Line #185 NationalStereotypes/CentralAndSouthAmerica


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Series/OneDayAtATime2017 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_027.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Creator/RitaMoreno really does just like to dance]]
3	'''[[AC:General Stereotypes]]'''
4	* Generally referred to as '''Latin America'''[[note]]Prior to the reign of Napoleon III of France (1848-1870) the term "Hispanoamerica" was much more common, but it has been replaced - even in Spanish - by the term popularized by Napoleon III as a justification for his imperialism[[/note]], because so many countries in this continent either speak Spanish, Portuguese or French (French Guyana). As a result, many Hispanic stereotypes about Spain and Portugal will also be used for Latin-Americans: people prefer having siestas, sing serenades while playing the guitar, women are SpicyLatina and men are [[LatinLover latin lovers]],... Despite this, not all countries in Central and South America have a Latin language based native tongue. There are also some English speaking states (Belize, Guyana, The Falklands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) and a Dutch speaking one (Suriname). And, of course, indigenous people also have their own languages.
5	* ChristianityIsCatholic: Latin America is sometimes depicted as overwhelmingly and devoutly Catholic. However, while that may have been true many years ago, much has changed. Most South American countries and historically Catholic countries have legalized same-sex marriage, and, while UsefulNotes/ThePope is still very popular, many Latin American Catholics have become Evangelical Protestant, [[http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/11/14/why-has-pentecostalism-grown-so-dramatically-in-latin-america/usually Pentecostal]].
6	* LatinoIsBrown: All Latin Americans will be portrayed as people with a comparatively dark skin, hair and eyes, usually being markedly mestizo or of indigenous origin, even if they come from countries with a white majority like Argentina or Uruguay.
7	* Latin Americans, particularly in Spanish speaking countries, are stereotyped as servile towards Spain in many aspects, mainly in the norms and rules regarding the Spanish language and their general attitude towards the Spanish Monarchs, as the King Juan Carlos is still referred to in the media as "His Majesty" even when the countries gained their independence hundreds of years before. In reality, ''other'' countries' kings and queens are referred to as "His/Her Majesty" by Latin America media, and UsefulNotes/ThePope is referred to as "His Holiness" as well (epecially the media that politically leans towards the right-wing). [[ValuesDissonance It's just out of common etiquette, which others aren't necessarily bound by.]]
8	* BananaRepublic: Latin America as a whole is generally associated with short-term military dictatorships who are either '''Fascist''' or ''Communist''. Victims of the regime will traditionally be tortured in cellars and [[ShotAtDawn executed by fire squad]]. Or they just... disappear. Guerilleros will be hiding in the jungle to overthrow the government, [[FullCircleRevolution only to become just as tyrannic afterwards]].
9	* ArgentinaIsNaziland: All South American countries, but especially Argentina, are full of Nazi fugitives who are either sitting on piles of NaziGold, or plotting to TakeOverTheWorld, or both.
10	* TheCartel: Another negative stereotypical image are [[TheAggressiveDrugDealer drug barons]] who traffic hard drugs, usually cocain, to other parts of the world. They will murder everyone who gets in their way.
11	* Yet another negative stereotype is luckily an urban legend so far: the {{Chupacabra}}.
12	* Geographically Latin America is best known for the Andes mountains, which gave us the following clichés: llamas, condors and people playing a pan flute at the side of a mountain.
13	* Historically the continent is most famous for several native peoples like the Maya, the Aztecs, the Olmecs, the Incas... These cultures built large temples, pyramids and cities, most famously Macchu Pichu in Perú, though [[AncientAstronauts some people would rather give extraterrestrial aliens credit for this]]. The stereotype includes that they were slaughtered by [[EvilColonialist Spanish conquistadores]] as well there shouldn't be many of these people left, even although current Latin America has sizable indigenous populations (and even barring that, most Latin American populations are heavily racially mixed in any case). This was best seen on the wake of the supposed 2012 apocalypse, when media used to claim that Mayans disappeared a long time ago and only left us messages hard to intepret - forgetting that there are ''seven millions'' Maya alive through México, Guatemala, Honduras and other countries.
14	* Another famous location is the thick and unpenetrable UsefulNotes/TheAmazonRainforest, best known as a popular location in adventure stories. Travellers might seek legendary cities of gold, unknown archeological sites, {{Mayincatec}} mummies, huge monsters, primitive tribes unaware of modern society or [[LostWorld descendants]] of the [[{{Mayincatec}} Mayan, Aztec, Olmec, Inca culture]] who managed to survive in secret after all those centuries. Usually all kinds of ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' booby-traps prevent explorers from taking these long lost treasures along with them. Or the TempleOfDoom just collapses. HollywoodNatives might try to kill them as a HumanSacrifice as well. Or they encounter a famous explorer lost for decades whom they presumed was dead, but actually [[GoingNative went native]]. While on expedition they will also inevitably come across several South American jungle clichés. First and foremost: Amazonian Indians. Like all tribal societies in Western popular culture they are depicted as being dumb, primitive, violent and always head-hunting. They use blowguns to fire off poisoned arrows or make {{Shrunken Head}}s out of their victims. [[CapturedByCannibals Or they just eat them]]. Other obstacles are dangerous animals like jaguars, pumas, leopards and black panthers leaping from trees. Anacondas and boa constrictors will strangle you, huge bats and mosquitoes suck your blood, poisonous tarantulas the size of dinner plates [[BigCreepyCrawlies crawl everywhere]] and when you fall in the [[RiverOfInsanity river]] [[PiranhaProblem piranhas]] or caimans will rip you to shreds. Some less threatening jungle animals might also have a cameo: anteaters, chinchillas, armadillos, howler monkeys, sloths, humming birds, parrots (particularly macaws), toucans, flamingos,...
