Latin Americans

List of Latin Americans

This is a list of notable Latin American people. In alphabetical order within categories.

Actors

Jessica Alba (born 1981)
Norma Aleandro (born 1936)
Héctor Alterio (born 1929)
Imperio Argentina (1906–2003)
Alfonso Ribeiro (born 1971)
Pedro Armendáriz (1912–1963)
Sônia Braga (born 1950)
Bárbara Carrera (born 1951)
Cindy Crawford (born 1966)
María Montez (born 1912)
Cantinflas (1911–1993)
Andy García (born 1956)
Miguel A. Núñez Jr. (born 1964)
Gael García Bernal (born 1978)
Salma Hayek (born 1966)
Pedro Infante (1917–1957)
Raúl Juliá (1940–1994)
Katy Jurado (1924–2002)
Libertad Lamarque (1908–2000)
John Leguizamo (born 1964)
Federico Luppi (born 1936)
Carmen Miranda (1909–1955)
Ricardo Montalbán (born 1920)
Rita Moreno (born 1931)
Jorge Negrete (1911–1953)
Manny Perez (born 1969)
Anthony Quinn (1915–2001)
Dania Ramirez (born 1980)
Dolores del Río (1905–1983)
Jade Esteban Estrada (born 1975)
Benicio del Toro (born 1967)

Architects and urbanists

Luis Barragán (1902–1988), 1980 Pritzker Prize Laureate.
Lúcio Costa (1902–1998), architect and urbanist, creator of Brasília.
Mathias Klotz (1965),
Rogelio Salmona (1929-2007), 2003 Alvar Aalto Medal.
Ricardo Legorreta (born 1931), 2000 AIA Gold Medal Laureate.
Paulo Mendes da Rocha (born 1928), architect, winner of the 2006 Pritzker Prize.
Oscar Niemeyer (born 1907), architect of international renown, designer of Brasilia.
César Pelli (born 1926), 1995 AIA Gold Medal Laureate, Petronas Towers architect.
Antonio Rivas Mercado (1853–1927).
Carlos Raúl Villanueva (1900–1975), designed the Ciudad Universitaria of Caracas, declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2000.
Rafael Viñoly (born 1944), designed the Tokyo International Forum.

Artists and Designers

Tarsila do Amaral (1886–1973), painter.
Fernando Botero (born 1932), painter and sculptor.
José Campeche (1751–1809), painter.
Marisol Deluna (born 1967), fashion designer.
Frida Kahlo (1907–1954), realist and symbolist painter.
Jade Jagger (born 1971), fashion designer
Francisco Oller (1833–1917), impressionist painter.
José Clemente Orozco (1883–1949), mural painter and lithographer.
Diego Rivera (1886–1957), muralist.
David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896–1974), social realist painter and muralist.
Rufino Tamayo (1899–1991), painter.
Marcela Donoso (1961-), painter

Film directors

Alejandro Amenábar (born 1972)
Alfonso Arau (born 1932)
Adolfo Aristarain (born 1943)
Héctor Babenco (born 1946)
Luis Buñuel (1900–1983)
Alfonso Cuarón (born 1961)
Juan Downey (1940–1993)
Alejandro González Iñárritu (born 1963)
Alexandro Jodorowsky (born 1929)
León Klimovsky (1906–1996)
Fernando Meirelles (born 1955)
Franco de Peña (born 1966)
Arturo Ripstein (born 1943)
Raul Ruiz (born 1941)
Walter Salles (born 1956)
Guillermo del Toro (born 1964)

