1. That Che Guevara is Cuban.

As a revolutionary, he combatted in Congo and Bolivia but was mostly known for his role in the Cuban revolution of the 50s. He worked alongside Fidel Castro in the new Cuban State, but he was Argentinian (born in 1928 in Rosario), hence his nickname ‘Che’, given to him by the Cubans. And if you think that’s a cool name for a child (it’s the fashion don’t you know), just tell him not to go to Argentina, where they’ll probably say… ‘what, you’re really called dude?’

2. That we know how to dance

Wrong! Some know how to shake it, but say,  in any given Argentine concert you’ll find more jumping up and down than shimmying or booty shaking. Yes, it’s easier to find great dancers in the Caribbean than in Chile or Argentina (btw, very few men know how to dance Tango properly…). Don’t worry, we still got charm!

3. That Latin lovers own beach bars

A so-called Latin lover is not a hippie that owns a bar on the beach and plays the guitar all day long, no. If you think we are like Gael (a.k.a. Enrique Iglesias from How I met your mother series), you got it wrong. A Latin lover can conquer you in a suit, football outfit or casual clothes. Some of us even have scraggy beards and may not be good lovers at all. And, by the way, Enrique Iglesias is not Latin American. He is Spanish.

4. That we think of nothing else but football.

If there is anyone else who thinks they brought sport to the world, apart from the Americans, it's the English. Well, the beautiful game is big in a lot of countries, but in many – Venezuela, Cuba, Panama, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Baseball is even bigger. And by the way, the Cubans are pretty good at boxing, the Argentines at tennis and rugby, and the Colombians make decent cyclists.

5. That America is The United States

No, no and no! “Americans” are people from the United States, yes, but whenever Latin Americans speak of “América” they refer to the continent that was conquered for centuries by Spanish and Portuguese monarchs (which by the way has very little to do with the US). So “America” is the continent. Just like Europe or Africa.

6. That Perennial Presidents are Dictators.

Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, Cristina Kirchner and many more Latin American presidents are portrayed as “dictators” by western media, but be careful before repeating that in Cuba, Venezuela or Argentina...many so-called dictators have enormous support in their countries. Some call it populism, others a caudillo tradition that goes back before the days of Juan Perón. Democtratic? Well that’s another discussion all together, but get your history staright before you embark on it.

7. That There Exists Such a Things as Latin American Food.

There is no such thing. You might love Mexican tacos or Argentinian beef, but Chile, Perú, Colombia and Ecuador have amazing fish and seafood dishes. And its not all about beans and rice either. As well as typical dishes depending on north and south, jungle and mountain, there is a huge sophistication in some cuisines, with their layers of different immigrations, from French to Japanese, and ancient recipes that go back to the Mayan and Incan civilizations. It's not a coincidence that Peru and Mexico are amonst the world's finest cuisines. Try them all!

8. That All Latinos Men are Drug Dealers either Guerrilleros

Most news about Latin America is somehow related to violence. But fear not…not all men with bushy moustaches will kill and quarter you on a whim. Some are kind and generous and will lavish you with affection. Welcome to the great family of 600 million relatives. The Colombian tourism board had a spectacularly bad campaign slogan once ‘the only risk is wanting to stay’ (no, you don’t use the word risk in an ad campaign!). Nevertheless the slogan is true. And as for the gangsters? Well, like the Cubans say ‘comemierdas hay en todos lados’

9. The Latin America is a Tropical Country

Yes, some of the finest beaches in the world are in Latin America (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil…), but not all of Latin America is about sand, warm summers and tropical dances. There are a lot of bad beaches, aswell as huge stunning snow capped mountains to make up for them. In the Argentine and Chilean Patagonia millions ski every winter surrounded by breath-taking landscapes.

10. That Latin American Women are the Worlds' Most Beautiful.

Er, actually, you got that one right...Latin American women are the most beautiful of the world. No debate.