Latin America’s had plenty of leaders from outside the usual Spanish or Indigenous background thanks to huge waves of immigration. Argentina had Arturo Frondizi and Mauricio Macri (Italian) and Néstor Kirchner (Swiss-German). Brazil had Ernesto Geisel (German), Juscelino Kubitschek (Czech), and Dilma Rousseff (Bulgarian). Chile had Michelle Bachelet (German), Gabriel González Videla (Croatian), and independence hero Bernardo O’Higgins (Irish). Paraguay had Alfredo Stroessner (German) and Mario Abdo Benítez (Lebanese). Peru had Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (German-Swiss) and Fernando Belaúnde Terry (French). Uruguay’s Luis Alberto Lacalle was Italian, Venezuela’s Jaime Lusinchi was Italian, and Mexico’s Vicente Fox had Irish roots.kangarunner wrote: ↑July 28th, 2025, 8:24 amThere are zero. White foreigners, no matter where they come from, UK, Australia, Canada, US, may visit South America, Central America or Mexico but they all realize that they are the gringo in these countries and that they are not welcome into the locals' social circles no matter how well they speak the language. The people in Colombia do not view white foreigners as one of them and they don't care to include them...Lucas88 wrote: ↑July 28th, 2025, 8:06 amBut if you mean that no White foreigner could ever successfully integrate into a Latin American country, I'm sure you can find examples of White American or European men who moved to a Latin American country, married a local girl and have lived there for 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, etc. I sure have known some such men.
...And I am right. All roads lead to Asia. Vietnamese women are the most beautiful in the world.
Immigrants—mainly from Europe and the Middle East—integrated fast. Argentina took in 6+ million Europeans between 1857–1940, not just Italians and Spaniards but also Germans, French, and Eastern Europeans. Brazil got millions of Italians, Germans, Poles, Japanese, and Lebanese-Syrians. Mexico had Lebanese, Chinese, and Europeans—billionaire Carlos Slim’s family came from Lebanon. They didn’t stay in enclaves; they married locals, entered politics, and shaped national culture.
Sure, “gringo” can be used for Americans in a political context, but being foreign isn’t a dealbreaker. Europeans often blend in, especially if they speak the language. Big cities like Buenos Aires, São Paulo, and Mexico City are far more open to outsiders than small towns. If you learn the language and get involved, you’ll be more than just “the foreigner.”
Compared to countries like Korea or Japan, Latin America is
more open—its whole history is mixing Indigenous, European, African, and other influences. Outsiders have always been part of the story here.
What about in Vietnam? Any white guys or half white guys presidents there?