ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ, bˈɑːɹnɪt wʌz ɐwˈɔːɹdᵻd kjˈuːbəz pɹˈɛmɪˌoʊ nˈæʃənəl də lˈɪɾɚɹˌætʃɚɹə nˈæʃənəl pɹˈaɪz fɔːɹ lˈɪɾɚɹᵻtʃɚ, ðə mˈoʊst ɪmpˈoːɹtənt ɐwˈɔːɹd ʌv ɪts tˈaɪp ɪn kjˈuːbə.
In 1994, Barnet was awarded Cuba's Premio Nacional de Literatura (National Prize for Literature), the most important award of its type in Cuba.