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by Ivonne Acosta Lespier (Author)
This book describes the history of an important and controversial decade in the life of the people of Puerto Rico in which political practices were initiated that were finally investigated in public views of the Civil Rights Commission in the summer of 1987. The book reveals for the first time in Puerto Rican history, the content of documents that were classified "secret" for more than 30 years in the United State's National Archives in Washington. It refers to La Mordaza Age, (The Gag Age) the years between 1947 and 1957 on that Caribbean island, placing it in its historical context, describing the process of approving the bills that characterized it (in particular the famous Law 53 of 1948), the reaction of public opinion, the effects it produced in the years 1948-1952 and 1954-1956, and its re-evaluation and repeal, three decades ago. It also contains an epilogue that updates the historical debate up to the date of the public hearings in 1987. The author says: "You can not understand the recent history of Puerto Rico without knowing the history of La Mordaza. This story must serve to reopen the memory of many, to avoid repeating what happened, and above all, to finish eradicating the gag of the soul of Puerto Ricans.
