Rights to the works of Argentine literary giant Jorge Luis Borges granted to his widow's nephews

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A court has granted the rights to the works of the late Jorge Luis Borges, considered Argentina’s most internationally significant author of the 20th century, to five nephews of the author’s widow who died in March.

Borges’ wife, Maria Kodama, had devoted much of her life to fiercely protecting his legacy and it surprise many in Argentina’s literary circle that she did not leave a will, even though she was battling breast cancer.

The absence of a will had put the rights to his works into limbo. But on Tuesday a court in Buenos Aires ruled that the five nephews would receive the rights “in their capacity as universal heirs.”

Borges died in 1986 at age 86 and left Kodama, a translator and writer whom he had married earlier that year, as his only heir. They never had children. She died March 26, also aged 86.

Kodama’s longtime lawyer, Fernando Soto, said in April that Kodama’s nephews went to court to declare themselves her heirs after her death, seeking to get ownership to all of her possessions, including the rights to Borges’ works and what are thought to be several valuable manuscripts.

Borges’ widow led a life apart from her family.

Soto said he was “surprised to find out she had nephews,” adding that “it was a big relief because I didn’t want the state to keep everything.”