, cultural centres and workplaces around the
world, especially in the United States, where
González Viaña is considered a reference point for Latin American immigrants,
who are becoming increasingly influential in US politics.

His novel El corrido de Dante (Dante's Ballad) is considered a classic work
of immigrant literature. It won the 2007 International Latino Award in the
United States.

During his
visit to the UIC, the Peruvian professor was appointed honorary professor of
the Faculty of Law. He was presented with the title by the faculty dean Javier
Junceda.