José S. (José Sixto) Alvarez

Born in Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos, in 1858, José Sixto Álvarez became widely known under the pen name Fray Mocho. He was an Argentine writer and journalist whose work captured the voices, habits, and social scenes of his time with humor and close observation.

He spent much of his career in Buenos Aires, where he wrote about urban life, crime, politics, and popular culture. He is especially remembered for lively costumbrista pieces and books such as Memorias de un vigilante and Un viaje al país de los matreros, which helped turn everyday local experience into memorable literature.

Álvarez died in Buenos Aires in 1903, just days before his 45th birthday. Even now, he is remembered as a writer who noticed the details other people missed and turned them into scenes full of character.