The Latin American History Podcast

Today we finish of our overview series of Latin American history by looking at the region's most recent events. Among the subjects covered are the Washington Consensus, the Left Turn, populism and migration. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircl...

The fall of the Soviet Union sent shock waves around the world, and moved the global geopolitical situation into new territory. Having been a cold war battle ground, Latin America experienced this change as abruptly as anywhere. Compounding things was the fact that this was coupled with a severe economic crisis, and so this episode we examine how these factors led to the end of most dictatorships,...

While many countries were experiencing left-wing insurgencies during the cold war decades, some were also coming under the rule of dictators. Of these, some waged 'dirty wars' on their populations to either combat the guerillas or stifle any chance of them emerging. To finish our look at the cold war, we tie up some of the loose ends. We discuss a couple of exceptions to the dictatorship p...

The Cold War period was one of turmoil in Latin America. Local political trends and outside involvement by superpowers fighting their global battle of ideologies combined to create social conflict waged by both left and right. In this episode we look at the insurgencies which swept the region. Some, like the one in Cuban would result in socialist governments. Others, like that of Colombia, resulte...

By 1900 the world had become truly globalised, and so Latin America was affected by the rise of the same competing ideologies as Europe and the USA. This was an the age of workers movements and nationalism, where the economic struggles caused by the Great Depression saw people look for alternatives to the established order. Of course, these political ideas were adapted to the conditions of Latin A...

Today we move northwards, to look at Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean during the immediate decades after independence from Spain. We follow the Central American nation's on-off relationship with each other, and the rise of the USA. The later will lead to war with Mexico, and intervention to win independence for Spain's last remaining colonies, and an independent adventurer to inv...

Now that Latin America was independent, what kind of countries would its leaders build? And how big or small would those countries be? Today we look at the major disagreements which created conflict - between liberal republicans and conservative traditionalists, and between centralists and federalists. We also look at the future of slavery, and the series of wars which swept South America as the n...

Latin America's independence was a long and drawn out affair, involving multiple decades of war to achieve. It also, bizarrely, happened almost by accident. In today's episode we look at the causes behind the biggest change in Latin America since colonisation began, as well as the men who waged the campaign against Spain. We also examine the very different path which Brazil took when it br...

Having broken from the previous chronological format of this podcast, one of things I have been thinking about is the potential lack of context for subsequent episodes. This then, is a series which provides a very rough overview of the major events and ideas which shaped Latin America from the end of the conquests to the present day. Hopefully it will help listeners place future episodes into the...

Guatemala is not usually thought of as an oil county, and that is of course, largely because it is not one. Today’s interviewee however, traces the fascinating story of a largely forgotten – and largely unrealised – oil rush which threatened to take place there, based on a resource which wasn’t there – or to put it more precisely – wasn’t there in the quantities needed to properly exploit. There i...

Today’s story is not about a specific event, but rather an overview of a place which might have been about as far from the forefront of the big events in Latin American history as it is possible to get, yet which saw a succession of bizarre occurrences across its history. Despite being uninhabited for most of human history, this remote atoll has drawn in everyone from pirates to presidents on fish...

Today we have a special interview episode with Marcos Colón about his new book The Amazon in Times of War. The book is a collection of essays which detail Marcos' work in the Amazon rainforest, and chronicle the threats which the region, its people, and its non-human inhabitants face. In the interview we talk about how Brazil's recent political history, the pandemic, its colonial legacy, a...

In the final part of our mini-series on Juan de Onate's time in New Mexico we follow him on his third journey, westwards in search of the Pacific Ocean, and then look at his fate and that of his colony. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com...

Onate faces the first real resistance to his colony, and takes it badly. The Acoma massacre is probably the event of his conquests for which he is most well known. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today we start a three part series on the conquest of New Mexico. In this first episode we introduce Juan de Onate - the conquistador tasked with incorporating the territory into the Spanish empire, and follow him through the deserts of northern Mexico. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/...

In the second and final part of our mini-series on Mesoamerican food, we look at how West Africa, the USA, and the rest of Latin America have influenced the region's cuisine. Then, we look at drinks. Everyone and everything from protectionist tax laws and Filipino immigrants to Russian religious sects and smuggler-priests have played a role in the liquids consumed in Mesoamerica. Support this...

The food of Mesoamerica (Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras) is perhaps the best in all of Latin America. In part one of two on the history of the region's cuisine, we look at how indigenous and European influences combined to create such a deep food culture. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: htt...

Today we look at a concept known as the black legend. There is no question that the Spanish conquests of Latin America were bloody affairs, and that conquest as a whole is not exactly pleasant. There is however a school a thought which argues that the Spanish were vilified for geo-political reasons, often hypocritically by those doing the vilifying. In this episode we examine the varied peoples wh...

In this second and final part about the kingdom of the Itza, we tell the story of how it was conquered. Involved is an ambitious Spanish governor, some unauthorized diplomacy, and a recreation of the assault on Tenochtitlan Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: http...

In remote northern Guatemala is a beautiful old city built onto an island. The shores of the lake which surrounds it are peppered with unexcavated Maya ruins. Almost two centuries after the fall of the Aztec, a transplanted Maya kingdom ruled from this island, unmolested by the Spanish empire which had taken over most of the rest of the continent. In this episode we look at the Itzá - the builders...

In 1695 Scotland decided to have a go at the new world colonisation which seemed to be benefiting its neighbours so much. They settled on Panama as they place to do it and almost the whole country was involved in funding the scheme. The story of the Darien colony would have a profound impact on the country - one which continues to define Scotland to this day. Support this podcast at — https://redc...

In 1911 American explorer Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the lost city of Machu Picchu - forgotten since it was abandoned by the Inca centuries before. That's the story at least, the reality is much more complex. Could he have done it without the help of Peruvians? Was he really the first outsider to get there? And what does it really mean for a ruin to be 'lost'? Support this podcast at...

A wave of disease is spreading, leading to the implementation of a vaccination campaign. Some among the population are suspicious and take to the streets to make their opposition clear. This story did not take place during the recent pandemic however, this episode is about an obscure uprising which took place in 20th century Brazil. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-america...

This is just a quick message to give an update a few changes I am planning to make to the podcast. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In the second part of our look at Latin America's musical traditions we examine the role that music plays in some fascinating indigenous traditions. We also see how European waltz and even medieval troubadour culture came to influence the sound of the region. Finally I talk about some of my favourite Latin artists making music today. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-am...