Mexican writer Vicente Leñero died at 81 in Mexico City. He had pulmonary emphysema. 

His family said that a homage will be held tomorrow afternoon in his honor, without providing further details.

Leñero, born on June 9, 1933 in Guadalajara, wrote numerous books, stories, and plays, including a theatrical adaptation of Oscar Lewis's "The Children of Sánchez". In 2001 he received the Xavier Villaurrutia Award and the following year the National Award of Arts and Science for Literature.

Even though he graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 1959 with a degree in civil engineering, Leñero turned to writing to support himself. His first novel was "La voz adolorida" (1961). "Los Albañiles" followed in 1963. 

In the 1980s, Leñero released several successful nonfiction books such as "La gota de agua" and "Asesinato: el doble crimen de los Flores Muñoz".

Leñero worked as a journalist for publications such as El Heraldo de México and Excélsior newspapers and the magazines Claudia and Revista de Revista. He also was deputy director of Proceso magazine from 1997 to 1998.