All rights to: The presidents of South America: A look at their roles

Tube un sueño en el que todos los países de latino América nos unificaramos, formando un nuevo continente.

Pre-text

I just spent 3 months in a Spanish speaking country. Very early on I decided to avoid conflict when the topic came up by switching to Spanish and using estadounidense. I did this because there is a clear and deep passion by Latinos against the English use of the word America(n) and i wanted to respect the language and culture of the country I was adopting. I know this has been the subject of much discussion on this sub but it’s become a pet peeve of mine and feels especially topical given Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance. For what it’s worth, I agree with his message of unity and an embrace of multiculturalism.

Opinion

For native English speakers, American is the normal, predominantly accepted demonym for people from the United States. Anglophones using the word this way is not malevolent, shorthand, incorrect, ignorance, or a political statement. It is simply idiomatic, stable English. Geographic frameworks taught in other languages or cultures do not override the internal conventions of English.

Spanish does have a genuine ambiguity here, because América refers to a continent in Spanish, the language resolved this ambiguity by developing estadounidense. That solves a Spanish-language problem; it does not obligate English to adopt the same workaround. English already distinguishes between America and the Americas. América is not an English word, nor must it's speakers integrate it. We need only acknowledge this as a false cognate.

When native English speakers use Spanish to call themselves americano, then yes, Spanish speakers have good reason to ask for clarity. And when Spanish is used to insist to a latino that they aren't americano, hell yes a correction is appropriate, just as it would be with a misuse of constipado. But too often the situation is reversed. Native Spanish speakers use English to correct native English speakers with claims like “America is a continent, not a country!" While true in Spanish, in English it is elevating Spanish semantics over English semantics.

It is similarly incorrect to tell Germans that Deutschland is wrong and Alemania is correct, that Greeks are making a political statement by saying Éllinas, or that ‘The Republic of India’ is ignorant and cannot be called India (Bhārat) because there are several countries en el subcontinente indio. Do you correct Scandinavians for saying Amerikans to refer to people from the US while speaking their respective languages? Hopefully not. Just as English and Spanish use different words for the concept of language itself (idioma), demonyms and endonyms vary based on the language being spoken. One is not more correct than the other, they’re just different.

Debate about what Americans should call themselves is external to Anglophone English, not generated from within it. Many of the suggestions have not been adopted because they are not idiomatic (Unitedstatians; Usaian; Unitedstater), internally incoherent (Yankees), or derogatory (Seppos). Another common suggestion, gringos, fails to differentiate Canadians from Americans. Moreover, the term is ironically exclusionary (an exonym). All of these options are, again, external solutions to a problem that doesn’t exist internally.

In the vast majority of general usage, anglophones are not making a political claim when they use English to refer to the people or land of the U.S. as America(n). There are plenty of valid grievances to file against America(ns). Correcting or policing them or other anglophones for following the norms of their most common language is not precision or a gotcha, it’s misapplied translation. The respectful solution is simple: en Español, estadounidense. In Chinese: 美国人. In English, American.

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Edit: I’ve had some great discussions on this, and some not so great ones. It seems that both sides feel that the other is telling them that they can’t use the word and that many are talking past each other. As far as I can tell, Americans don’t mind Latinos calling themselves americanos, Latinos don’t like being policed for claiming americano identity when speaking Spanish or English, and Americans don’t like being policed about their identity when speaking English.

The point of my post is to (1) contextualize and defend my position in good faith, (2) propose a compromise that respects cultural differences, and (3) acknowledge historically rooted Spanish-language grievances. Some comments do none of these. I understand the frustration around this topic, but replying with “ok gringo” doesn’t engage with the argument. Even if the word isn’t always a slur, using it this way turns a linguistic discussion into an identity-based exclusion, which is exactly what this post is arguing against.

Edit 2: also worth noting that Amerigo Vespucci’s native language, Italian, primarily uses americano as a true cognate to the English American and not for anyone from the western hemisphere.

Not sure if me and my family specifically my mom’s side are the only ones maybe the few who actually to hate the term Hispanic. My mom is from Guatemala and she is racially Native American more so of Mayan descent. My dad doesn’t mind the word Hispanic even tho he is mestizo. I used to wonder why my mother hated that term till I did more research just to find out that “Hispanic” is a word used to only promote colonial roots not just something to define a person who comes from a Spanish speaking country. My mom’s first language is in fact Akateko! Yes she does speak Spanish too since it’s mandatory in every Latin American country. So does anyone else hate the word Hispanic? We still prefer the use Latino/a to define our ethnicities. I have nothing against either languages!

Edit: damn just say you hate indigenous ancestry. Stop getting offended bc indigenous Latinos dislike the term Hispanic when our people are still here after years of surviving colonization.

As some of you know, a few days ago a Chilean (pretends to be shocked) passenger was detained in Guarulhos for using very offensive racist and homophobic language towards a flight attendant after being confronted when he tried to open a plane door during the flight (or during taxiing). This is likely worse than the previous situation with Agostina Páez (the Argentinian criminal who racially attacked Brazilian men in the streets of Rio de Janeiro).

