Spanish Latin America One Nation

You probably need very early POD or much smaller Spanish Empire in Americas. Many kind of federations tried in OTL but these failed due internal problems. There is politically and culturally very different countries despite that they all talk same language.
 
All of it? That seems tough to do post-independence. Maybe a supranational union that gradually federalizes? Although I have hard time seeing the US let this potential superpower develop unchecked.

Maybe if the American Revolution fails, and the Napoleonic Wars don't wreck Spain, and Spain slowly grants autonomy to its colonies instead of collapsing into a sad mess. It also focuses on its empire in the Americas rather than trying to expand elsewhere (Africa, Southeast Asia, etc.). So over time, you have some kind of federation nominally governed from Madrid, but all the real power is in America (probably Mexico City).
 
Assuming several PODs are involved, will a United Spanish Latin American Nation be plausible?


Short answer: No.

Longer answer: There's a reason Bolívar said America was "ungovernable". Too many regional differences even within nations was what contributed to the civil wars of many Latin American countries in the 19th century. Urban vs rural was a particular difficulty, as the history of Venezuela and Argentina should point out. Sometimes countries would that broke away from a larger entity broke up themselves. Think of the poor Federal Republic of Central America!

If you want a shot at it, you'll probably need to change the nature of Spanish colonialism to the point where Latin America as we know it may be unrecognizable. It should be noted that the colonies were ambivalent about independence in the first place; some of the rebellions started as loyalist movements for the Bourbons as opposed to the Bonapartes, and many Mexicans wanted a Spanish prince to be their ruler.

Modern unity would be hard too. Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro liked to talk about Latin American brotherhood, but Colombia isn't too happy with the Chavista's support of FARC, for one example. Bolivia still remembers when Chile took its coastline in the War of the Pacific in the 1880s. Don't forget the Gran Chaco War of the 1930s, which was fought between Paraguay and Paraguay over potential oilfields. . .that turned out to have no oil! :rolleyes:

(*Looks up aftermath* Wait, some of Paraguay's portion of the Chaco had oil discovered. . .in 2012? Talk about delayed gratification! :p)

My studies were mainly about South America, so maybe other posters could tell you about Central America and the Caribbean.

The closest South America ever got to being united was arguably under Pinochet's Operation Condor, a covert alliance of right-wing dictatorships. There's a recent thread about Condor in After 1900 if you're interested.

I hope this helps! :)
 
Short answer: No.

Longer answer: There's a reason Bolívar said America was "ungovernable". Too many regional differences even within nations was what contributed to the civil wars of many Latin American countries in the 19th century. Urban vs rural was a particular difficulty, as the history of Venezuela and Argentina should point out. Sometimes countries would that broke away from a larger entity broke up themselves. Think of the poor Federal Republic of Central America!

If you want a shot at it, you'll probably need to change the nature of Spanish colonialism to the point where Latin America as we know it may be unrecognizable. It should be noted that the colonies were ambivalent about independence in the first place; some of the rebellions started as loyalist movements for the Bourbons as opposed to the Bonapartes, and many Mexicans wanted a Spanish prince to be their ruler.

Modern unity would be hard too. Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro liked to talk about Latin American brotherhood, but Colombia isn't too happy with the Chavista's support of FARC, for one example. Bolivia still remembers when Chile took its coastline in the War of the Pacific in the 1880s. Don't forget the Gran Chaco War of the 1930s, which was fought between Paraguay and Paraguay over potential oilfields. . .that turned out to have no oil! :rolleyes:

(*Looks up aftermath* Wait, some of Paraguay's portion of the Chaco had oil discovered. . .in 2012? Talk about delayed gratification! :p)

My studies were mainly about South America, so maybe other posters could tell you about Central America and the Caribbean.

The closest South America ever got to being united was arguably under Pinochet's Operation Condor, a covert alliance of right-wing dictatorships. There's a recent thread about Condor in After 1900 if you're interested.

I hope this helps! :)

That was what I meant when I said PODs- any time period during the colonial days works.

Maybe if Spain helped focused on infrastructure, immigration, economy, and a more constitutional-based governments, maybe. Though Spain would have had to go on the governmental OTL path England did from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy.

During the union between Spain and Portugal, maybe Brazil could be part of the new nation.
 