15	* Other images about Latin America are soccer players and their enthusiastic fans, sexy and catchy dance music and exotic and juicy drinks.
16	** When European soccer teams play against Latin American teams, they ought to be prepared for how much their shins are going to hurt after the game. Though Latin America produces about the greatest soccer players abroad, the teams are fond of parking the bus and eroding their rivals out of existence. Yes, they are good, but they're nowhere as romantic as Europeans regarding the game. Take into consideration the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup final between Real Madrid (SPA) and San Lorenzo (ARG); had the Argentinians not kicked around the ''Merengues'', they would've lost way worse than the 2-0 that they received.
17	** Not just football: UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica, a team that does not shy away from the more physical aspects of [[RugbyIsSlaughter rugby football]], met their match on a tour of Argentina in 1992. One game was justly called The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbJDDSLqfEM Battle of Tucuman]], in which the Bokkies met a team of South Americans who were more intent on fighting - in front of a partisan home crowd who viewed the game almost as if it were a gladitorial arena fight.
18	* All novels written in Latin America are stereotyped to be written in MagicRealism, probably because the Latin American writers who come from the top of people's heads tend to be Gabriel García Márquez and Jorge Luis Borges. All adaptations of those novels have a minimalist and endlessly weepy soundtrack by Music/PhilipGlass.
19	* A common aspect shared Spanish-speaking people deals with the perception that the Spanish spoken in their particular country is the "best" Spanish... that is, until they meet other Latin Americans who have the same misconception.
20	* South Americans are derogatorily referred to as "Sudacas" (a slur portmanteau of "Sudamericanos" and "sweaty") by Central Americans, Mexicans and Spaniards.
21	* They really don't pay attention to the info [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny they heard]]
22	* As a result of being poor, these countries often [[DevelopingNationsLackCities lack big cities]]. It's mainly shown as just villages and towns with crappy, dilapidated buildings, through this is more common in Central American countries than South American ones, barring some cases.
23
24	'''Central America'''
25
26	UsefulNotes/{{Costa Rica}}
27	----
28	* Costa Ricans are, more often than not, confused with Colombians because of the closeness of their accents.
29	* Costa Ricans are also known among Latin Americans for their English-origin names and last names.
30	* The country itself is known as the "American Switzerland" because of their professed neutrality; in response, the country disbanded its army. Ticos saying that about the country is a BerserkButton for pretty much every Latin American who isn't Costa Rican.
31	* There are few notable Costa Ricans on the global scale. Actor Creator/HarryShumJr was born there but moved to the United States at a young age. Former Real Madrid/current Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas is probably the most famous Costa Rican in the world today.
32
33	UsefulNotes/{{Guatemala}}
34	----
35	* Guatemala is known for well preserved historical locations, both of Mayan and colonial cultural importance, such as Tikal and Antigua, respectively. It's often depicted as a natural paradise, for its beaches, volcanoes and forests.
36	* Guatemalans are known to be very divided among themselves, always friendly to foreigners.
37	* Creator/OscarIsaac is probably the most famous Guatemalan around today.
38
39	UsefulNotes/{{El Salvador}}
40	----
41	* Salvadorans are known to liberally use the ClusterFBomb in their speech, and are known to be loud in conversations.
42	* Salvadoran farmers are often recognized for being fast-talkers with modism-ridden wordplay.
43	* Due to the civil war, many adults today still use slang and a variety of modisms to refer to money, family, friends and the ''militares''.
44	* They are often confused for Mexicans like other Central American states due to their relatively-neutral accents. Do '''not''' even try to confuse Salvadorans for Mexicans. They don't like it.
45	* The relationship between Salvadorans and the United States is notably different than either of their neighbors, being a lot more positive with many considering leaving to live there is something to aspire to rather that the "hate them but can't live without them" relationship most Latin Americans (especially South Americans) have with the U.S.
46	* A well known Salvadoran is child actor Diego Velazquez, known for his role on the Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} sitcom ''Series/TheThundermans.''
47
48	UsefulNotes/{{Honduras}}
49	----
50	* Honduras is known for its close ties to the Mayan civilization and for the tourism it generates.
51	* Honduras is also unfortunately known for being one of the unsafest countries in the world, housing the "World's Murder Capital", the city of San Pedro Sula.
52	* Hondurans are known as a markedly unfriendlier and aggressive version of Mexicans; it's a general rule to confuse most of Central Americans with Mexico, but Hondurans really, ''really do '''not''''' like being called Mexicans.
53	* A well known Honduran is popular comedian Carlos Mencia of ''Series/MindOfMencia'' fame.
54
55	UsefulNotes/{{Nicaragua}}
56	----
57	* Very prominent in the 1980s, because the UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan administration tried to back the overthrowing of a socialist government there.
58	* Nicaragua has a hundred-year-long standing dispute with Colombia for the sovereignty of the San Andres Archipelago (which is incidentally closer to Nicaragua), though it has remained largely diplomatic.
59	* Nicaragua is poor even by Latin American standards, and given its southern neighbor is one of the richest countries in the region, there are stereotypes related to that.
60	* Bianca Jagger, the ex girlfriend of Music/{{The Rolling Stones\|Band}} frontman Music/MickJagger, is from here. Also of note is Ana Navarro, a liberal Republican commentator from CNN.