Leaders and politicians

Óscar Arias Sánchez (born 1940), statesman, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1987).
Simón Bolívar (1783–1830), Libertador and statesman, leader of the South American Wars of Independence.
Anastasio Bustamante (1780–1853), President of Mexico (1930–1932; 1837–1841).
Plutarco Elías Calles (1877–1945), founder of the PRI (1929); President of Mexico (1924–1928).
Fidel Castro (born 1926), marxist revolutionary and Cuba's state ruler since 1959.
Alfonso García Robles (1911–1991), diplomat and politician, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1982).
Ernesto "Che" Guevara (1928–1967), marxist revolutionary.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753–1811), cleric and statesman, chief instigator of Mexico's war of independence against Spain.
Benito Juárez (1806–1872), President of Mexico (1861–1863; 1867–1872).
Juscelino Kubitschek (1902–1976), President of Brazil (1956–1961).
José Martí (1853–1895), writer and leader of the Cuban Independence movement.
Rigoberta Menchú (born 1959), activist, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1992).
Chico Mendes (1944–1988), murdered rural leader and martyr of ecological movements in the Amazon.
Pedro I (1798–1834), Emperor of Brasil (1822–1831).
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (born 1920), diplomat, United Nations Secretary-General (1982–1991).
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel (born 1931), activist, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1980).
Juan Domingo Perón (1895–1974), President of Argentina (1946–1952; 1952–1955; 1973–1974).
Carlos Saavedra Lamas (1878–1959), academic and politician, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1936).
Augusto Sandino (1985–1934), guerilla leader and revolutionary.
José de San Martín (1778–1850), Libertador and statesman, leader of the South American Wars of Independence.
Pancho Villa (1878–1923), guerrilla leader of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917).
Emiliano Zapata (1879–1919), leading figure of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917).

Military

Simón Bolívar (1783–1830), military leader of the South American Wars of Independence.
Miguel Grau Seminario (1834–1879), admiral, hero of the Naval Battle of Angamos (1879) during the War of the Pacific (1879–1884).
Arturo Prat Chacón (1848–1879), Frigate Captain, hero of the Battle of Iquique (1879) during the War of the Pacific (1879–1884).
Pedro del Valle (1893–1978), first Hispanic in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps to reach the rank of Lieutenant General; served in WWI and WWII.

Musicians

Gilberto Gil (born 1942), singer and composer; founder of the Tropicália movement.
Rafael Hernández (1892–1965), composer.
Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927–1994), pianist, singer and composer.
Agustín Lara (1900–1970), composer.
Ernesto Lecuona (1896–1963), composer, pianist and conductor.
Vinicius de Moraes (1913–1980), singer and composer.
Ástor Piazzolla (1921–1992), tango composer.
Tito Puente (1923–2000), Latin jazz and mambo musician.
Omar Rodríguez-López (born 1975), guitarist.
Carlos Santana (born 1947), composer, songwriter and guitarist.
Lalo Schifrin (born 1932), composer and pianist.
Caetano Veloso (born 1942), singer and composer; founder of the Tropicália movement.
Lito Vitale (born 1961), composer and performer.
Atahualpa Yupanqui (1908–1992), folk musician.

Classical

Claudio Arrau (1903–1991), pianist.
Daniel Barenboim (born 1942), pianist and conductor.
Eduardo Marturet (born 1953), conductor and composer.
Eduardo Mata (1942–1995), conductor and composer.
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959), composer.
Opera singers

Luigi Alva (born 1927), tenor.
Fabiana Bravo, soprano.
José Cura (born 1962), tenor.
Juan Diego Flórez (born 1973), tenor.
David Portilla (1933–2006), tenor.

Singers

Desi Arnaz (1917–1986), salsa singer.
Celia Cruz (1924–2003), salsa singer.
Gloria Estefan (born 1957), singer and songwriter.
José Feliciano (born 1945), singer-songwriter.
Juan Gabriel (born 1950), ranchera and ballad singer-songwriter.
Juan Luis Guerra (born 1957), Singer and songwriter.
Carlos Gardel (1890–1935), tango singer.
Pedro Infante (1917–1957)
Víctor Jara (1932–1973), singer-songwriter.
Juanes (born 1972), singer-songwriter.
Jorge Negrete (1911–1953)
Roberto Carlos (born 1941), singer and songwriter.
Shakira (born 1977), Latin Pop singer and songwriter.
Jennifer Lopez (born 1969),Latin Pop, singer, dancer,Actress, record producer, movie producer song writer, model, fashion designer
Cassie (born 1986), Singer, Model.