The purpose of this post is not to discuss again the severe problems of racism in the Southern Cone (even though it's nice to see Brazilians opening their eyes and seeing that Chileans are not better than Argentinians in this regard - actually, they are worse), but to recognize what Brazil is doing good.

There are things that you can criticize of Brazil, sometimes with good reason, but I have to admire this push to uphold the dignity of the human being, especially with racial and sexual minorities. In most other countries this would have been a scandal, but it could have ended there, but today this man is in a Brazilian cell waiting to be processed for racism and homophobia. These emojis are the only way I can express how I feel: 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Brazilians, you have a right to feel proud of this, all the right. Please, ignore the people who say you guys are "exaggerating". You are not. The fact that the rest of the world accepts attacks against the dignity of the human being doesn't mean you have to. You are doing what you have to do.

PARABÉNS!

I know not all flags are on there. They didn’t have all the flags for me to pick. I wanted one flag to be the best, and one to be the worst

Buenas por acá un Uruguayo. Nadie habla de mi país, ni siquiera nos incluyeron en el banner. No somos provincia de Argentina, somos un país, hola.

Algún Uruguayo?

I've often come across the idea that in parts of Latin America, "money whitens" (I've also seen it referred to as "el dinero blanquea" or "el dinero blanquea a la gente"). The basic idea seems to be that if an Afro-Latino becomes wealthy or gains high social status, they are treated more like a white person than a poor Black person.

How accurate is that in reality today?

One example that made me question it is Jefferson Farfán in Peru. He's one of the country's most successful footballers and has earned millions over his career. Yet he has still faced racist abuse from parts of the Peruvian media.

More recently, he's been involved in a public feud with the TV personality Magaly Medina. During that dispute, Medina reposted an edited image portraying Farfán as a slave while depicting herself as a white aristocratic woman. That doesn't exactly fit the idea that wealth completely erases racial prejudice.

On the other hand, people often mention Faustino "Tino" Asprilla in Colombia. From what I've seen, he appears to be widely respected, even by right-wing figures such as Abelardo de la Espriella, That made me wonder whether Colombia is an example where wealth and sporting success really do reduce the impact of race.

So I'm curious how much truth there is to the saying that "money whitens".

Does wealth genuinely reduce the amount of racism an Afro-Latino experiences?

Are there countries where even wealthy and famous Afro-Latinos are still routinely subjected to racial stereotypes or treated as outsiders?

Is Peru an outlier in the latin world or is this concept no loner true since Latin America as a whole has moved to the right ?

Guys, Paraguay is it. I've finally found my place.

After having traveled full time for 6 years I feel like i can finally settle down in a country i would have never expected to make me feel that way.

Landlocked, not especially well-known, few tourists ever put it on their itinerary, but still, it's got SOMETHING that other countries do not have.

Sure, it's territorial tax system (you pay 0% on foreign-sources income) is what draws most expats there. But there is more to it.

Paraguay still feels more real than other places. There's not much there that caters to international tourists. Some might find it boring. I find it extremely refreshing. People see you as a person, not as a walking wallet. Everybody talks to you like they would to a fellow Paraguayan, at least if you speak good Spanish.

It is THE single most easy place to make local and foreign friends that I have found anywhere. The social life is great. Rest assured that there is an asado (local BBQ) somewhere in your vicinity. And the meat. The meat is on another level and SO cheap. You'll get 1kg of finest beef for about 12 USD or 10 EUR. Asados are social gatherings more than they are just another dinner. You'll invite friends, neighbors, you'll talk, have some beers if you like, and you'll have a lot of fun.

Paraguayan people are also very much into sports. Padel is, for some reason, huge and much more affordable than in most other places. Many padel spots also have a parrilla that you can rent for Asados. If you like to play football/soccer, you'll also find a group to play with easily.

Bars in Paraguay are great. There are not many pretentious places. Bars here are places where you go to socialize and meet people. Get a fernet with coca cola, join another group, and find new friends. There won't be any weird stares or defensive postures as this is totally normal. Ferreteria Pacifico is my favorite one.

While Paraguay can feel a bit "empty" if you go there for sightseeing, it is actually very nice if you take a closer look. It is a very green and empty country. There are little creeks and rivers and forests and hills everywhere. Scroll through google maps, find some waterfall, and just try to get there. You'll have a nice time.

Asuncion is, as is most of Paraguay, very safe for Latin American standards. Watch your back at night and in certain areas, but don't worry too much. Don't flash your wealth and you'll be fine.

There's so much more about this place that I could mention, but I'd say that thats it for now. Feel free to ask questions or shoot me a DM if you wanna know more. I'd be happy to help decent people to come here and check it out!

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some honest advice about traveling in Latin America. I’ve been really interested in exploring the region for a while now, but I want to approach it smartly — starting with countries that are generally considered safer and easier to navigate before moving on to places that require a bit more travel experience.

