# Chavez Wants to Rename Latin America? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 13, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802 "2008-08-13T02:04:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kitemaker\_chuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a88e4f/32.png) [@kitemaker\_chuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitemaker_chuck)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/1 "2008-08-13T02:04:05Z")
I saw a news item today online (I think it was originally a report from Novosti), that says that President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela wants to change the name of Latin America to Indian America. Is this a new official campaign he’s starting, and could the new name catch on? Would there be enough popular support in Latin America to change the name to Indian America? ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/2 "2008-08-13T02:08:53Z")
Do you want to tell him that “Indian” is also an entirely European-created term or shall I? I usually call the place South America anyway. Can’t argue with that unless you’re Australian. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/3 "2008-08-13T02:11:36Z")
His first choice was Hugotopia. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/4 "2008-08-13T02:42:58Z")
[QUOTE=kitemaker\_chuck] I saw a news item today online (I think it was originally a report from Novosti), that says that President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela wants to change the name of Latin America to Indian America. Is this a new official campaign he’s starting, and could the new name catch on? Would there be enough popular support in Latin America to change the name to Indian America? [/QUOTE] Weird. The Term “Latin America” is not synonomous with “South America”. It defines those countries which predominantly speak a Romance hence Latin language . Hugo’s neighbour ,one little country over, Suriname, does not qualify. Thus this doesn’t make any sense at all. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/5 "2008-08-13T02:47:27Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] His first choice was Hugotopia. [/QUOTE] I opened this thread thinking it would be either Chavezia or Despotiland. :rolleyes: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/6 "2008-08-13T03:04:46Z")
Greater Bolivia? ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/7 "2008-08-13T03:11:27Z")
[Here’s a story from El Universal](http://english.eluniversal.com/2008/08/12/en_pol_art_president-chavez-wan_12A1902161.shtml)–it says he likes Indo-America too. That’s just totally bizarre. What’s the difference between a European name derived from the distant roots of the Spanish language and a European name that would come from a huge geographical mistake made 500 years ago? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/8 "2008-08-13T10:01:29Z")
[QUOTE=dangermom] That’s just totally bizarre. What’s the difference between a European name derived from the distant roots of the Spanish language and a European name that would come from a huge geographical mistake made 500 years ago? [/QUOTE] Perhaps his beef has less to do with etymology and more to do with removing the Euro-centrism associated with a region named after the language family of long ago colonizers. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/9 "2008-08-13T10:25:32Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] Weird. The Term “Latin America” is not synonomous with “South America”. It defines those countries which predominantly speak a Romance hence Latin language . Hugo’s neighbour ,one little country over, Suriname, does not qualify. [/QUOTE] Hijack - What about Haiti? ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/10 "2008-08-13T11:14:49Z")
[QUOTE=kitemaker\_chuck] I saw a news item today online (I think it was originally a report from Novosti), that says that President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela wants to change the name of Latin America to Indian America. [/QUOTE] Or how about Native American America? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/11 "2008-08-13T11:21:56Z")
Wait… is Cahvez implying that no “Indians” ever lived in the U.S. and Canada? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/12 "2008-08-13T11:23:52Z")
So it came to be, Hugo’s cheese has finally slid completely out of the cracker. Signed, Ale, born and rised in South America. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/13 "2008-08-13T11:33:50Z")
[QUOTE=Measure for Measure] Greater Bolivia? [/QUOTE] Political Geography isn’t your Mastermind specialist subject is it? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/14 "2008-08-13T11:36:13Z")
[QUOTE=you with the face] Perhaps his beef has less to do with etymology and more to do with removing the Euro-centrism associated with a region named after the language family of long ago colonizers. [/QUOTE] It’s to do with the fact that in places like Venezuela and Bolivia left-leaning governments have come to power by building support among the poor - which tend to be what are considered ‘Indian’ as opposed to European stock. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/15 "2008-08-13T12:42:04Z")
[QUOTE=you with the face] Perhaps his beef has less to do with etymology and more to do with removing the Euro-centrism associated with a region named after the language family of long ago colonizers. [/QUOTE] Once he stops SPEAKING one of those languages, it’ll make a lot more sense. “Latin America” is at least partially accurate. “Indian America” or “Indo-America” is flatly wrong, like calling it “Asian America” or “Arctic America.” ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/16 "2008-08-13T13:59:19Z")
Stuff like this is why Chavez is seen as a clown even in places friendly to his government, like Cuba. Fidel was and is, without a doubt as much a megalomaniac as Chavez, but his crazy pronouncements tended to be more or less serious proposals. Like when he declared that Cuba would produce 10 million tons of sugar in 1970, although it ultimately failed it brought the country together, and also gave name to one of Cuba’s best music groups “Los Van Van”. From Chavez we get a time zone 30 minutes off from everyone else in the region and this name change crap. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/17 "2008-08-13T13:59:51Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Hijack - What about Haiti? [/QUOTE] Varies. In my Latin American literature class in high school (damn, 8 years ago), I had to read essays (translated from French into Spanish) from Haiti (curiously, none from Brazil). I would consider it, since after all Brazil is usually included. BTW, in Spanish, I’ve heard the use of _amerindio_ or _indio_ for Native American. People from the Asian country (and the followers of hinduism) are (at least supposed to be) _hindúes (hindú)_, although people still call them _indios_. While I can see where he is coming from (tago’s explanation is right), calling Latin America “IndoAmerica” (which makes more sense if you see the comment about the word above in Spanish), is still not correct (and crazy). As much as you may deplore and despise the colonizers, for better or worse, without them, most of Latin Americans would not be around. We’re descended from Europeans and the Africans they brought as slave just as much (or more in some cases) as the natives that lived here during the conquest. So Bolivia, Venezuela, and much of South America is mostly Native American. Fine… but don’t include then the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic)… nor Argentina. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/18 "2008-08-13T14:25:26Z")
Since no one has provided a link yet – [link](http://en.rian.ru/world/20080812/115976867.html) > [@](#): > > “Let’s call our continent Indian America instead of Latin America,” Chavez told a meeting of the Indian community in Caracas, capital of Venezuela. > > He said the notion Latin had been enforced by the Europeans, while Indians were the continent’s indigenous population. Since nothing is officially “named” Latin America in the first place, I don’t see how it can be “changed” to something else. “Latin America” is just an informal descriptor, not an actual name for anything, so it isn’t possible to “change” it. If Chavez wants to use his own descriptor, what do I care? It’s not like anybody else has to use it. This doesn’t even sound like it was particularly serious anyway, just something he was saying rhetorically during an address to an indigeonous community. if indigeonous people don’t want to call themselves “Latin,” I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. As far as I’m concerned, he has a point. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/19 "2008-08-13T15:12:27Z")
[QUOTE=lalenin] Like when he declared that Cuba would produce 10 million tons of sugar in 1970, although it ultimately failed it brought the country together, and also gave name to one of Cuba’s best music groups “Los Van Van”. [/QUOTE] 😕_“Van”_ means “they go” – how do you get that from sugarcane? ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802/20 "2008-08-13T15:25:00Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] 😕_“Van”_ means “they go” – how do you get that from sugarcane? [/QUOTE] Sorry should have explained. The motto for the 10 million harvest was “Los diez millones van, ¡y de que **van, van**!”, translated more or less: “The 10 million are going to happen, and they are really going, going!”. The group picked up of the Van-Van as a name and there you go. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chavez-wants-to-rename-latin-america/459802.md?page=2)