El clamor de mi pueblo, part of a growing body of literature relating to liberation theology, is a translation of Esther and Mortimer Arias’s publication The Cry of My People (1979). The authors describe the widespread and multifaceted “cry” of oppressed Latin Americans, and seek to enlist support for the “liberation” of this oppressed population. The study, like two others Mortimer Arias has authored, centers around religious themes.
The authors have far more than a mere academic interest in the topics they address; they thoroughly understand Latin America’s problems and urgently desire to contribute to improved conditions, both physical and spiritual. Consequently, their writing, while persuasive and even moving, often lacks detached objectivity. The authors’ style varies considerably. Sermon-like prose, intended to inspire and motivate, infuses the early and latter portions of the book with the tone of a religious tract. More typically scholarly language characterizes the clearly written and informative historical chapters, which comprise a large central portion of the book.
El clamor de mi pueblo is based mainly on secondary sources, written in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The book is suitable for the informed nonspecialist and offers something of value for virtually anyone concerned with contemporary Latin America. Those reading the book for historical insights will profit most from the chapters dealing with demographic considerations, North-South relations, problems accompanying economic growth, human rights violations, and the attitudes of Latin American women regarding liberation. Probably only those who approach the book from a theological standpoint will be satisfied with the book as a whole.
