The Mysteries of Latin America Podcast

MEXICO'S VANISHING ISLAND: ISLA BERMEJA

In the Gulf of Mexico, there was a small uninhabited island that existed on maps for centuries, and then one day it simply vanished… as if it had never existed. This is the mystery of Isla Bermeja, a phantom island in the Gulf of Mexico, northwest of the Yucatán Peninsula whose mysterious disappearance has baffled explorers, scientists, and conspiracy theorists alike. But was it ever real in the first place? One century it was there, and the next it was gone.
 
Friends, welcome to the Mysteries of Latin America podcast. I'm Andrew Colón, your host, where we explore the stories of the myths, legends, history and mysteries, from the Northern border of Mexico to the southern tip of Argentina and all through the Caribbean Islands.  If you're enjoying today's episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share our podcast with your more adventurous friends and family. Your support helps us uncover more fascinating tales like that of Bermeja Island.
In this episode, we’re diving into a mystery where historical events, political intrigue, and a competition for natural resources, come together to hide a secret beneath the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
This tiny island, which may or may not exist, would later become the center of a geopolitical and economic mystery that has sparked countless theories and investigations.
We’ll see what history, science, and those dark conspiracies have to say about the Mystery of the Disappearance of Isla Bermejo Mexico!
Now, let's get started…

LOST & FOUND: THE SS COTOPAXI'S HAUNTING TALE

The last entry in the Captain’s log said, “We are not alone”...
In 1925, the SS Cotopaxi set sail from Charleston, South Carolina, bound for Havana, Cuba.  The steamship encountered a massive and fierce storm, and after sending out a cryptic distress call, it disappeared without a trace. Despite intense search efforts, neither the ship nor its crew was ever found, adding to the mystique of the area where it was lost-- Bermuda Triangle.
Decades later, in the 1980s, Cuban fishermen reported sightings of what they called a 'barco fantasma'—a ghost ship drifting in and out of the mist. The legend grew until Cuban authorities claimed to have discovered the Cotopaxi. On board, they allegedly found a chilling note from the captain that read 'we are not alone.'
But the mystery deepened further when others claimed to have found the real Cotopaxi wreck. Off the coast of Florida.
 It’s time we unravel the truth behind this mystery.

MISSILES OVER MEXICO: THE "ZONE OF SILENCE"

In 1970, The US shot a missile at Mexico…and it was carrying a radioactive payload.
The Athena missile, originally headed for the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, had a grave malfunction and crashed in the desert of Chihuahua, Old Mexico... while transporting Cobalt 57 in the nosecone.
This was part of an Air Force testing plan for what we would later know as ICBM’s-Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, that can deliver nuclear warheads across continents. Remember the Cold War?
The US sent a team to find the wreckage, deal with Mexican authorities and avoid an international incident.
Since then, myths and stories about the area emerged, including "strange magnetic anomalies," mutations in plants and animals, and, of course, aliens… and it’s now called la Zona del Silencio---the Zone of Silence--Mexico's Bermuda Triangle, and people have sort of forgotten about the missile crash.
Meet me on the Mysteries of Latin America podcast for the full story.
 
-Andrew

THE NAZI CULT COLONY IN CHILE

After World War II, the Allies listed 150,000 Nazis or sympathizers as war criminals. 50,000 of them were found and judged, leaving about 100,000 who escaped or died.
Experts estimate that about 10,000 of those fled to South America. Countries like Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia were open to receiving many of these people, as they were either dictatorships themselves, had governments that sympathized with the Nazis or used Nazi-owned companies to launder money.
One country, though, would have its own German “colony” formed by a former Nazi officer. That country was Chile and the place he founded was a colony that some say was a cult, Colonia Dignidad—the colony of Dignity.
Friends, Welcome to the Mysteries of Latin America," where we dive into the myths, legends, mysteries and hidden stories that have shaped the region from Mexico to the Southern tip of Argentina and to the islands of the Caribbean and back. My name is Andrew Colón, and I’d like to welcome first-time visitors, longtime subscribers, fans and I invite you to subscribe and follow the podcast through whatever medium you’re listening to us.
I tell these stories for two reasons: so that those of us who have roots in the region can know our stories and so the whole world can know what makes Latin America what it is today. There’s a lot to unpack.
Today, we're diving into a story that I’d heard bits and pieces about, but I never expected the full story to be this dark, and once I knew it, I knew it had to be told.
This is the story of Colonia Dignidad.
 
 
 
 
 
#ColoniaDignidad
#TrueCrime
#HistoricalMysteries
#Documentary

UNSTOPPABLE SPIRITS: Rarámuri Women in the Speed Project Ultramarathon

In April 2024, Six indigenous women who call themselves the Ra Ra Ra team from the mountains of Chihuahua, Mexico, made history by finishing the mysterious "Speed Project" relay ultramarathon , covering roughly 340 miles from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Their community is called the Tarahumara by much of the outside world, but they call themselves Rarámuri and so will we, traditionally running long-distances in their canyon homelands and they put their skills and traditions to the test in this grueling competition.
 