61
62	UsefulNotes/{{Panama}}
63	----
64	* It has a famous canal. Period.
65	* Also seen as a sort-of cheap and still majorly untouched beach resort.
66	* In spite of having been part of Colombia for centuries, Panama is not closely associated nor has that much contact with its neighbor because of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dari%C3%A9n_Gap Darien Gap]], which is about the thickest swamp/jungle in the world, which is notoriously un-developable. The Gap is the only break on the Pan-American Highway, and it's largely one of the biggest reasons there is a divide between Central and South America in the first place.
67	* Panama, right? Might as well mention that you love Ruben Blades!
68	* Known for its dictator and later president Manuel Noriega, who had a series of conflicts with the American government during the Cold War and was ousted by coup in 1989.
69	* Panama is also known for its former United States nationals, who resided in the Canal Zone until the canal was surrendered to the Panamanians. Notable US nationals born there include late Senator (and former presidential hopeful) John [=McCain=], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_A._Murphy,_Jr Edward Murphy Jr.]], the creator of Murphy's law. Other notable Panamanians include actress Creator/JordanaBrewster and baseball icon Mariano Rivera.
70
71	'''South America'''
72
73	UsefulNotes/{{Argentina}}
74	* The most enduring Argentinean stereotype is the tango dancer, a popular image since [[SpicyLatina spicy women]] will be dancing, while brawling, moustached macho men strung their guitars in some ill-lit bar. The most universally famous and acclaimed Argentine musician, Ástor Piazzolla, was a tango composer.
75	** The stereotypic tango danced in movies is American Ballroom Tango, which has nothing to do with the tango usually danced in the Argentinian "tanguerías" or "milongas". Cringeworthy for Argentinians with even a cursory knowledge of how the real tango is danced.
76	* Argentina has the most un-mixed, purely Caucasian citizens of any Latin American country, along with Uruguay (mostly people of Italian descent). This makes it somewhat less exotic for North Americans and Europeans, who feel more at home; this is also [[ExploitedTrope played by the Argentine Bureau of Tourism]], which made Buenos Aires the most visited city in Latin America, with heavy contribution of North American and European visitors.
77	** Argentina's "white" reputation and magnetic attraction for European visitors and immigrants might also explain why ArgentinaIsNaziland. Since the end of the Second World War, many former Nazis fled to the country. Given that Argentina had its share of fascist dictators in the past it may not come as a surprise that these war criminals were able to live there without fear of deportation, until the return of democracy for good, back in the 80's, since then every single one of them ever found has been deported to whatever country wanted them to be judged for the war crimes they committed. Now that most of them are finally dead this stereotype might die out as well.
78	* Argentine is also known as a country where AllPsychologyIsFreudian. Everytime a psychologist, psychiatrist or psychoanalyst is shown in Spanish-speaking media, he tends to be an Argentinian with his appropriate heavy accent and a lot of Freudian imagery in his office. This has a basis in reality, as psychoanalysis ''is'' deeply entrenched in Argentinian culture.
79	* Politically and economically, Argentina has suffered the same bad reputation many other Latin-American countries did. It's a never-ending WretchedHive of facist dictators (not anymore), corrupt politicians, economic crisis, extreme inflation, streets blocked with picketers and trade union militants. In spite of not being considered a "poor" country, Argentina is known to be the most economically unstable country in Latin America.
80	* Yet, along with other Latin American countries Argentina also has a reputation for producing excellent soccer players, with Alfredo Di Stéfano, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi as the most iconic examples.
81	** There's also something unique about Argentine audiences. Their soccer supporters have a special name, ''hinchas'', but whether it be a sport match or a musical concert they will always react with tremendous enthusiasm and great gratitude. They even sing entire songs (not just verses!) in the stadiums and change the lyrics into actual chants fit for the occasion. Even when their team is losing they will keep on singing. Other countries started [[FollowTheLeader copying this trend]]. [[labelnote:*]]In a bizarre twist of events the Argentine songs traveled all the way through the Pacific Ocean and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpRKBoCLB18 not even Japanese football fans]] resisted the urge to make the Argentine songs their own, and so you have extremely bizarre moments like Japanese people singing a song from la Mona Jiménez, a popular singer from the tropical genre called cuarteto. [[/labelnote]]
82	** {{Music/Megadeth}} went to say that they always enjoyed playing in Argentina because of the audience reception there, they even recorded a DVD to show it to the rest of their fans, and the world. {{Music/ACDC}} recorded an entire DVD in the River Plate stadium, and Music/TheRamones [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg3Jhdke_pk were chased around in the streets of Buenos Aires by obsessive fans]]. The band even choose the country for their final international concert.
83	*** There's a local proverb that says ''"Hinchada hay una sola: hinchada de Argentina, las demás no tienen bola"''.[[labelnote:*]]There's only one supporters group: the supporters group of Argentina, the rest don't have balls.[[/labelnote]]
84	* Apart from soccer icons Argentina also had its fair share of other universally admired, yet controversial heroes, like UsefulNotes/CheGuevara (even though he is more associated with Cuba), [[UsefulNotes/EvaPeron Evita Peron]] (who has far eclipsed her husband Juan or the latter’s third wife Isabel in the public eye), and [[UsefulNotes/ThePope Pope Francis]].
85	* Argentine men will be seductive, yet melancholic [[DeadpanSnarker cynics]].
86	* In the countryside, all men are brave gauchos, generally noble, proud and stoic, who can even sew silk on horseback and [[BladeEnthusiast tend to answer to the smallest provocation with a knife]]. They mostly eat read meat and drink gallons of wine and the mate beverage.
