Frei Betto, born 1944, is a Brazilian writer, political activist, liberation theologian and Dominican friar. He was imprisoned for four years in the 1970s by the military dictatorship for smuggling people out of Brazil. Frei Betto is still involved in Brazilian politics. He worked for the government of President Lula da Silva as an advisor on prison policy and child hunger. He has written 56 books, published in 23 languages. 'Hotel Brasil' is his first novel available in English.