DONATIONS LINKS:
Donate to the Ra Ra Ras…Money Pool
https://www.moneypool.mx/p/zp56kkg
 
Donate to the Raramuri Causes
https://donadora.org/busca?like=tarahumara&page=1
In this episode we’ll tell you about these amazing athletes, this mysterious and secretive race, the Raramuri people, the challenges they face, some new hope for their communities, and how you can help them reach their dreams.
Let’s talk about the Ra Ra Ras and the intriguing Raramuri people on this episode of the Mysteries of Latin America podcast…

THE ROBBERY OF THE CENTURY-ARGENTINA'S REAL MONEY HEIST

The hit Netflix series La Casa de Papel, which many of you know as Money Heist, was a fictitious story about one of the world’s most daring robberies.
But something like that couldn’t happen in real life, could it?
On January 12, 2006, 6 men walked into the Banco Rio de Acassuso in Buenos Aires, Argentina, armed with toy guns and a bold plan.
Led by a charismatic man who thought himself an artist, they walked in (some in costume) and walked out without firing a shot or hurting any of the hostages inside.
And they did this while an over 200-member tactical response team was waiting to breach the entrance.
 
Well the cops did finally get in, but when they did, they got a big surprise. And the story only gets stranger from there.
This is our newest story on the Mysteries of Latin America podcast, where we’lltell you the about the details of the operation, how they planned it, the police investigation, the arrests, if authorities got any money back and the mysteries that still surround this epic heist that people in Argentina still call the Robbery of the Century.
 
Narrated by Andrew Colón, and what we do here is tell stories about the myths, legends, mysteries and history of Latin America, so we know our own stories and so people all over the world can know about some of what makes the cultures of North, Central, South America and the Caribbean what they are today.
If it’s your first time with us, welcome, and if you’re a returning listener, I really appreciate you coming back and I invite all of you to share, subscribe and follow the podcast however you’re catching it, and to let your likeminded friends and families know about it…little by little (or poco a poco as we might say down here) we’re building a community and I’m honored to be a part of it.
Now let’s get to today’s story… of The Real Money Heist…

CINCO DE MAYO: THE REAL STORY

For many people in the US and now other countries of the world, it’s the Mexican equivalent of the fourth of July…time to put on a sombrero, eat some tacos, and drink tequila. Now while tacos and a tequila or two are generally a good idea any day of the year, on May Fifth, it’s Cinco de Mayo.
But what are you really celebrating? Is it Mexican Independence day? Or is it just a chance to sell some Corona?
Friends, welcome to the Mysteries of Latin America, where we tell stories about the myths, legends, mysteries and history of Latin America. And Today, it’s about history…the origin story of cinco de mayo.

THE MUMMIES OF MEXICO-GUANAJUATO

In the 19th century a cholera epidemic swept through the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, taking the lives of many of the city’s residents with it.
In the grips of this pandemic, bodies were hastily buried to prevent further spreading. One of them, however, was not dead.
In this podcast we’ll tell you the strange thing that happened to many of the buried bodies and the horrific story of one woman, who was buried alive…
This is the Mysteries of Latin America Podcast..
Friends welcome to the podcast. My name is Andrew Colon and if it’s your first time visiting, what we do here is tell stories of the many myths, legends, histories and mysteries of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, so the whole world knows our stories.
If you’re a returning listener, I really appreciate you coming back and also I send out a big gracias to all of you for listening, sharing and following us on Spotify, Apple, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Now let’s get to the mummies…

THE MOST DEVASTATING DISASTERS IN LATIN AMERICA

From the breathtaking cliffs of Barrancas del Cobre in Mexico to the astounding Perito Moreni Glacier in Argentina, Latin America boasts some of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders in the world. But along with this splendor, there’s a darker side—it’s also a place where the earth trembles with fury, the skies unleash torrents of water and the winds howl with ferocity…reminding us of nature’s awesome power. And Cancun, my home, has not been immune...but I'm getting ahead of myself.
On our latest episode of the Mysteries of Latin America podcast, we’ve put together a collection for you of the top five different natural disasters of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean…we’ll tell the stories of what we consider to be the worst earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and volcanic eruptions in modern history.
If this is your first-time with us, what I do here is tell stories about the myths, legends, history and mysteries of North, Central, South America and the Caribbean for the whole world to know…
 

SHE FELL FROM THE SKY: THE JULIANE KOEPCKE STORY

On Christmas Eve, 1971, Juliane Koepcke fell from the sky. 53 years ago, she plummeted from 3000 meters, 10000 feet, above the Amazon Rainforest.  She was the lone survivor of a plane crash in the heart of the jungle, and she not only defied all the odds and survived to tell the tale, but she began a mission to protect the very rainforest that she believes saved her life.
Join us for the story of Juliane Koepcke, the girl who fell from the sky…
 
Friends welcome once again to the Mysteries of Latin America podcast. I’m Andrew Colón and in the episode I’ll be your guide as we tell the incredible story of someone who not only survived a plane crash, but also survived 10 days in the Amazon rainforest against incredible odds.
If this is your first time listening, thanks for being here with us, and consider subscribing to the podcast so you never miss an episode and to be able to dive into the vault of over 40 podcasts where I tell stories of the myths, legends, history and mysteries of North, central, South America and the Caribbean for the whole world to know.
Now let’s get to it friends…