Literary circles in Argentina and around the world are in turmoil after it was revealed that the rights to the works of the country’s most famous international writer Jorge Luis Borges they are in a vacuum. According to the international press, Fernando Soto, lawyer for the writer’s widow, Maria Kodamawho devoted most of her life to protecting her husband’s legacy, declared that she died without leaving a will.

Borges died in 1986 at the age of 86, leaving Kodama, a translator and writer whom he married earlier that year, as his sole heir. The couple had no children and Kodama lived alone, away from her family. She created the Borges Foundation, but she did not make it clear to anyone, even her lawyer, what would happen after her death. Soto said he was surprised his longtime client didn’t write a will. Kodama died on March 26 at the age of 86 from breast cancer.

The day after Soto announced her death, five of her nephews went to court to declare themselves her heirs, seeking ownership of all of her assets, including the rights to Borges’ works and several valuable manuscripts.

Soto said that he once asked Kodama what would happen to Borges’s rights after her death, and she replied that she arranged everything and that someone more strict than she would take care of it. She said she would invite universities in Japan and the US to “take care of the projects,” but didn’t say exactly what she meant. The lawyer noted that Kodama often lectured at both Harvard and Texas universities.

Some argue that there is a chance that the will will be found after an inventory of all her belongings, but Soto said he thinks it is “absolutely impossible.”