This new and timely book deals with the magnitude and the intensity of the poverty in Latin America, Mexico and the state of Nuevo Leon. The enormous and chronic social problems of poverty in 1970 struck approximately 40 per cent of the families of Latin America or 119 million people. In 1990, of 423,913,043 habitants of Latin America, 46 per cent were living in poverty, that is to say, 195 million people were suffering this calamity (CEPAL). According to the same CEPAL, in 2002 44 per cent of the population of Latin America was poor, whereas 19.40 per cent were living in extreme poverty, indigence or misery. Seen in another way, the poverty in Latin America increased in that period of 20 years, from 1970 to 1990, 38.97 per cent. At the moment, in Latin America there are 225 million poor people. This book is an essential reference to a problem which the world must, if for no other reason than necessity, deal with in a vigorous and just manner.