Spanish Forum Debate: Imperial Pride vs. Rejection of Hispanic Identity

Hispanism: Pride in Spain, Rejection of Hispanic Identity

Amidst the commemorations of October 12th, a recurring debate resurfaces: does it make sense to claim the Hispanic heritage when part of Latin America rejects everything Spanish with hostility? The discussion, which has lasted nearly two years in an economics forum, begins with a provocation: "Even if the majority loved Spain I would reject them, but even those living among us show infinite resentment." This phrase condenses the tension between pride in the imperial past and the realization that this legacy does not generate sympathy in much of Latin America.

The thread, accumulating 139 replies, is not a monologue. Some defend that Hispanism is a noble current of cultural reclamation, while others argue it has become a label to whitewash migration policies or hide complexes. The discussion shifts toward demographics, economics, and geopolitics, mentioning Latin American immigration in Spain, business interests, and foreign power influence.

Rejection of October 12th and the Black Legend

The trigger for the thread are several tweets circulating on social media. One shows a Wiphala flag waving over the toppled statue of Columbus in Barranquilla, Colombia. Another, by deputy Gerardo Pisarello, asks for "forgiveness and saying 'never again' to colonialism and racism" on October 12th. Several messages reproduce hashtags like #NothingToCelebrate and label the date as genocide. In response, some participants argue that the Black Legend is an Anglo-Saxon construction and that European diseases, not an extermination plan, caused most indigenous deaths.

The discussion intertwines with current politics. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador are mentioned as examples of leaders who, according to some participants, promote indigenismo and hatred towards Spain. A message notes that "AMLO is the grandson of a Cantabrian" and asks how he can be "more foolish." The irony underscores the paradox of leaders with Spanish ancestry fueling the anti-Hispanic narrative.

Hispanism, Immigration, and Third-Worldization

One of the most controversial derivatives of the thread connects Hispanism with Latin American immigration. Several messages claim that Hispanism is "a movement for whitewashing the latin invasion" and that its defenders are "wristband patriots" who silence immigration problems. It is argued that elites prefer Latin American immigration over North African or Sub-Saharan due to cultural and business reasons, and that the Hispanist discourse supports these interests.

Other participants reject this reading, defending that Hispanism is compatible with pride in Spain without needing to embrace those who despise it. "Being a Hispanist doesn't miccionan I want to relate to latin," writes one participant. The discussion heats up when it is mentioned that many Latin American immigrants arrive in Spain with preconceived hatred, while others defend that the majority do not reject Spain and only a noisy minority does so.

The Role of Criollos and Mestizos

The thread introduces a distinction between criollos (descendants of Spaniards born in the Americas) and mestizos. A message states that "criollos appreciate us, with some exceptions, and some mestizos too, like Paraguayans and Cubans." Another responds harshly: "Criollos, cases of fools with unpronounceable surnames, are the ones who despise us most." The discussion shifts toward the ethnic composition of countries like Argentina and Mexico, and class resentment between Europeans and Americans.

The conversation also addresses the role of Latin American governments in promoting indigenismo. It is claimed that "almost all Latin American governments have promoted indigenismo and hatred towards Spain for decades," with the exception of Fidel Castro, son of a Galician who was never voted for. The mention of Castro introduces the idea that rejection of Spain is not unanimous nor solely due to historical grievances.

Geopolitics: Anglophobia and Russian Propaganda

A participant points out that current Hispanism mixes "Anglophobia, heavily promoted by Russian propaganda, and the idealization of indigenous peoples." The accusation that Hispanism serves geopolitical interests alien to Spain generates a sub-debate on the influence of Russia and Anglo-Saxon countries in historical narratives. It is mentioned that the Black Legend was fostered by the Anglos, but also that Spain collaborated with indigenismo to end what is described as the pre-Columbian "anthropophagic empire."

The discussion turns conspiratorial when a message accuses an account of being a "NAFO-Zionist created two days ago to spread misinformation" and asks to ignore it. This pointing reflects distrust towards any criticism of Hispanism, sometimes interpreted as part of an external campaign against Spain.

Hispanism as Economic Cover

Beyond history, the thread introduces an economic argument: Hispanism would serve to justify Latin American immigration as cheap labor and maintain Spanish business interests in Latin America. "Hispanism or Spanish nationalism has been taken by liberals to third-worldize Spain, thus lowering wages, increasing rental prices, and continuing their masters' agenda," argues one message. The idea that cultural discourse covers an economic operation resonates in a forum where criticism of immigration and labor policies is common.

Other participants reject this interpretation, defending that Hispanism is a legitimate cultural reclamation without economic implications. The discussion closes without consensus: while some see Hispanism as a whitewashing tool, others consider it a necessary response to anti-Spanish hatred.

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The exact point where the analysis stalls is the impossibility of separating pride in the imperial past from the demographic and economic consequences of the present. Can one be a Hispanist and simultaneously reject Latin American immigration? Or is Hispanism, by definition, an open door to Hispanic identity? The discussion does not reach an answer, but makes clear that the term is far from being univocal.