World Psychiatric Association (WPA) represents over 200,000 psychiatrists in 117 countries through 139 organizations. The main aims of the WPA are to encourage the highest possible standards of clinical practice; to increase knowledge and skills about mental disorders and how they can be prevented and treated; to promote mental health; to promote the highest possible ethical standards in psychiatric work; to disseminate knowledge about evidence-based therapy and values based practice and to facilitate communication and assistance especially to societies who are isolated or whose members work in impoverished circumstances. Mission of the WPA is to promote the advancement of psychiatry and mental health for all peoples of the world. To this end I believe passionately that we can learn from each other not only in terms of history of psychiatric practice but also clinical practice. Resources for clinical services vary dramatically across societies and cultures. We need to ensure that our patients get the best possible treatments they need and deserve. In many under-resourced countries there are excellent examples of good clinical practice. In its Action Plan, WPA in 2014 agreed to help translate papers from other languages to English and this volume reflects that.
This special issue is a welcome step towards sharing experiences and practice. A number of well-regarded authors have put together this issue under the editorship of Sergio J Villaseñor Bayardo to show case history and practice of Latin American psychiatry. Papers have been translated from Spanish into English. Best efforts have been made to ensure that these translations reflect the essence of the material.
Thanks to all the authors for their support in this venture