87	* Argentine women have a reputation for being beautiful [[SpicyLatina spicy women]], an image mostly created by famous supermodels like Valeria Mazza (that is actually blond) and Carolina "Pampita" Ardoahín.
88	* In Latin America Argentines in general have a reputation for being vain, arrogant, sarcastically cynic know-it-alls, who talk way too much. They fancy themselves some kind of European exiles in Latin America, who shouldn't be considered "Latinos" at all.
89	** This specific reputation is, inside the country and even in near countries as Uruguay and Paraguay, attributed to the "porteños", that is people born and living in the city of Buenos Aires, rather than the whole country. The people from the northern provinces usually are depicted similarly to Bolivians or Paraguayans (depends on the provinces).
90	*** In an interesting inversion, the bad reputation of the "porteños" has made that more than a few Uruguayans call "porteños" to all Argentinians, even if they don't belong to the port of Buenos Aires.
91	* In Spain and Latin America, Argentines are stereotyped as cunning, treacherous people who enjoy taking advantage of others.
92	** The most popular Argentine card game, ''Truco''[[labelnote:*]]Trick[[/labelnote]] does not help to get rid of the reputation, as it is the art of the deceiving, the lie and the redoubling of bets.
93	* Argentina is often stereotyped for having a hot, tropical climate, while it also harbors glaciers and ski centers.
94	* Out of all Latin American countries the Argentines have the most civilians of Italian descent: almost 60%! As such, many Italian tropes are applicable, from the food, strong Roman Catholicism [[labelnote:*]]Made all the more significant now that UsefulNotes/ThePope is Argentine.[[/labelnote]], emphasis on family activities, hammy and melodramatic hand-waving behaviour, [[DrivesLikeCrazy crazy driving]] to the never ending arguments about even the smallest issues.
95	** Even the Argentine accent sounds similar to Italian accents. The pronunciation and grammar notations are also very distinctive, with the use of "vos" instead of "tú"[[labelnote:]]Both mean "you", with "vos" and its Italian equivalent being plural. Argentines and Italians also use them as a respectful singular[[/labelnote]], the pronunciation of "y" and "ll" as "sh" (which is closer to the pronunciation of Spain's Andalucía region) and the distinctive conjugation and intonation patterns[[labelnote:]]"tú quieres" (you want) transforms into "vos querés"[[/labelnote]]. They also use distinctive interjections and modisms, like the word "che"[[labelnote:*]]which gave Che Guevara his nickname[[/labelnote]] which are similar to the VerbalTic "hey".
96	* Argentines are also infamous for swearing a lot, and in a creative way, usually mixing various insult to prolong the impact. In Argentinian depictions over the hispanic world, they use the word ''boludo''[[note]]"big balls' guy"[[/note]] either as "dumbass", when using it as an insult, or as an equivalent of "dude" (Just like "Mate" for Brits and "Tío" for Spanish people), usually althogether with the quintessential "che", resulting in the "che, boludo". [[labelnote:*]]"Boludo" was chosen as "the" Argentine word in a recent election of Latin American countries' quintessential words.[[/labelnote]]
97	* The DrivesLikeCrazy reputation might not be surprising, seeing that legendary Formula 1 car racing champion Juan Manuel Fangio was an Argentine.
98
99	UsefulNotes/{{Bolivia}}
100	* The only South American country where the founder is internationally famous, due to the fact that his name became a toponym for the country: UsefulNotes/SimonBolivar. Bolivar himself, however, was born in what is now Venezuela. Bolivia was merely one of the countries he helped liberate.
101	* A stereotypical Bolivian image is that all women there wear bowler hats and colorful shawls, and have long black pigtails. Often carrying a baby on their back.
102	** Also, they like to [[ActionGirl wrestle in lucha rings]] while wearing traditional clothes. Bowler hats included.
103	* Internally it could be said that Bolivia is divided into two groups:
104	** The people of Santa Cruz, stereotyped as white racist capitalist pigs and constantly want to secede from the country (see [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Bolivian_political_crisis 2008 crisis]]). They are also businessmen who maintain the country's economy, seeming to be the only place where there is foreign investment.
105	** And then there are the people from the rest of the country, stereotyped as poor indigenous people who subsist on coca cultivation and make union protests. However, since Evo Morales became president, they have gone from being poor indigenous people to empowered indigenous people with whom it is better not to fight. They are also known for preserving much of their native culture and traditions.
106	* Historically, Bolivia is considered the Main/ButtMonkey of the region, since it has lost all its wars with other nations and has lost territory with all its neighbors.
107	* Related to the above, Chileans tend to view Bolivians as sore losers and annoying whiners due to Bolivia's territorial claims to Antofagasta, territory which Chile took from it in the UsefulNotes/WarOfThePacific, thus transforming Bolivia into a landlocked country. To this day the Bolivians still claim Antofagasta as part of their territory and are always looking for an opportunity to tell the Chileans to give them back their sea, while the Chileans only make fun of them and make brutal satires in their media. In any case, if there is a Bolivian present, it would be best if they didn't talk about the sea, seriously.
108	** Also for this reason, there are several jokes about the fact that Bolivia has no sea.
109	* During colonial times, Bolivia was known for the city of Potosí, which had the largest silver mine in the world and produced many requisitions for the Spanish Empire.
