Resilience and Resistance: a History of the Colombian London
Over the last 50 years, hundreds of thousands of Colombians have made their mark as the UK's largest spanish-speaking community. As a consequence, Londoners are never far away from the enticing smell of pandeja paisa, the…
The Danger of Being Underestimated: the Peruvian Double Agent who was Key to D-Day Victory
On the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when thousands of Allied troops landed on beaches across Normandy, starting the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied northern Europe, we look at how Elvira de la Fuente Chaudoir, a little known…
WOMEN ON THE VERGE: Iberian Female Talent on the Rise
In the last few years, in an attempt to catch up with the US-based powerhouse that has become Latin music, Spain’s musical output has been in overdrive. While Karol G overtakes her male counterparts as reggaetón’s most successful…
Reggaeton Revolution: 20 years of UK Urban Latin Culture
Back in 2004, when the UK music industry was ignoring reggaetón and Maluma was in nappies, LatinoLife produced the UK’s first ever Reggaetón and Latin Hiphop Festival, giving a platform to young UK-Latin kids bursting to show…
Luca Prodan : The Maradona of Rock
A rebel creative, Luca Prodan was an Italian-Scot who became one of the most unlikely founding pillars of the Argentine rock scene. Born in Italy, educated alongside King Charles at Scotland’s Gordonstoun boarding school, the…
The Rise of Female Mexican Filmmaking
Mexican filmmaker Lorena Valencia’s “DANDELION” (Cuanacaquilitl) recently won the top prize at the recent ‘16 Days 16 Films’ competition. ‘Esperanza’ and ‘A Very Nice Guy’, also directed by Mexican female directors, featured…
Listening to Nature
“Our father, listen attentively to the voice of our rivers, listen to the fearsome trees of the great forest.” So wrote José María Arguedas in 1966. The poet, writer and anthropologist (1911-1969) is one of the most celebrated…
An unknown path for Argentina as far-right libertarian Javier Milei wins election
Amidst one of the worst economic crises in Argentina’s history, Javier Milei staged one of the biggest upsets in its political history by beating Sergio Massa, the current economy minister and Peronist candidate, in the…
Does Economic Reality Jeopodise Latin America's Second Pink Tide?
In an impressive switch, Latin America's right-wing presidents have lost almost all the presidential elections. The region has, once again, been painted in pink and red, even more than during Chavez and Correa´s times.…
From Rock to Reggaeton: Argentina’s Revolutionary Road
Once known for producing Latin America’s greatest rock icons, Argentina was forced to take a back seat as the tropical urban beats from the Caribbean conquered the Latin music market. Yet the recent success of “Bzrp Music…
Pele & Maradona: Contrasting Greatness
Among the claims to football greatness, those of Pele and Maradona, who died within just over two years of each other, will endure as a contrast in character and iconography, defining between them the developing story of modern…
LatinoLife - The UK's First Latina-run National Portfolio Organisation
In April 2023 LatinoLife became the UK's first and only Latina-run National Portfolio Organisation (NPO), selected to be part of the UK government's ‘most varied and ambitious’ portfolio of NPOs. In being chosen as one…
Same-Sex Marriage Becomes Legal in Mexico
On 26 October, Tamaulipas became the last of Mexico’s 32 states to legalise same-sex marriage. Legislators approved the measure to reform the state’s civil code - which previously only recognised marriage as the unity between a…
Gnocchi Day: A South American Story
Why do people eat gnocchis on 29th of each month in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay? Clorrie Yeomans unveils the history and traditions of gnocchi day and reflects on the evermore significant meaning of this South American…
“Los Nadies” become Somebodies in Colombia
After a very contested campaign, Colombians recently elected Gustavo Petro, a former M-19 guerrilla member, as president, and Francia Márquez, the first vice president in Latin America of African descent, The duo Petro and…
Colombian elections 2022: Petro or Fico?