Philosophers and humanists

Juan Bautista Alberdi (1810–1884), political theorist.
Andrés Bello (1781–1865), humanist, poet, lawmaker, philosopher, educator and philologist.
Leonardo Boff (born 1938), one of the most known first Liberation theologians.
Mario Bunge (born 1919), philosopher, author of the Treatise on Basic Philosophy (8 volumes, 1974–1989).
Miguel Antonio Caro (1843–1909), humanist, linguist and politician.
Rufino José Cuervo (1844–1911), philologist and linguist.
José Ingenieros (1877–1925), philosopher, sociologist and science theoretician.
Enrique Krauze (born 1947), historian, political and social essayist and publisher.
Manuel de Landa (born 1952), philosopher, professor at Columbia University.
Humberto Maturana (born 1928), major proponent of the embodied philosophy.
Edmundo O'Gorman (1906–1995), philosopher.
Francisco Varela (1946–2001), major proponent of the embodied philosophy.
José Vasconcelos (1882–1959), thinker, educator and essayist.

Selena Gomez

Science and technology

Manuel de Abreu (1894–1962), physician and scientist, inventor of abreugraphy.
Joseph M. Acaba (born 1967), First Puerto Rican astronaut.
Luis Agote (1868–1954), physician and researcher, first doctor in Latin America to perform a non-direct blood transfusion using sodium citrate as an anticoagulant.
José Santana (born 1962) specialist in technology and development; Executive Director of the Dominican Republic Presidential Commission of Science and Technology and Research Associate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ronnie Nader (born 1967), First Ecuadorian astronaut, creator of the first latinamerican micro gravity plane.
Ricardo Alegría (born 1921), physical anthropologist, pioneer in the anthropolic studies of the Taino culture.
Baruj Benacerraf (born 1920), immunologist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Laureate (1980).
Fernando Caldeiro (born 1958), NASA astronaut.
Nabor Carrillo Flores (1911–1967), nuclear physicist.
Franklin Chang-Diaz (born 1950), NASA astronaut who flown seven spaceflights.
Nitza Margarita Cintron (born 1950), chief of NASA's (JSC) Space and Health Care Systems Office.
Jacinto Convit (born 1913), medical scientist, discoverer of vaccines against leprosy and leishmaniasis.
Oswaldo Cruz (1872–1917), physician, bacteriologist, epidemiologist and public health officer.
René Favaloro (1923–2000), cardiologist, he created the technique for coronary bypass surgery (1967).
Orlando Figueroa (born 1955), Director for Mars Exploration and Director for the Solar System Division in the Office of Space Science at NASA Headquarters.
Carlos Finlay (1833–1915), medical scientist, prominent researcher on the yellow fever disease.
Guillermo González Camarena (1917–1965), inventor of an early color television transmission system.
Juan Gundlach (1810–1896), naturalist and taxonomist; over sixty species were named after him.
Guillermo Haro (1913–1988), astrophysicist, made many important contributions to observational Astronomy.
Bernardo Houssay (1887–1971), physiologist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Laureate (1947).
Miguel de Icaza (born 1972), free software programmer, best known for starting the GNOME and Mono projects.
Luis Federico Leloir (1906–1987), biochemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry Laureate (1970).
Humberto Maturana (born 1928), biologist, co-author of the theory of autopoiesis.
César Milstein (1927–2002), biochemist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Laureate (1984).
Luis E. Miramontes (1925–2004), chemist, co-inventor of the first oral contraceptive (1951).
Mario J. Molina (born 1943), chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry Laureate (1995).
Rodolfo Neri Vela (born 1952), Ph.D., NASA payload specialist and astronaut.
Carlos I. Noriega (born 1959), NASA astronaut.
Manuel Elkin Patarroyo (born 1947), pathologist, works on improving a vaccine for malaria.
Felipe Poey (1799–1891), zoologist, specialist in ichthyology.
Andrés Manuel del Río (1764–1849), geologist and chemist, discovered vanadium (as vanadinite) in 1801.
Wilfredo Santa-Gómez, psychiatrist.
Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (born 1942), First Cuban cosmonaut
Francisco Varela (1946–2001), biologist, co-author of the theory of autopoiesis.
Klaus von Storch (born 1962), Chilean aerospace engineer.