110
111	UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}
112	* Many foreigners think Brazilians speak Spanish, while in fact it's a Portuguese-speaking country, the only in Latin America and the largest in the world (although note that obviously, due to the geographical proximity and similarity of the languages, there are really a lot of Spanish-speakers in Brazil too). Nevertheless, in foreign films and TV shows people will always talk with a Spanish/Latin accent whenever they impersonate a Brazilian.
113	* Another common mistake is that TheCapitalOfBrazilIsBuenosAires. Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina. An equally large mistake is that people assume Rio de Janeiro is the capital of Brazil, while in reality it's [[SpaceBrasilia Brasília]].
114	* Whenever Brazil is depicted in foreign fiction all action will always take place in Rio de Janeiro. Expect the favelas, Christ the Redeemer Statue and Copacabana Beach to be in sight.
115	** And, oh yes, regardless of what time of year it is: it will always be carnival there!!
116	*** The carnival in Rio also fed Brazil's reputation for late night parties in the streets that never seem to end. The country as a whole has a strong association with catchy and sexy dances, especially the samba, choro, conga, bossa nova, tropicalia and lambada. Some of the most famous South American musicians were Brazilians: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gilberto Gil, João Gilberto, Ary Barroso, Sergio Mendes... Carmen Miranda (with her tutti frutti hat) was born in Portugal, but raised in Brazil and closely associated with the country.
117	*** Which also brings us to the idea that every Brazilian woman is a young, sexy, [[VaporWear scantily clad]] SpicyLatina with big bosoms and ''really'' nice hips/butts. They are all keen to dance and very open to sex.
118	* The ''favelas'' are perhaps the most negative association the country has to offer. These local slums are full with criminals, drug addicts, gang wars, con artists, pick pockets and corrupt police officers. See also the movies ''Film/{{Pixote}}'' and ''Film/CityOfGod''.
119	* Brazil is also famous for soccer, having won UsefulNotes/TheWorldCup a record breaking five times. Pelé is the most famous Brazilian soccer player, even iconic in the United States, where the sport isn't popular at all.
120	* Brazilians are often stereotyped as [[PluckyComicRelief wisecracking fast-talking]] [[ThePollyanna always-cheerful guys.]] Every single Brazilian loves soccer and samba more than anything else.
121	* In (beat 'em up) videogames, Brazilian characters are prevalent, and generally come in one of two flavours. Firstly, there is the AmbiguouslyBrown, [[FunPersonified exuberant]], grinning DanceBattler type, a depiction no-doubt deriving from the native UsefulNotes/{{Capoeira}} martial art. Examples include Ricardo Maia/Richard Mayer (owner of the Pao Pao cafe, no less) and Bob Wilson from ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' and also ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'''s Eddy Gordo and his ''unbelievably'' [[ForeignFanservice fanservicey]] student Christie Monteiro, who evokes the classic Brazilian carnival queen. Elements of this character can also be seen with Sean and Laura Matsuda from the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series and Team South America from ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters The King of Fighters XIV]]''[[note]]While Nelson and Bandeiras are Brazilian, Zarina is actually Colombian[[/note]]. The other type is the jungle-dwelling, BeastMan from the Amazon, most famously realized with Blanka, the first Brazilian character from the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series ([[MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales who's actually quite well-loved in his native land]]), as well as Tam Tam & Cham Cham from ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' and Rikuo from ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'', who's a straight-up ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon'' shout-out.
122	* In (free) games played online, especially multiplayer shooters, Brazilians are considered notorious for a range of usually negative traits (a range of cheating techniques, farming, lack of skill and/or being a threat to their team, etc. Beyond the stereotypes, there are multiple reasons for their large presence in such games, including prohibitive import taxes on console games and regulations getting in the way of setting up a unique version of the game for them (as is done often in the industry, usually between Europe, Asia, and the Americas.) Most players are also wary of their brand of AnnoyingLaugh that sometimes even other sensible Brazilians are annoyed at: "Huehuehuehuehuehuehue".
123
124	UsefulNotes/{{Chile}}
125	* '''Chile''': A country [[WorldOfSnark where old people, young people and even kids are always ready to say something sarcastic]] and [[TheNicknamer give nicknames even to rocks]]. Their characters can be stereotypically described as being snobbish, [[PassiveAggressiveKombat passive-aggressive]], [[TheEeyore pessimistic]], quite HolierThanThou (though this one is becoming discredited ever since TheNineties), and '''incredibly''' classist. Their speech patterns also tend to be mocked ([[TakeThatUs even by other Chilean people]]) since they [[MotorMouth talk ridiculously fast]] and pepper their conversations [[ClusterFBomb with all the "F bombs" they can put in]]. But mostly, they are seen by their neighbors as having an incredibly big InferioritySuperiorityComplex. Always trying, but almost never quite managing, to equal the achievements of their neighbors' citizens. And when they do, they're expected to [[SmallNameBigEgo brag about it until the end.]]
126	* In regards to their neighbors, Chileans are either ''very'' {{Tsundere}} or totally hate them. (Specially polemic in the case of Peruvians and Bolivians, a bit of a DiscreditedTrope with Argentines as they tend to be more of VitriolicBestBuds now... though some Chileans [[WithFriendsLikeThese may team-up with Brazilians to make fun of them]]. [[BerserkButton And please don't mention the deals with the Falklands, okay]]?.)
127	* Chileans are known due their population's extremely divided opinion in regards to the late dictator Augusto Pinochet; in general, older people can be reverent or neutral towards his regime, while younger people regard him as a true tyrant.
128	* Within Chile, there are several other stereotypes of their own:
129	** People from the Far North aka Norte Grande (Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta, Caldera, etc.) are seen as more Peruvian than Chilean. Specially if they're from Arica or Iquique. If not, they live in the desert or regularly go hunting UFO's in the desert.