Colombia’s presidential elections are just around the corner (with a second round in June if no candidate obtains more than 50 per cent of the vote). With two main candidates on opposing sides of the political spectrum, what do…
Colombia: London Mural Honours Lucas Villa
London graffiti artist Kapo pays tribute to the demonstrator assassinated during Colombia’s national strike in 2021 in Stockwell’s ‘Hall of Fame’
The Right to Die? Euthanasia in Colombia
Meet the lawyers fighting to make euthanasia a human right in Latin America.
Brazilian women in London share experiences of gendered violence
As the rates and intensity of violence against women dramatically rose globally over lockdown, Gil, a Brazilian woman in London who has suffered domestic violence, tells her story of being denied support from emergency services.…
Padel in the Country
When everyone begins claiming they invented it, you know it’s catching on. From the Argentine suburbs and Mexican millionaire residencies to the phenomenal spawn of canchas in Spain (making it the nation’s second favourite sport…
Reggaeton Legend: Julio Voltio
Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Julio Ramos (Julio Voltio), became of the most well-known reggaeton artists of the mid-2000s, Voltio worked his way up the ranks for many years, expanding his reach with his successful releases.
Latina Homegrown
Sweetness, strength, ambition and beauty are the words that encapsulate this unique group of talent trying to break through the many barriers of London's difficult world of urban music. What’s the biggest challenge; as women…
Diaspora Music: Venezuela
In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk of the global domination of Latin Music. A big contributor to this phenomenon has been the Latin diaspora - artists making music outside their countries. In this first feature of our…
Reggaeton Legends: Vico C
Vico C is considered one of the greatest artists in the history of the Urban genre in Latin America and Spain. Reflective, deep, socially conscious and catchy and danceable lyrics are what Vico C songs are made for all kind of…
Latin America Criminalises Mining Protest
All over Latin America mining protest is being criminalised by government legislation. Protestors in Andalgalá, Argentina are arrested and beaten, while in Brazil the Munduruku are fighting Anglo American, financed by US…
A Brief History of Latin Music in London
Notwithstanding the cheesy album covers and the pastiche distortions of Latin dance on BBC’s Strictly’, London has had a long and idiosyncratic affair with Latin culture. From the hi-flying success of Edmundo Ros’ Latin Big Band…
Que Vivan 'Los Turcos': Latin America's Arab connection
Last year, when the crisis in Colombia coincided with the Israeli incursion into Gaza, Colombian and Latino social media platforms were awash with calls for solidarity with Palestinians, after the distressing scenes of the…
What is behind the current civil unrest in Colombia?
The South American country is the news protagonist of late. Videos of protests and riots circulate the web, and celebrities have even changed their profile picture to show their support to the Colombian people. Even though the…
Classic Album: 'MTO² New Generation' by Don Omar
We revisit Don Omar's Album "Meet the Orphans 2: New Generation", released nine years ago. Full of surprises and without a shadow of a doubt, an album that made history in music.
The Amazon: Biden and Bolsonaro's no- deal
The United States and Brazil have been conducting closed door negotiations to broker an Amazon rainforest protection agreement — with the U.S. and other nations tentatively to provide significant funding, and Brazil possibly…
The Wonderful World of Afro-Reggaeton
Why are Reggaeton and Afro-beat collaborations taking over the world, and why should you care? We explore how the current explosion of reggaetón afro-beat fusions is the latest expression of a long and rich history of African and…
Mexico: Informal Workers and the Pandemic
The story of Noe, a private driver and ambulant salesman, is that of many in Mexico left without an income or government help. It is left to informal neighbourhood based support to helps them get by.
Brazil: Lula is Back and Shaking Things Up
The PT leader’s return is transforming politics and the handling of the pandemic
AMAZONAS: The Beauty of Britain's Afro-Indigenous Latinas
Carina Costa Londono brings together some of Britain’s proud Afro-Indigenous to show their natural beauty in a pioneering photo shoot
Brazil: Facebook Enables Landgrabbing
In a new TV documentary, BBC Brasil penetrated deep within criminal networks illegally selling and deforesting conserved lands — even within an Indigenous reserve - to find some land grabbers are posting the plots they’re selling…