I'm not Hispanic or Latino, I'm Mexican: What's Behind the Label

‘I’m not Hispanic or Latino, I’m Mexican’: The Label That Is Rejected

‘I’m not Hispanic or Latino, I’m Mexican.’ The phrase, posted in a public online discussion space in Spanish, quickly garnered responses that went far beyond a simple matter of names. This is because behind how the 600 million people living between the Rio Grande and Patagonia are referred to lies a debate that mixes identity, colonial history, and, above all, migratory policy. And Spain, which sees itself as the mother of that community, has its own angle in this discussion.

Why Do Some Mexicans Reject the Labels Hispanic and Latino?

The short answer is that they consider them foreign labels. ‘Hispanic’ pushes the connection towards Spain and the language; ‘Latino’ refers to a continental construct that originated outside the region. Those who insist on identifying solely as Mexican also maintain that these categories serve others—Madrid, international organizations, marketing agencies—more than they serve them.

Beneath this stance lies a specific ethnic claim: that of a brown, indigenous, and mestizo skin that the word ‘Hispanic’ dilutes. The origin of the toponym Mexico, used as proof that the country has a name predating and distinct from the one given by the empire, also surfaces in the discussion.

The Conquest, Reinterpreted from the Present

There is a second front: the division of responsibilities in colonization. One current of the discussion refers to a UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) conference that argues—according to those who cite it—that a large part of the massacres and abuses were committed by indigenous and mixed-race populations before and during the conquest, not just by Europeans. This is an interpretation that the opposing side does not share, and the exchange becomes heated.

The material cited to support this thesis relies on specific episodes and figures, a breakdown that is thrown out without full development.

The Spanish Angle: Migration and Nationality

In Spain, the controversy translates into something else: how many people arrive, what they are owed, and who grants them papers. Some sectors argue that certain political parties would grant nationality almost unconditionally, while others are said to deny it outright. The consequence, they say, is an accumulation of grievances that no government resolves.

The conclusion is left with the number that is repeated like a threat: 600 million.

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An analysis of identity and migration. Opinions attributed to a part of the exchange do not reflect the editorial stance.