The history of Latin America, filled with ruptures as well as continuities, is undoubtedly fascinating. The Latin American countries have inherent differences but also significant similarities that largely stem from their common colonial past.

Three centuries of Spanish and Portuguese domination left indigenous populations decimated and a legacy of dependency in this resource-rich continent. Historian Maria Damilaou traces the period from the end of colonialism in the early 19th century to the present day.

The book presents and analyzes the pivotal phases of this journey by country: The revolutionary movements and the challenging phase of nation-building. The ambitious modernization of the new states with its contradictions and limits. The dynamic entry of broad social layers into political life in the early 20th century and the phenomenon of populism.

The developmental experiments after World War II. The revolutionary explosion triggered by the Cuban Revolution and U.S. intervention. The violence of state terrorism and the difficult transition to democratic normalcy. The neoliberalism of the 1990s.

The new political and economic order, in search of a meaningful decolonization. Latin America, so familiar yet so unknown in our country, has historically been a lever on the international stage, and developments in this continent filled with contradictions play a significant role in global dynamics.