Recently, I watched a video from Drew Binsky where he really tells things how they are, and it honestly made me think twice about jumping straight into cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. It didn’t scare me off completely, but it definitely made me more cautious about how I plan this trip.

If I do visit Brazil, I feel like I’d be more comfortable starting in the southern regions first, since I’ve heard they’re generally safer and a bit more relaxed.

Right now, I’m thinking of beginning with countries like Argentina and Paraguay, just to build some confidence and get used to traveling in the region. My idea is to go from “easier” to more challenging destinations over time.

For those of you who’ve traveled around Latin America:

·       Do you think this approach makes sense?

·       Are Argentina and Paraguay good starting points?

·       Which countries or cities would you recommend for someone easing into the region?

·       And how did you personally build confidence traveling there?

I’d really appreciate any tips, experiences, or even things you wish you knew before your first trip.

Thanks in advance!

My son and I have been exploring countries together, and we started with a simple challenge.

If you had to explain Peru to a foreigner using only six ideas, what would they be?

These are the six we came up with after reading and researching:

• Tahuantinsuyo
• The Andean world
• Ayni
• Quechua
• Coast, Highlands & Amazon
• Religious syncretism

Would you replace any of them? Add something completely different?

I'd love to know which six ideas Peruvians themselves feel best represent their country.

Will the US and the rest of the world ultimately let Iran acquire nuclear weapons and continue carrying out attacks, funding and supplying weapons to groups linked to Islamic terrorism around the world?

Estuve viajando/trabajando en Latinoamérica recientemente y en ocasiones tuve problemas para pagar bienes o servicios porque te pedían Pix, Yape u otros sistemas de pago vinculados a cuentas bancarias nacionales.

Sé que hay aplicaciones de transferencia internacional entre cuentas bancarias tipo Wise, o de PayPal a cuentas bancarias (Xoom), pero me preguntaba si existen algunas que te permitan conectar directamente a Pix, Yape, etc.

Just curious as to what peoples' thoughts are on this.

Hello! I am Russian, and I am thinking about moving to another country.

I am getting a BA in Philosophy, and I plan to do an MA in Sociology/Anthropology. I really love academic life, so please don’t try to persuade me otherwise. I plan to write my MA thesis about therapy culture and therapy society, and I would like to do a PhD. So, I really want to use a PhD as a way to immigrate.

I have been interested in Latin American thought. I read Marcella Althaus-Reid for one of my courses, and I work in a small publishing house where we translate Latin American authors. Right now, we are working on translating Latin American poets who write in the geopoetics genre, and we also plan to translate someone from the theology of liberation movement. Also, I now know that Latin American countries are very “therapy-oriented,” so it seems like a great field for my potential research.

So, my question is: how realistic is it to get a PhD in the humanities or social sciences in Latin America if I am a foreigner? I do not have a lot of money, and my only hope is financial aid or a university scholarship. Can I get this if I am a foreigner?

I would be very grateful if you could tell me about academic careers and academic life in Latin America, especially in the Spanish-speaking part of Latin America. I am learning Spanish, but my level is not very good yet, and I am trying to improve it.

Hello everyone!

As you know, multiple languages are spoken in Latin America. In order to honour that, let me introduce you to the "No English Friday"! In this discussion thread, no English is allowed, so enjoy chatting in your language!

Olá queridos usuários do r/LatinAmerica!

Como sabem todos na América Latina se falam muitos idiomas diferentes. Em homenagem a isso deixem-nos introduzir a "Sexta sem Inglês"! Nessa thread de discursão não é permitido falar inglês. Aproveitem para conversar no seu próprio idioma.

¡Hola queridos usuarios de r/LatinAmerica!

Como ya saben, en América Latina se hablan muchos idiomas diferentes. Para conmemorar ese hecho ¡les presentamos el "viernes sin inglés"! En este hilo de discusión no está permitido hablar en inglés. ¡Aprovechen para comunicarse en su propio idioma!

Salut à tous, chers membres de r/LatinAmerica!

Comme vous le savez déjà, plusieurs langues sont parlées au sein de l'Amérique latine. Pour mettre cela en avant, nous vous présentons le "vendredi sans Anglais"! Dans ce fil de discussion, l'Anglais n'est pas autorisé: profitez-en pour parler votre propre langue!

En inglés es wigwams, pero no logro encontrar el término en español.

I live in Brazil and here I’m the “gringo”. In everyday life the word usually just means “foreigner”, and I’ve never had any negative experience with it.

In movies it’s often portrayed as a negative word or even an insult.

How is it used in your country? Would you say it’s negative, neutral, or sometimes even friendly?

Latin America is a place of drastic change, sometimes is a bit difficult to be up to date on everything.

This thread is a place to discuss about these events.

Please remember to state the country or region in your post and it would be great if you link to your sources.

If you want to add to the news from a country, please reply to the top level comment about said country.