The Hispanic 'Reynos de Indias'

Actually legally Hispanic America were never a colony but were Kingdoms, for the Hispanic Law therefore were ruled by Viceroys.

http://geoanalyzer.britannica.com/ebc/article-9042315

Would need to be resold in reality and the Hispanic monarchy decided to treat them as such and Carlos V (at death) divided his empire into three and sent to a Spanish prince to govern in America.
Don John of Austria, http://madmonarchist.blogspot.com/2011/05/royal-profile-don-juan-of-austria.html , maybe.
*
Other possibilities: http://e-spacio.uned.es/fez/eserv.php?pid=bibliuned:20779&dsID=Documento.pdf

If the Conde de Aranda had achieved success and convince Carlos III (and that his family) to carry out his plan to create three Kingdoms in America for the Royals Infant Espanoles. The kingdoms would be united in a covenant family, thus avoiding the lost by conquest or revolution in Latin America. A variant of this plan might happen if Cadiz was taken by Napoleon or the Battle of Bailen had been a Spanish defeat. Would follow the example Portugues and evacuate Cortez of Cadiz

http://countrystudies.us/spain/14.htm
******** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cádiz_Cortes

* to America and from there continue to Ruling and fighting against Napoleon.

Last chances are achieved Bolivar stabilize the Great Colombia (Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador) and managed to survive this and be an example to other nations.

Also not to be overthrown 'Emperor' Iturbide; Mexico could have been consolidated as a State including the captaincy general of Central America, creating a nation from Texas to Panama.

Finally not been betrayed and defeated by the oligarchy of Buenos Aires Gral. Artigas great Caudillo http://www.loslibertadores.net/film_detail.php?id=10&content=biografia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Paine#South_America
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artiguism

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMKCPE_Jos_Gervasio_Artigas_Arnal_Wassenaar_NL

He was the Creator and ideologist of federalism in the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, parts of Brazil), could have arisen Chile achieved a Nation join (Chile was liberated by the armies of the
Rio de la Plata , as Peru). This is an example of how hard it was the union of Spanish America (and was before the rise of nationalism) ... are required or very old pods, pods find very unlikely or multiple chain, more or less contemporary thousands of Kms from each other ( the physical distance); during the formation of new nations, only to form three great nations (The United Provinces of La Plata, Great Colombia and The Mexican Empire).
 
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Actually legally Hispanic America were never a colony but were Kingdoms, for the Hispanic Law therefore were ruled by Viceroys.

http://geoanalyzer.britannica.com/ebc/article-9042315

Would need to be resold in reality and the Hispanic monarchy decided to treat them as such and Carlos V (at death) divided his empire into three and sent to a Spanish prince to govern in America.
Don John of Austria, http://madmonarchist.blogspot.com/2011/05/royal-profile-don-juan-of-austria.html , maybe.
*
Other possibilities: http://e-spacio.uned.es/fez/eserv.php?pid=bibliuned:20779&dsID=Documento.pdf

If the Conde de Aranda had achieved success and convince Carlos III (and that his family) to carry out his plan to create three Kingdoms in America for the Royals Infant Espanoles. The kingdoms would be united in a covenant family, thus avoiding the lost by conquest or revolution in Latin America. A variant of this plan might happen if Cadiz was taken by Napoleon or the Battle of Bailen had been a Spanish defeat. Would follow the example Portugues and evacuate Cortez of Cadiz

http://countrystudies.us/spain/14.htm
******** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cádiz_Cortes

* to America and from there continue to Ruling and fighting against Napoleon.

Last chances are achieved Bolivar stabilize the Great Colombia (Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador) and managed to survive this and be an example to other nations.

Also not to be overthrown 'Emperor' Iturbide; Mexico could have been consolidated as a State including the captaincy general of Central America, creating a nation from Texas to Panama.

Finally not been betrayed and defeated by the oligarchy of Buenos Aires Gral. Artigas great Caudillo http://www.loslibertadores.net/film_detail.php?id=10&content=biografia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Paine#South_America
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artiguism

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMKCPE_Jos_Gervasio_Artigas_Arnal_Wassenaar_NL

He was the Creator and ideologist of federalism in the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, parts of Brazil), could have arisen Chile achieved a Nation join (Chile was liberated by the armies of the
Rio de la Plata , as Peru). This is an example of how hard it was the union of Spanish America (and was before the rise of nationalism) ... are required or very old pods, pods find very unlikely or multiple chain, more or less contemporary thousands of Kms from each other ( the physical distance); during the formation of new nations, only to form three great nations (The United Provinces of La Plata, Great Colombia and The Mexican Empire).

Well those Latin American nation did not work since none of those nations had experience with constitutional government. Had they had, maybe.
 
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