The Mysteries of Latin America Podcast

Yanga: The African Slave King Who Built Mexico’s First Free Town

Was There an African King Enslaved in Mexico?!"
 
"Imagine an African king, escaping slavery, leading a rebellion in Mexico, and not just surviving—but building a town that still stands today! What if I told you this story unfolded two years before the Pilgrims even landed at Plymouth Rock? Sounds incredible, right? Today, we’ll uncover the story of Gaspar Yanga—a man whose legacy defied the might of the Spanish Empire and still echoes through the streets of a small town in Veracruz."
 
"Friend, welcome to another episode of **Mysteries of Latin America**. I’m Andrew, and if you’re new here, what we do is dive deep into the myths, legends, history, and unsolved mysteries that span the vast and vibrant lands of Latin America—from the northern border of Mexico to the southern tip of Argentina, and across the Caribbean islands. Whether you’ve got roots in this region or are simply curious about the stories hidden beneath the surface, you’re in for a treat." 
 
_"And today’s episode is about the little-known story of Gaspar Yanga, a man whose defiance in the face of oppression laid the groundwork for Mexico’s first free town and became a symbol of resistance against Spanish colonial rule."_ 

MISSING: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 43 STUDENTS OF AYOTZINAPA MEXICO?

 
Imagine waking up to a world where 43 young men have vanished, seemingly into thin air, leaving only unanswered questions and unbearable anguish for their loved ones.
 
This is not a story from some distant past or a legend this time, but a haunting reality that has gripped Mexico for a decade. This is the story of the disappearance of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa.
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Friends, thanks for joining me on *Mysteries of Latin America*, where I explore myths, legends, mysteries, and history from the northern border of Mexico to the southern tip of Argentina and across the Caribbean Islands. My name’s Andrew, and today, we delve into the unresolved enigma of the Ayotzinapa disappearance—a case that has become a symbol of Mexico's ongoing struggle with truth, corruption, violence, and justice.
 
September 26, 2014, began like many other days in the small town of Ayotzinapa, located about four hours from the tourist city of Acapulco, in Guerrero on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Students from the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, also known as the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College, were preparing for a trip to Mexico City. They intended to commemorate the Tlatelolco massacre of 1968, where the Mexican government brutally suppressed student protests, resulting in hundreds of deaths just days before the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. The students had no inkling that this trip would culminate in a tragic and ironic echo of that historical violence in the 21st century.
 
In this episode, I’ll present the official story from the government, explore alternative theories involving corruption, drug trafficking, political motives, a massive cover-up, and discuss how the election of a leftist president has influenced the ongoing investigation. I’ll also provide updates on the current status and prevailing theory of what really happened.
 
If you haven’t subscribed yet, I invite you to do so on your preferred platform to get episodes as soon as they’re released and access nearly 60 other episodes I’ve prepared for you. If you have comments or an idea for an episode, reach out to me at andy@andycancun.com—I’d be honored to read you and consider your suggestion.
 
Now, let’s get to the 43…
 

American Civil War Town Hidden in Brazil: "Americana's" Untold Story

A charming town was born from the ashes of America’s Civil War...in Brazil…and its name is Americana. And to this day, they celebrate their American and Confederate history…and in a really positive way.
 
What drove former Confederate soldiers to travel thousands of miles away to a new country, culture and way of life?  What legacies did they leave? What is Americana like today? We’ll  get into all  that and more shortly--- and I tell the story of a town called Americana.
Friends, Welcome to The Mysteries of Latin America! I’m Andrew, your guide through the myths, legends, history and mysteries all around us here in Latin America, from the northern border of Mexico to the southern tip of Argentina, and all across the Caribbean Islands.
I tell these stories so people like me, who have roots in a few different parts of Latin America, can know the stories of our people and our neighbors too, and also so people who don’t know a lot about the region can know a little more of what makes up our cultural DNA.
Now Let’s tell the story of Americana…
 
Here is a link to a previous podcast episode referenced in this episode...it's about the Nazi Cult Colony in Chile...very different, but also compelling!
 
https://acovoice.podbean.com/e/the-nazi-cult-colony-in-chile/
 

2 Secret Societies of Latin American Revolution: Los Guadalupes and the Logia Lautaro

It’s 1810, and Latin America is on the brink of revolution.
Behind the scenes, two secret societies—Los Guadalupes and Logia Lautaro—are orchestrating the fight for freedom and plotting huge upheavals that led to the formations of countries in what we know as North, Central and South America.
Welcome to an episode I’ve called "2 Secret Societies of Latin American Revolution," where we uncover the hidden roles and dramatic impacts of these clandestine groups.
Stay tuned as we dive into their stories of intrigue, danger, and the pursuit of liberty.

Naia: The Lost Girl Who Changed Our History Forever

In 2007, near Tulum, Mexico, divers exploring the depths of Hoyo Negro, a large underwater chamber within the Sac Actun cave system, stumbled upon an ancient secret.
They made the groundbreaking discovery of the skeleton of a young woman, now known as Naia.
The underwater chamber they found her in is called a “cenote,” and it has been submerged since the last Ice Age, preserving not only Naia's remains but also the bones of long-extinct extinct animals we only know from fossils.
Little did they know, this discovery would challenge everything we thought we knew about early human migration.
 
Welcome to the Mysteries of Latin America, where we dive into the myths, legends, history, and mysteries from Mexico's northern border to the southern tip of Argentina and across the Caribbean Islands.
On this program, I tell stories so that those of us with roots in the region know a little more of what we’re all about, and also so that those that don’t have those roots know more of what makes up our cultural DNA.
My name is Andrew Colón, and today, we uncover an incredible discovery that is reshaping our understanding of human history.
 
Let’s get started, friends…let’s go meet Naia.

Latin America's First Female Doctor-Trailblazing Eloísa Díaz

 
Welcome to another episode of the Mysteries of Latin America, where we tell stories of the myths, legends, history and mysteries of the territories between the Mexico's northern border to the southern tip of Argentina and all across the Caribbean Islands.
This week's story is the true story of a woman who revolutionized health care standards in Latin America, and she began that journey at only 15 years of age...
A 15-year-old girl defied all the odds In a male-dominated profession back in the late 1800’s.
Eloísa Díaz, from Santiago, Chile was the first woman in Latin America to pursue a medical degree at the university level.
Facing skepticism and resistance, she pushed through every barrier.
And In 1887, she graduated, seven decades before women could even vote in Chile
She didn’t just become a doctor; she revolutionized public health, pioneering vaccination campaigns against smallpox, diphtheria and typhoid fever...
Her influence spread across Latin America, transforming healthcare.
Her legacy lives on in today's healthcare standards.
Eloísa Díaz... not just a doctor, but a legend who redefined an entire continent.

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.
 
 
 
 
 
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