liberación

Liberación is the Spanish term for the act or process of setting someone free or the condition of being liberated. It derives from the Latin liberare, meaning to set free. In general usage, liberación denotes emancipation from constraint, oppression, or domination, whether social, political, or personal.

In political discourse, the term is commonly used to describe struggles against oppression or foreign or oppressive authority. It appears in phrases such as liberación nacional or movimientos de liberación, and is associated with anti-colonial, revolutionary, and social justice movements across Latin America, Africa, and other regions. The concept emphasizes collective liberation alongside individual freedom.

In religious and theological contexts, liberación is central to liberation theology, which emerged in Latin America in the mid-20th century. This movement interprets Christian scripture as a call to action on behalf of the poor and marginalized, stressing preferential option for the poor, praxis, and social justice as components of faith.

In feminist and social theory, liberación is used to describe emancipation from gendered oppression and patriarchal structures. Expressions like liberación femenina or feminist liberation highlight efforts to achieve equality, autonomy, and broad-based social change.

In everyday language, liberación can refer to personal liberation from constraints such as fear, addiction, or discrimination, as well as the broader political or social processes that remove barriers to freedom. The term intersects with related concepts such as emancipation and liberty, depending on context.