130	** People from the Nearest North aka Norte Chico (Coquimbo, La Serena) are stereotyped as {{lazy bum}}s that live at the beach rather than at home and have a steady diet of fruits and [[TheAlcoholic Chilean pisco]].
131	** Valparaíso and Viña people ''really'' love to party. They also sneer at tourists and whine because everyone ''but'' them DrivesLikeCrazy. Oh, and they will [[BerserkButton scream at you]] [[ArsonmurderAndJaywalking if you call crust bread "marraqueta" instead of "pan francés".]] Valparaíso people also live in the [[DevelopingNationsLackCities hills, in poor but very colorful wooden houses]].
132	** Santiago people (Santiaguinos) are seen as bitchy, spoiled, smug and ''specially'' as [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centered]].
133	** Regarding the Nearest South... People from Concepción ("Penquistas") are sometimes seen as {{The Rival}}s to Santiaguinos. [[OlderThanTheyThink This one comes from the 1800's]], when the high-class people from Santiago and Concepción fought for the leadership of the recently decolonized Chile. The rest is seen as still being made more of countryside than anything else.
134	** The Far South of Chile is made of lakes, greenery and, from Coyhaique onwards, covered in snow. People from the Island of Chiloé live all in palafito houses over the sea, and interact with all kinds of local mythical beings on a daily basis.
135	** People with Mapuche heritage are seen as very HotBlooded, proud and stubborn.
136	* The country is also known for the chili pepper. In reality, Chileans don't mind the spices that much, compared to say, Mexicans.
137	* The country is also known for the Easter Island, with its mythical ''Moai'' statues built by the local Rapa Nui people. Despite this, interestingly, the connection the island has with Chile is not often brought up in media, being treated more as its own place in Polynesia.
138	* Chileans have also been known for [[DissonantSerenity not caring one bit during quakes]] [[OhCrap that send everyone else scrambling off their seats and into the back yard or street.]] As any Chilean over ten has probably seen at least one 7+ Richter earthquake, anything below that isn't worthy of their attention, other than to giggle at foreigners' reactions. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdDZbMQcANw As a proof, here's a video of a Chilean radio host who stays all calm through 2015's 8,4 earthquake.]]
139	* Famous Chilean people on an international scale include the actor Creator/PedroPascal, Series/JerseyShore reality star Snooki and Music/{{Slayer}} frontman Tom Araya.
140
141	Juan Fernández Islands
142	* A small group of islands, best known as the home of marooned 18th century sailor Alexander Selkirk who lived there for four years. His story inspired Literature/RobinsonCrusoe and as a tribute one of the islands was actually called "Robinson Crusoe Island" in 1966.
143
144
145	UsefulNotes/{{Colombia}}
146	* '''Colombia''' is a druglord haven full of corrupt politicians, leftist guerrillas, and right-wing death squads. Colombian expats in Venezuelan works tend to be depicted as people with HairTriggerTemper and a love for the Colombian folk music style ''Vallenato'' with the volume amped to max. Thanks to its export of TV soaps, Colombian Bogotanians have earned the stereotype of being simultaneously polite and smug. Also, there's the perception that Colombians are undeservedly [[ScrewTheWarWerePartying happy and cheery]], when they should be as miserable as everybody else, or at least as miserable as they are shown on TV.
147	** The Spanish spoken in Colombia, in Bogota in particular, has a reputation of being the "best" spoken Spanish available. This is debatable at best, as while in most cases the Spanish spoken there is easy to understand, it's mainly centered around groups of people with certain levels of affluence/education (the one most commonly shown on TV), as the Spanish spoken by people in Bogota's lower strata can be almost unintelligible to outsiders, due not only to the sheer amounts of Colombia-limited jargon, but also to a very common and identifiable problem: barely opening their mouth to speak, and also, talking through their teeth, jaw closed.
148	* Colombian expats around the world are usually hounded with the assumption that they have something to do with the drug trade; thing is, almost no one has actually anything to do with it and whoever is in it is usually ''really good at it'', leading to the notoriety. The expats, however, have fled the country precisely because of the threats of violence related to the drug trade.
149	* Colombians are also stereotyped as druggies. In this respect, the actual trade consists in the fact that Colombia is a ''producing'' country, not a ''consumer'' country. Consumer countries are for example, the United States and the countries of the European Union, making ''them'' the druggies. Actually Colombian drug trafficking has considerably receded compared to the likes of Peru and Bolivia over the last two decades and the stereotypes are related to the country's situation in the 1980's to mid-90's.
150	* Colombia is also widely known for its coffee.
151	* Colombian cities are often stereotyped in Hollywood as being tropical and humid, especially the places where it's ostensibly not the case. Tell that to the people in the mountain ranges, or basically where ''most Colombians live''; they're not about to crack open their fans anytime soon.
152	* There is also the '''White T-Shirt Protests''', or the tendency of Colombian people protesting against the violence of the guerrillas and/or the paramilitary forces to join massive manifestations while wearing white t-shirts.
153	* Regarding soccer in particular, opponents of the sport often dismiss fans because there is an increasing tendency towards hooliganism since the mid-1990's. TruthInTelevision also, because derbies between Millonarios, Santa Fe, Atletico Nacional, DIM, Deportivo Cali and America de Cali are all closely guarded by the police and anti-riot forces. There is enforced segregation between the fans of each team or preventing the visiting team's fans from entering the stadium altogether to keep everyone safe; this, of course goes as well as is expected... not.
