[Tainari88]

I find that many in these fora don't know much about Latin American nations' political histories. I would like to start a thread to discuss them all if there is an interest. I will list all the Latino nations I consider Latin American. This includes nations who don't necessarily speak Spanish and an Indigenous language(s) as their official language. I will include Brazil and Belize. I won't include Morocco or Equatorial Guinea because they have Spanish as an official language but are located in Africa. I won't include the Phillipines even though they were ruled by Spain for more than three centuries because the Phillipines are located in Asia.

1. Mexico
2. El Salvador
3. Guatemala
4. Panama
5. Nicaragua
6. Costa Rica
7. Belize
8. Honduras
9. Venezuela
10. Colombia
11. Uruguay
12. Paraguay
13. Argentina
14. Chile
15. Brazil
16. Bolivia
17. Ecuador
18. Peru
19. French Guyana
20. Cuba
21. Dominican Republic
22. Puerto Rico
23.Haiti

(Haiti and French Guyana) I included because they speak French that is a Latin Romance derived language and as such qualifies as Latin American.

A brief history will be included for each nation. It will then be followed by its present system of government. Along with its current sitting president. Afterwards we can discuss the beginnings of each nation's history if there is an ongoing interest. Otherwise I will just include a lot of good information on its political history and its current form of government and wrap it up.

[Angelamerkel]

Morocco is French and Arab speaking. It's located in Africa. I don't see why you would mention it.

[Bulaba Khan Jones]

Morocco is French and Arab speaking. It's located in Africa. I don't see why you would mention it.

Tainari mentioned it in passing (in the context of the entire Hispanophone world for some reason) because Spain once controlled parts of Morocco and Western Sahara.

[One Degree]

I am not sure you can consider Puerto Rico a Latin American nation?

[fuser]

This thread should be renamed to, "What is Latin America"

[wat0n]

I am not sure you can consider Puerto Rico a Latin American nation?

Nation as in the sociological concept, not as a synonym of state.

[Tainari88]

I am not sure you can consider Puerto Rico a Latin American nation?

Yes you can. This is the reason why:

The definition of a nation:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nation

Under many of the varied definitions Puerto Rico definitely qualifies as a nation. It doesn't qualify as a country though.



The definition of a country: (Merriam Webster Dictionary)

an area of land that is controlled by its own government.

Since Puerto Rico doesn't have control of its own government---it can't be considered a country but it is considered a nation. Absolutely. It is an ethnic group that occupies a specific territory and it shares a history and a common language and it has all the distinctive characteristics of a nation. So yes One Degree it is a nation. And it is most certainly Latin American.

[Tainari88]

Morocco is French and Arab speaking. It's located in Africa. I don't see why you would mention it.

Because some people don't know their geography Angela unfortunately. And think that any nation that speaks Spanish outside of Spain is somehow "Latin American". I have run into that ignorance in other fora. Not this one yet. Thank goodness.

Now for the political history of Mexico:

I like this summary from the history channel:

http://www.history.com/topics/mexico/mexico-timeline

Please read the above link thoroughly for a brief political history of Mexico and a general history that is a good summary.

Mexico has been invaded by various European powers and also the USA. It is notable that Mexico also had wars against religious leaders who wanted to make her a theocracy. They failed.

Currently the president is Enrique Peña Nieto.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Mexico


Excerpt from above link: I find this very interesting. Lopez-Obrador is a very interesting Mexican Politician. If fraud hadn't been accomplished in Mexico in 2006? He most likely would have been the president for the next six years. He was not. But he pressured the one who did win to put more emphasis on poverty and social injustice. Interesting indeed.

2006
In the July presidential election, the PAN’s Felipe Calderón apparently wins by less than one percentage point over the PRD’s Andrés Manual López Obrador, with the PRI in third place. With the country strongly divided along class lines–López Obrador aims to represent Mexico’s poor, while Calderón promises to continue the country’s business and technological development–López Obrador and his supporters reject the results as fraudulent and stage mass protests. On September 5, a federal elections board officially declares Calderón the winner. He is inaugurated in December, as more than 100,000 protesters in Mexico City–in addition to PRD legislators–rally around López Obrador, who refuses to concede defeat. In his first months in office, Calderón moves away from the pro-business, free-trade promises of his campaign, expressing his desire to address some of the issues of poverty and social injustice championed by the PRD

I have found Mexico to have a very tough Left. Many don't understand just how tough the Left is there. It is very strong. What keeps it from winning major elections are corruption, fraud and the USA constantly wanting more moderate and more right wing conservative leadership. Along with extremely corrupt top leadership and narco terroristic ties to power. Every time it is challenged? A lot of violence occurs.

[matheus1394]

I don't know why most people don't see Brazil as a Latin american country. All the country needs to be considered is to be located in the American continent and speak a romanic language. (check and check for Brazil).

[Tainari88]

I don't know why most people don't see Brazil as a Latin american country. All the country needs to be considered is to be located in the American continent and speak a romanic language. (check and check for Brazil).

Brazil is very much Latin American. They speak Portuguese though instead of Spanish. I guess they think if you speak something other than Spanish it is no longer Latin American. I think if one knows each other's songs one is very much Latin American. And Brazilians know songs from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, etc. Very much Latin American indeed is Brazil. I know a lot of Brazilian songs as well. One of my favorites about politics...."Calice" by Chico Buarque.

[youtube]HcyV-SgZnGQ[/youtube]

A good timeline for Brazil's history. The current president of Brazil is a woman. Dilma Rousseff.

http://www.timelines.ws/countries/BRAZIL.HTML

Another good timeline for Brazil's economy and politics.

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/26866

[Angelamerkel]

Mexico was lucky Lopez Obrador didn't get to be president. He would have become another Chavez, and we know Chåvez was disastrous. Poor Venezuela.

[Rugoz]

Well go on, tell us.

[Rancid]

What happened to this thread.

[Potemkin]

Not enough Cuban music, obviously.....

[youtube]9QO4aegj-jA[/youtube]

[youtube]ZIzUc9t7oS8[/youtube]

[Rancid]

Oye, tengo tremendo negocio para ti.

[Potemkin]

Oh yes...?

[Doomhammer]

This is a worthy endeavor. I am trying to learn more about Latin America and therefore look forward to participating in this thread/subforum in the future.

[Potemkin]

Hola Doomie! Pull up a seat and have a burrito or two....

[Rancid]

We don't all eat Burritos.

[wat0n]

Or tacos...