The U.S. has a shady history in Latin America - we all know this, as much as might love the United States. From the full-blown coups in Operation Condor to CIA involvement in protests, Latin America has often been relegated to becoming "the United States' back yard".

But nothing is worse than what happened at the Bay of Pigs. You see, the invasion was planned and approved, and everything was ready for the removal of Fidel Castro... but at the last minute, JFK called most of it off, with soldiers already on their way to the coasts of the island.

And don't get me started on what that led to: the Cuban Missile Crisis, or in other words, the closest we've been to nuclear armageddon.

You're going to need to listen to this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast to find out the rest - it's pretty wild.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1568

Mexico has been through its fair share of injustice when it comes to foreign powers, and I'm not even talking of that time when they signed away 55% of its territory to the United States of America, but of something much more ridiculous.

You see, in the 1830s, a small dispute over a local bakery turned into an international geopolitical conflict between Mexico and France, with bombings, embargoes and tensions heightened to the maximum. It also led us to learn just how vulnerable Latin American countries were when faced with a European tyrant.


But this small description isn't enough to explain how bizarre the entire situation was, so I recommend you check out this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1535

Billionaires, whether you love them or hate them, have shaped a big part of the modern tech world, and are well-known for building some of the most impressive business ventures.


Latin America, though not a Silicon Valley, has individuals who have amassed a large amount of their own wealth, whether through going big on a single startup or by patiently build their own empires.


In this episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we'll discover just who these impressive fortunes belong to, and how they managed to get so wealthy in a region where inequality is so rife. Enjoy the episode!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1502

The Mayan Civilization has long been held in an air of mystery - we're familiar with how the infamous calendar made everybody think the world was ending in 2012, due to how accurately the Mayans had mapped out the cycles and astronomy in such a primitive time.


But there is more to the Mayans than apocalyptical scenarios and astronomy. In fact, they were one of the most advanced early civilizations in the world, and advanced technology, medicine and culture in the region by centuries within a short time.


And there is so much more that you might not know, including the fact that the Mayas predated the Aztecs, how they transmitted their knowledge, and how their civilization came to an end (but is still around today)... but for that, you're going to have to listen to this week's episode.


Enjoy!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1469

Belize is a country you rarely hear about, but we can promise you: it is actually one of the most interesting in all of Latin America. With possibly one of the most interesting and diverse mix of ethnicities and cultures, Belize stands out from other nations as Spanish is *not* an official language here. 


So today, we will accompany our traveling friend, Eduardo, as he explores this amazing nation and goes to some of the most impressive natural reserves you'll ever discover in an episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Enjoy the episode, and start preparing your next trip to the country known lovingly as "The Jewel" - you definitely will want to go when you're done listening.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/143e m

Simón Bolívar is known as the Liberator, and he rightly gained this title... but there is another, one who fought as hard as Bolivar but was nowhere near as recognized as the Venezuelan: José de San Martín.


Born in Argentina and raised as a Spanish soldier who fought for the Spanish Empire, José de San Martín's eyes were opened to the human desire for freedom, and made it his personal goal not only to topple the Spanish colonizers in South America, but to do it in the humblest and most selfless way possible.


You see, San Martin did not want the fame or the glory of becoming "the Liberator" that Simon Bolivar did, and when he was at his peak, having achieved so much and saved so many lives... he gave his power away.


Find out why, and what exactly this legendary figure did, in this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1403

One of the creepiest tales to come out of Venezuela was that of Dorancel Vargas. A homeless man with severe mental issues who lived outside the city of San Cristobal, Vargas had a fascination that no human should have...


He enjoyed eating human meat. And the ugliest thing of it all isn't that he just feasted on the meat, but the fact that he hunted people down like game, taking special advantage of runners who came through his territory.


In this special DUAL narrator episode, we go over a police case led by Inspector Alfredo Gómez and reporter Elena Ramírez, as they push to capture this terrible monster before he can continue committing heinous crimes on his fellow man (and woman).


Warning: Viewer discretion is advised.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1370

Latin America is beautiful, but it's also dangerous, and I'm not talking about the wildlife here... Holding 6 spots in the top 10 crimes rates worldwide, this region has unfortunately been one of the most deadly in recent decades, and its people have lived in fear of violent crime and terrorism for too long.


And with organizations such as the FARC and ELN, FMLN, the US-backed Contras, Sendero Luminoso, and more, it's no surprise that there's plenty of content for today's episode on the scary past (and present) of Latin America's crime underworld.


We love Latin America (especially as Latin Americans ourselves!) - but today, we'll spend half an hour going through the dark side of the Latino region. Enjoy the episode.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1338

We've given Mexico some love in recent times, after Season 3's finale "Te Amo, México" - and today is no exception. In fact, today we'll talk about how Mexico's modern political structure came to exist.


The nation wasn't always a stable democracy (well, depending on who you ask these days). It has had its up and downs, and its downs have been preeetty low. With multiple authoritarians coming and going, it was inevitable that the people would rise up, and with it... a revolution would start.


You've probably heard of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, two Mexican heroes... but do you actually know what they did? If the answer is no (and I'm hoping for that, so you can listen to the episode), you're going to enjoy today's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1337

Do you love chocolate as much as we do (and if you don't, WHY)? Well, in that case, you might be curious as to how we ended up having this delicious sweet all across the world, on every continent. And yes, that includes Antarctica.


Born in the heart of Mesoamerica and originally consumed by the Olmecs, Mayas and Aztecs, cacao (the precursor of chocolate) was discovered by Spanish conquistadors, who decided to take this curious fruit back home with them, which soon led to an explosion of delicious new products.


But I'm done "spoiling" the episode here. You should check it out and unravel the history of cacao, chocolate, and the origin of one of the most delicious desserts you'll ever try, in this episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1305

Have you ever seen flowers in the desert? One of the most curious climate phenomena worldwide is El Niño, which is the irregular warming of sea surface temperatures, which leads to a cascade of effects on weather patterns and ecosystems.


In this episode, we talk about what it involves, how it affects the lives of animals and human beings in Latin America, and what is being done to lessen its effects on people and nature.


Oh, and you'll also learn more about how and why this phenomenon occurs, and you'll find out why I asked you about flowers in the desert - so don't miss it!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1272