154	* Among other Spanish language nations Colombians are known for being uniquely adept at swearing. If a Colombian swears at you, they will do so with such an angry inflection and punch that you'll never forget it. Somehow, rude and taboo words sound even worse when a Colombian uses them; even so, if a Colombian already has a potty mouth, you will definitely notice the difference when he/she is mad at you.
155	* Colombians are noted for giving each other offensive nicknames full of irony or that play against stereotype (like calling an indigenous individual "Gringo", or a white man "Negro"), or assigning contrary attributes to individuals in order to be coy (like calling a gorgeous baby "ugly", or calling a flirtatious individual "dumb"). This is a source of confusion and may be shocking for people not familiar with this custom, and those who come from places where those terms are played straight. If a Colombian tells you to your face unashamedly that your baby is ugly, they certainly mean the absolute contrary and the baby is anything but.
156	* Colombia is also infamous for a murder technique called a "Colombian necktie", which the victim’s tongue is pulled through a deep cut beneath the jaw, hopefully post-mortem.
157	* The world knows at least two famous Colombians: infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar and pop singer Music/{{Shakira}}. ''Maybe'' Creator/JohnLeguizamo and Creator/SofiaVergara too, but that's it. Recently contemporary reggaeton singer J. Balvin has been rising in prominence, although a lot of people think he's Puerto Rican.
158
159	UsefulNotes/{{Ecuador}}
160
161	* Mostly known for bananas and the Galapagos Islands.
162	* Ecuadorians abroad were mainly known due to the diaspora of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otavalo_%28city%29 Otavalo merchants]], who are artisanal makers of highly intricate fabrics and textiles. Other Ecuadorian peoples eventually became known abroad too.
163	* Though not known for being disdainful of Colombians, Ecuadorians are not fond of being confused with their northern neighbors. Recently, diplomatic relations between the two countries became almost hostile because of the Colombian army's killing of a Colombian guerrilla leader by unwittingly invading Ecuadorian sovereign territory.
164	* Ecuador had hostile relations with Perú during the 80's and 90's, losing the Amazon to their southern neighbors in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenepa_War Cenepa war]].
165	* The country doesn't have many famous international exports. Creator/MikeJudge was born here but is hardly considered representative of the country.
166
167	Galápagos Islands
168	* A volcanic archipelago, best known for its rich animal wild life: albatrosses, crabs, sea turtles, iguanas, penguins, flamingos, pelicans, seals, ...
169	* Historically famous as the location where UsefulNotes/CharlesDarwin developed his evolution theory.
170
171	UsefulNotes/{{Guyana}}
172	* If Guyana is mentioned at all, people will often mistakenly assume it's Latin American just because it's on the Atlantic coast of South America. In fact, Guyana is the sole English-speaking country in South America, and its shared culture with former British colonies in the Caribbean Sea results in the nation having a Caribbean-based culture.
173	* Since the Jonestown Massacre in 1978 it's synonymous with [[DrinkingTheKoolAid religious cults and mass suicides]].
174
175	UsefulNotes/{{Paraguay}}
176	* '''Paraguay''': Everyone is either from Asunción or from the jungle. They do nothing but smuggle goods and steal cars from neighboring countries; also, thanks to [[HotBlooded Jose Luis Chilavert]], they were considered to have HairTriggerTemper.
177	* Also, everyone is bilingual in Spanish and Guarani, and will often speak in the latter language to confuse and {{troll}} foreigners.
178	* Every Paraguayan can play the harp.
179	* In Brazil, Paraguayan goods have a reputation for being cheap and of low quality, similar to [[MadeInCountryX Made In China]] products.
180	* Don't ask Brazilians, Argentinians or Uruguayans [[Usefulnotes/WarOfTheTripleAlliance what happened in Paraguay between 1864-1870]]; what, are you crazy? You might start another war if you ask too much! Just be glad that Paraguay still exists even after '''that'''!
181	** One of the most pervasive aspects of the aftermath is the movement that arose from the 20th century Paraguayan dictatorship, which dabbled in some saucy, ''saucy'' historical revisionism towards the events which happened a century before. Long story short: there was some romanticized versions of the events, and the blame was shifted towards foreign intervention; this came in hand with the tendency towards anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism that arose in the region during the mid-20th century, and still endures to this day.
182	* For a good part of the 20th century, the media only mentioned Paraguay because of the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner, who for almost 35 years ruled his country with an iron fist, committing the worst atrocities imaginable, from torture to genocide, without mentioning that he sympathized with Nazism and gave asylum to various Nazi criminals (including the infamous Josef Mengele) and other Latin American dictators like Anastasio Somoza Debayle from Nicaragua. His dictatorship finally ended in 1989.
183	** History scholars also know Paraguay for being the country where the "Archives of Terror" were discovered, a series of documents that compiled a list of the atrocities committed by the military dictatorships of South America in the framework of "Operation Condor".
184	* Before that, Paraguay got some international attention for the Chaco War with Bolivia in the 1930s.
185	* Not many years ago it became popular on the internet to affirm that Paraguay does not exist. It is unknown where this idea came from, but it could derive from the old saying that, due to being a great producer of piracy and bootlegs, everything in Paraguay is false. In any case, it is currently considered an outdated meme.
186	* Another common stereotype is depicting Paraguayans drinking tereré, a drink similar to mate.
187	* Paraguayan? Soccer player? That gives you like a 1:4 chance of having the last name '''Cáceres'''.
