Mexico

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In Mexico, a large portion of the population consists of Mestizos (people of mixed Indigenous and European ancestry) or Indigenous peoples themselves.

Because Mexico sought its national identity in the heritage of civilizations such as the Aztec civilization and the Maya civilization during its struggle for independence from Spain, Indigenous peoples have generally received more formal recognition compared to those in the United States or Canada.

For example, Mexico has had an Indigenous president, Benito Juárez, something that has not yet occurred in countries like the United States or Canada.

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However, despite this symbolic recognition, the reality for many Indigenous people has remained largely unchanged.

During the rule of Porfirio Díaz, demands for Indigenous rights were largely ignored. New land laws severely impacted Indigenous communities, many of whom were tenant farmers, leaving them economically vulnerable and marginalized.

As a result, many Indigenous people remained in lower socioeconomic classes, unable to escape poverty.

In education, Spanish—the language of the former colonial power—became dominant, while Indigenous languages such as Nahuatl and Mayan languages gradually declined in everyday use.

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In the 1920s, when the Institutional Revolutionary Party came to power, efforts were made to include Indigenous languages in education and provide support for Indigenous communities. However, these efforts often fell short due to limited resources, insufficient funding, and rapid population growth.

Since the 1980s, economic inequality has worsened, and many Indigenous people in Mexico continue to live in poverty and social marginalization.

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South America

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Across South America, Indigenous peoples have also faced systemic discrimination and marginalization.

Even in Bolivia, the country with one of the highest proportions of Indigenous population, Indigenous people were not granted the right to vote until 1952.

Some of the most severe cases of oppression occurred in countries such as Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

• In Uruguay, Indigenous people who had even helped in the country’s independence were later massacred or enslaved.

• In Chile and Argentina, despite claiming heritage linked to the Inca Empire, Indigenous peoples were dispossessed of their land and driven into remote regions.

• In some cases, Indigenous individuals were even displayed in museums, reflecting extreme dehumanization.

In the southern parts of South America, where Indigenous populations were smaller to begin with, communities were particularly vulnerable to oppression and even extermination.

Even today, Indigenous groups such as the Mapuche continue to face discrimination and suppression in Chile and Argentina.

 

Ongoing Challenges

Although large-scale massacres may not have occurred in all South American countries, Indigenous peoples have consistently experienced economic and linguistic marginalization.

Even in Paraguay, where Indigenous languages such as Guaraní are still widely spoken, there have been periods when the use of these languages was suppressed or discouraged.

From the mid-to-late 20th century, awareness of Indigenous cultures began to grow, and efforts to preserve traditional heritage have improved public perception.

In recent years, some Indigenous communities have experienced economic progress, yet many still remain among the most vulnerable and impoverished populations in their countries.