Hmmm.....If I could propose a POD pre-Independence that doesn't involve the 'greatest colonizers ever that farted butterflies on everything they colonized Englishmen that could do stuff much better than those nasty Iberians', Spain did not allow any industry(pre-industrial obviously), to be founded in it's colonies. Everything produced in the colonies was shipped back to Spain, processed, or sold abroad or at home, at the price of huge amounts of efficiency. Latin America didn't lack money back then, and it's aristocracy was made up nobles essentially lounging on their seats of power thanks to the King of Spain. I think a solution would be to have an ambitious, talented, and well-read economist at the Spanish court that points out the fact to the Spanish King. Although there is a good possibility that the Spanish where in fact aware of this but did it so that the colonies remained isolated from the outside world, hence why all trading went through Spain.
There's several options:
1) The Spanish govern their colonies differently from the very start, or never get a chance to expand past the Caribbean. For example, perhaps the final Inca, Atahualpa, rather then toss the bible of the priest to the ground when presented to it, expresses more interest in the book, inquires, and converts. Hence the Inca Empire will continue to appear like a bristling porcupine that you don't want to eff around with, resulting in an independent Incan state that will most likely remain independent, unless it stagnates and is gobbled up around the 1800s like India, Southeast Asia, and China. But, the Inca Empire has proved to be dynamic in it's quick technological strides and innovative technology it had(comparatively), in it's existence of less then 100 years. Who's to say they won't be the poster child of indigenous resistance by adopting the ways of the invaders and their weapons? Then eventually, once plagues stop hitting the Inca Empire, drive out the Spanish and usher in a new era of Incan hegemony?
2. The Spanish don't use viceroys, Peru and Mexico are treated as though any other Spanish province. Perhaps the Incans/Aztecs make a better impression on the Spaniards and their civilization as being civilized. Perhaps their leaders convert to Catholicism and kiss the ring. Perhaps it takes an entire Spanish army to subdue each empire. Either way, the idea for this one is, rather then treat the Incans and Aztecs as colonial states, the Spanish treat them as provinces, with their own cortes, the Quechuan Corte and the Nahual Corte, perhaps even a Mayan Corte eventually. The nobility before invasion are converted, taught, and given their estates and more. This nobility rule just like a prince, duke, or count might rule back in Spain proper. How cool would it be to have El Conte de Cuzco?
The idea with this one is that the nobility with just as much power in their own domains as any other noble in his domain have to cater to the King, and with their own interests in their finances, lobby the King to give them rights, and naturally, being the equivalent of provinces, the nobles and population are much more indifferent rather being treated as slaves, essentially, and economic development ensues.
I could elaborate with more specific PODs but I really don't have the time atm.
