Countries have mechanisms for the recognition and reward of particularly outstanding careers or findings by their scientists. In Latin America and the Caribbean, these mechanisms are generally of an official character and have governmental funding, although also, on occasions with particular relevance, they are granted by private institutions and foundations, as it is common in countries of the Western industrialized world.

Whether being of private or official origin, recognitions usually consist of national or local awards, while those of international character, conceived to surpass national borders and stimulate international cooperation can be counted with the fingers of the hands. Naturally, international organisms are the most appropriate ones to plan and execute actions in this direction, and so it has been.

During several decades the Bernardo Houssay Inter American Science Prize, granted by the Organization of American States, stood out in our region. Unfortunately, it is now more than a decade that it has faded away, as did the Manuel Noriega Morales Prize, oriented to young outstanding researchers in science and technology, which was granted by the same organization. Another award, dating from 1998 and initially oriented to young scientists, was established by the group of countries of Mercosur. It has been later enlarged to several categories, including veterans, but it is granted in specific areas on each biennial occasion and is restricted to the member and associated countries of said organization.

A recent initiative, since 2004, is the Interciencia Award, open to the participation of Latin American and Caribbean scientists, but limited to those working in the fields of environment and life sciences. The convenience of limiting the age of the candidates, or not doing so to overcome the unavoidable selection of consecrated men and women of science, is a matter or discussion within the Interciencia Association. The discussion about the convenience of granting regional awards is also pertinent, considering the existence of more relevant prizes, such as the Nobel or the Príncipe de Asturias Prize, of global reach and oriented to recognized scientists, where distinguished scientists of our region have had an interesting quota of participation.

An award that deserves a special mention is the Premio México (www.cc.gob.mx), which has been granted annually since 1990. It is aimed at the recognition of scientific or technological achievements by researchers and technologists in Iberian American and Caribbean countries, and has the peculiarity that the call for the prize excludes the participation of researchers from the scientific community of Mexico. In this manner, it is sought to stimulate the relations of the research and development communities of those countries with that of the country granting the recognition. Also, special attention is given to the fact that the work of the candidates be mostly carried out in institutions located in countries of the area.

Although the award is granted by the Mexican government through the Science Advisory Council of the Presidency, the Public Education Department and the National Council of Science and Technology, the winner is selected by a collegiate body integrated every year with the most outstanding specialists in the diverse fields of knowledge, postulated by the main public research institutions of the country. The specialists, after meeting separately by areas of knowledge, meet together to select one recipient.

The impressive list of very distinguished winners from 1990 to 2007 testifies the intense and fruitful selection process. Notwithstanding, the fact that the Premio México has never been granted to a researcher in the fields of social sciences, philosophy and history, it being certain that there are important researchers in these fields of knowledge, has prompted the organizers to call for the largest possible diffusion of this Prize among the scientific and technological communities of the region, in all fields of knowledge.

Miguel Laufer, Editor, Interciencia