Óscar Martínez is a chronicler whose work delves into the complex realities of migration and violence in Latin America. His writing offers a critical lens on marginalized populations, giving voice to those often overlooked. Through his dedicated journalism, Martínez brings urgency and depth to understanding the social issues shaping the region.
Když nemáte na výběr, musíte zkusit i nemožné – dostat se přes Mexiko do Spojených států. Třeba budete mít štěstí a cestou vás jen okradou, ale nezabijí. Nebo neznásilní. Doma není na co čekat.Salvadorský novinář Óscar Martínez podnikl beznadějnou cestu mezi středoamerickými státy a USA několikrát. Bavil se s migranty i těmi, kdo jim pomáhají, nebo strážci zdi na hranicích. Potkával především strach: ten vyhnal lidi z jejich domovů. Strach z výpalného, strach z drogových kartelů, strach z bezvýchodné situace. A tak obyvatelé Guatemaly, Hondurasu nebo Salvadoru vyrazí pěšky pouští, a pokud se jim to podaří, naskočí na slavnou Bestii. Vlak, kde balancujete dnem a nocí na střeše a kromě pádu riskujete přepadení. Jenže tohle nebezpečí číhá všude, žádná cesta není bezpečná, protože kromě migrantů zajímá také pašeráky drog. Násilí nikoho nepřekvapuje, o pár vraždách se ani nepíše v novinách. Na migrantech přece nesejde.
Illustrated with stunning full-color photographs, The Beast is the first book
to shed light on the harsh new reality of the migrant trail in the age of the
narcotraficantes.
Martínez dives into the underworld of his subjects, navigating barrios that
police won't enter, spending days and nights with gang members. His methods
resemble war reporting and his prose is cinematic ... The collection's
strength lies in his ability to write the hell out of his material. Like
Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers and Adrian Nicole LeBlanc's
Random Family , it skimps on statistics and analysis, instead relying on
description alone to create a world that captures the reader and doesn't let
her go. One of the stories, 'El Niño Hollywood's Death Foretold,' evokes
Gabriel García Márquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold . Like the beloved
Colombian writer, Martínez pens scenes that are suspenseful, moving, and
vivid. - New Republic Martínez is a gifted storyteller with an astute,
observant eye and a voice that beckons to be followed ... A History of
Violence is a necessary read, especially for US government officials crafting
immigration policy against migrants and refugees from the region. It sheds
light on why so many are braving the treacherous trek through Mexico to reach
the United States. - Los Angeles Review of Books Martínez's credentials for
writing about this ignored human tide are impeccable: his first book, The
Beast , drew on eight trips clinging to the roof of the infamous migrants'
train through Mexico, chronicling their desperation in grippingly graphic
detail. His new book, A History of Violence , takes a step back to explore
what the migrants heading to the US are running away from ... the unflinching
cameos it paints offer a chilling portrait of corruption, unimaginable
brutality and impunity. - Financial Times If you take just one book to Central
America on holiday, don't pick this one. Oscar Martinez has written a
punishing account of the lives of the poor in Guatemala, Honduras and El
Salvador. Melding acuity and anger, he unveils the scary realities of
organised crime ... Mr Martinez deserves credit for bringing it so effectively
to life. - Economist As the current wave of US Immigration and Customs raids
authorised by President Obama deports Latino migrants, and Donald Trump boosts
his election campaign with promises to build a wall along the US-Mexican
border, Martínez endeavours to explain why, for many Central Americans of the
northern triangle, returning home is a death sentence. - Independent Ripped
from the headlines, these are powerful stories of Central America's chaotic
and bloody present, sure to raise awareness among a broad audience of North
Americans, whom Martínez refuses to let off the hook. 'The solution?' he asks.
'It's up to you.' - Library Journal In Spanish, the tradition of the crónica
is in-depth testimonial reportage blended with personal essay, and Martínez is
a worthy inheritor. Martínez's work conveys an intimate knowledge of the
social and criminal ecosystem-both macro-level context and telling minutiae.
But because he isn't afraid to follow dangerous paths, the result are jewels
with moments of intense emotion presented against a historical background that
contemplates military, social, economic, religious, psychosclogical and all
sorts of other factors ... I am in awe of Martínez's commanding style. -Ilan
Stavans, In These Times El Salvador's best chronicler of this profound crisis
is Óscar Martínez, a journalist based in San Salvador. Martínez has dedicated
his career to documenting how the matrix of poverty, instability, and
narcotrafficking has transformed the lives and prospects of Central Americans.
As a writer, he's a committed, old-school social realist, and traveled with
migrants on their deadly northward route for his previous book about Central
American migration, The Beast . His methods in A History of Violence are
equally painstaking. -Caille Millner, New Inquiry Agonizing stories ...
[Martínez] urges readers to understand what Central Americans are going
through and
Óscar Martínez preisgekrönte Reportagen führen uns direkt in das Chaos Zentralamerikas – in eine Region, in der das Gesetz von Klingen und Kugeln herrscht und aus der die Menschen zu Millionen fliehen. In den Staaten Zentralamerikas herrscht das organisierte Verbrechen. Die strategische Lage hat Länder wie Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador und Nicaragua zu wichtigen Transitländern des internationalen Drogenhandels gemacht und ihnen die höchsten Mordraten der Welt gebracht. Das staatliche Machtvakuum in diesen Ländern haben längst organisierte Banden wie die Mara Salvatrucha oder Barrio 18 besetzt – hier herrscht das Gesetz von Klingen und Kugeln. Óscar Martínez’ preisgekrönte Reportagen führen uns direkt in das Chaos Zentralamerikas – er berichtet von Brunnen, die sich mit Leichen füllen, von Kronzeugen, die der Staat vergessen hat, von jugendlichen Killern, die für einen Beutel Gras töten und von dem profitablen Geschäft der internationalen Kartelle mit Kokain und Migranten. Er schreibt über die Sisyphusarbeit des einzigen Gerichtsmediziners in El Salvador, über die Herren der Grenzen im Dschungel Guatemalas, über mexikanische Bordelle, in denen die zentralamerikanischen Flüchtlinge verkauft werden. Das Bild, das sich aus seinen Reportagen ergibt, ist erschreckend: eine Region, die von Angst und Perspektivlosigkeit beherrscht wird und aus der die Menschen zu Millionen fliehen.
"El relato maravillosamente escrito sobre la vida y la muerte del temible pandillero El Niño de Hollywood, basado en horas y horas de entrevistas con él y sus allegados, revela incomparablemente la dinámica subyacente del fenómeno de las pandillas centroamericanas de una manera detallada y perspicaz."_ Contracubierta
Error: You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing details. For more information on this error, read the docs: https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/error-codes/api-errors.