188
189	UsefulNotes/{{Peru}}
190	* '''Perú''' is mostly associated with the Inca culture, Andes and ancient city Macchú Picchú. The only more-or-less modern city to appear in popular culture will be Lima or Cuzco. In popular culture all Peruvians are basically Inca descendents and thus will still worship the Sun and [[{{Mayincatec}} Quetzalcoatl]]. They all know a city of gold hidden somewhere in the jungle or the mountains, but they keep their mouth shut in the presence of foreigners.
191	* More modern depictions of Peruvians will be stereotyped as people who speak in helium-infused squeaky voices and play ''siku'' while wearing colorful robes and funny bonnets with ear flaps. Llamas, alpacas and vicuñas will wander around everywhere, pulling weird antics and spitting in tourists' faces.
192	* During the mid-1990's, Peruvian television was exported to Colombia due to the rising demand of cable television and private parabolic antennae. As such, Colombians are very well versed in Peruvian media due to the phenomenon they refer to as ''Perubólica'' (Peru-bolic). Colombia and Peru share a frontier through the Amazon (which is sparsely populated and not particularly media-savvy), so very few people in Peru are aware of why Colombians are so good at making fun of them.
193	* Unlike in most of the rest of the world, where it's a RidiculouslyCuteCritter, in Peru a humble cavy -- also known as the guinea pig -- is raised as a perfectly casual source of meat. Expect it to be brought up as a case of ForeignQueasine, especially in travelogues. (For what it's worth, it's also eaten in neighbouring countries and getting increasingly picked up as an alternative to rabbits by maverick farmers around the world, but Peru still dominates the global consumption.)
194	* In recent years Peruvians have become known for removing from power and imprisoning all their presidents in recent years. In the last 10 years alone they have had 7 presidents (one of them only lasted 5 days in office). This has generated mixed feelings, since it seems that Peruvians only know how to elect corrupt people as presidents, but at the same time they are quite effective in removing them and sending them to jail.
195	* After Paraguay, Peru is the second best-known producer of piracy and bootlegs in the region. He is especially known for his pirated [=DVDs=] that contain weird videos as bonus content.
196
197	UsefulNotes/{{Uruguay}}
198	* '''Uruguay''' tends to be considered just a very small and quiet Argentina, Luxembourg style. They are [[BerserkButton not thrilled with this.]] However, they are generally exempt from the negative Argentinean stereotyping, considered polite, open minded, friendly... and really obsessed with mate.
199	* Uruguay was the first country to host Usefulnotes/TheWorldCup, which happened in 1930. Uruguayan soccer is known in South America for the perceived tendency for rough playing, which has led their national team to be nicknamed "La Garra Charrúa". Though well versed and world-famous, some players have had considerable trouble for taking it too far. A national team that has to play the Uruguayans has to acknowledge that they are going to leave the pitch really sore, even if they defeat the "Charrúas".
200	* After the Netherlands, who ''de facto'' legalized marijuana as early as 1969, Uruguay was the second nation in the world to legalize marijuana and the first to ''de jure'' legalize it. This fact was definitely not glossed over by neighboring countries, who joke about the country being a stoner's paradise.
201	* Well known Uruguayans include soccer star Luis Suarez and Music/CobraStarship frontman Gabe Saporta.
202
203	UsefulNotes/{{Venezuela}}
204	* '''Venezuela''' is known for its former president UsefulNotes/HugoChavez and his "Chavistas". His successor, Nicolas Maduro, isn't nearly as well-known. Also known for its nationalized oil industry, for having a whole industry dedicated to winning the Miss Universe pageant, and for looooong and {{melodrama}}aaaatic {{Soap Opera}}s.
205	* Don't ever bring out the topic of '''arepas''' if you happen to be talking with a Colombian and a Venezuelan; it doesn't end well.
206	* Venezuelans expats think themselves as better than their neighbours, and are genuinely baffled when things don't go well for them. A typical Venezuelan abroad will tell you about the natural beauty of their country and women, and how nice and ''chévere'' their people are, and how much better their "''arepas''" are than the Colombian version (as long as a Colombian isn't present) and how they gave Simon Bolivar the Liberator to the rest of Latin America.
207	** While justifiably proud of Simon Bolivar, when asked about his eventual fate (exiled in disgrace) they are uncharacteristically silent.
208	* There is a stark difference between Venezuelan expats ''before'' the dictatorship and ''after'' the dictatorship, especially due to the fact that the former are considerably more affluent and stuffy, and left Venezuela out of their own volition; the latter had to flee while wearing the only clothes they own, so they are not inclined to being stuffy in any sense of the word. This is so egregious that at this point in time, "visitar a las Venecas" ("visiting the Venezuelan ladies") is an euphemism in Colombia referring to the rampant prostitution that the influx of impoverished and desperate Venezuelan immigrants brought to Colombia. Yes, it's ''that'' bad.
209	* Venezuela has the most beautiful women, and if they are not beautiful they are at least well coiffed and groomed. Supported by the number of hair dressers, manicurists, and beautitians in the country.
210	* If talking in Spanish with a Venezuelan, don't be surprised if they surreptitiously throw the expression "verga" ("cock") or variants of it like "vergación" ("cock-ing") into the conversation. It's almost an autochthonous VerbalTic equivalent to "thingy" or "whatchamacallit". As a matter of fact, should they start throwing it, it means that there is a level of trust reached with you.
211	* Miguel Cabrera of MLB fame is from Venezuela. (the country is the only one in South America that really likes baseball)

Context NationalStereotypes / CentralAndSouthAmerica