Xenophobia is present in a multitude of Latin Americas countries due to the caste system set in place by Spaniards during the 1400s. The caste system was created to categorize individuals present on Latin American land. The colonization of the indigenous peoples of the Americans as well as the usage of African slaves by the Spaniards caused "new" racial groups to arise as different groups of people intermixed both consensually and forcibly. Today the most common of those categories are mestizos which are mixed people of Indigenous and Spanish descent.
In approximately 8 Latin countries, mestizaje has been quantified as making up over 70% of the population.[1].One of the largest and most prominent of these countries is Mexico. Throughout the course of history, Mexico has become a relatively well-known Latin American country. Some of its culture and gastronomy have intermixed with American culture to make Tex-Mex. American xenophobia has manifested itself in referencing Mexico as the poster child for Latin America as a whole. This is most likely a cause of American nationalism. This generalist way of thinking has caused other Latin American countries to feel unheard and ignored when advocating. In particular, Central Americans. Central America and Mexico share a border near Guatemala and Belize. This proximity means that the majority of individuals who decide to migrate from their country of origin to the U.S must cross Mexico. Central Americans face a number of dangers crossing Mexico such as government police and active cartels.
A new danger that has been raised is Mexican xenophobia. Many migrants are faced with unrest and discrimination as various Mexican populations are seen competing with Central Americans for American inhabitance or asylum. Small terrorist groups have been spotted with one of the most prevalent named Citizen's Blockade which has a member count of 250. Some of their actions have included pretending to be allies and handing out food laced with pesticides. [2].Other plans that were being conspired were to burn down one of Tijuana's biggest migrant shelters. All the members of these targeted groups were part of the Carvana of 2018.
This form of xenophobia is seen in interactions between nations. It also fuels alt-right ideology in various countries including Mexico. This xenophobia is a prime example of the long-term effects of the caste system on modern Latin America. The broadly accepted perception of being indigenous is that it is a form of degradation of a racial group hence mestizaje being priced higher than other groups in the caste system. Mestizo is in the top spot but only when the father is of full Spanish descent. Misogyny and patriarchy can also be seen as fatherhood establishing Spanish lineage. [3].The ideology promotes a eugenics approach as the more mixed an individual is the less indigenous they are. The label an individual fell under sets the status of the person in society. In modern times, these labels are not used as often and some find them offensive to use. Although the usage of the terminology has slowly decreased over time, the original purpose of the caste system remains.
Mexico is one of the largest and most known Latin American countries and has created its own sort of perceived identity to the world. Other nations are perceived as a general identity falling under indigenous. The majority of Latin American countries do not have the same economic success as Mexico due to a lack of success in establishing trade treaties with nations like the U.S. Most use indigenous lands and structures to encourage tourism. Therefore Mexicans perceive Central American nations as mostly indigenous and engage in xenophobia. This can be alarming to see as Mexico and its neighboring country of Guatemala have two of the largest populations of indigenous peoples, yet Mexico's broad recognition creates a separate identity that distances the nation from its identity as an indigenous nation.[4].The Xenophobia experienced by Central Americans and perpetrated by Mexicans is attributed to anti-indigenous sentiment embedded in the Spanish caste system.