Social scientists

Eugenio María de Hostos (1839–1903), educator and sociologist.
Miguel León-Portilla (born 1926), anthropologist and historian, prime authority on Nahuatl thought and literature.
Milton Santos (1926–2001), geographer, writer and university professor.
Hernando de Soto (born 1941), economist, known for his work on the informal economy.
Julio César Tello (1880–1947), archeologist, specialist in Pre-Columbian Andean cultures.

Sports

Athletics

Iván Pedroso (born 1972), long jump Gold medalist: 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001 World Champion, and 2000 Olympic Champion.
Felix Sanchez (born 1977), 400m hurdles Gold medalist: 2001 and 2003 World Champion, and 2004 Olympic Champion.
Javier Sotomayor (born 1967), high jump Gold (1992 Olympics) and Silver (2000 Olympics) medalist; World Recordman (since July 23, 1993).

Baseball

Juan Marichal (born 1937), Major League Pitcher; member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Luis Aparicio (born 1934), Major League shortstop; member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972), Major League right fielder, NL MVP Award winner (1966).
Dennis Martínez (born 1955) First Latino to pitch a perfect game in major league history.
Pedro Martínez (born 1971) 3 Cy Young Award winning Pitcher; Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP award winner (1999).
Sammy Sosa (born 1968), MVP award winning Right Fielder; First Latino to ever hit 500 Home runs; Ranked 5th on the list of the 500 home run club;
José Reyes (born 1983), Major League shortstop.
Fernando Valenzuela (born 1960), Major League pitcher.

Basketball

Carlos Alberto Arroyo (born 1979), Detroit Pistons point guard.
Emanuel "Manu" Ginóbili (born 1977), NBA Champion (with San Antonio Spurs, 2003 and 2005) and Olympic Champion (with Argentina, 2004).

Boxing

Rosendo Alvarez (born 1970) World champion and the only person to hold the undefeated flyweight champion to a draw.
Alexis Argüello (born 1952) World champion, member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Wilfred Benítez (born 1958), World Champion in three separate weight divisions, member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame since 1996.
Jorge Castro (born 1967), World middleweight Champion.
Julio César Chávez (born 1962), World Champion (5 titles in 3 different divisions).
Juan Martin Coggi (born 1961), three time WBA's World Jr. Welterweight Champion.
Roberto Durán (born 1951), World Champion (6 titles in 4 different divisions); first Hispanic to be four time World Champion.
Víctor Galíndez (1948–1980), World light heavyweight Champion.
Wilfredo Gómez (born 1956), three time World Champion.
Carlos Cruz (1937–1970), world Lightweight champion.
Ricardo Mayorga (born 1973) Former WBA/WBC Welterweight champion and former WBC Junior Middleweight champion of the world.
Carlos Monzón (1942–1995), World middleweight Champion.
John Ruiz (born 1972), two-time WBA's World Heavyweight Champion.
Félix Trinidad (born 1973), World Champion.

Chess

Esteban Canal (1896–1981), honorary International Grandmaster (1977), creator of the Peruvian Immortal game.
José Raúl Capablanca (1888–1942), International Grandmaster, World Champion (1921–1927).

Cycling

Santiago Botero (born 1972), 2002 World Time-Trial Champion.

Football (Soccer)

Alfredo Di Stéfano (born 1926), 5 consecutive times European Champion (with Real Madrid, 1956–1960; scored 49 goals).
Diego Armando Maradona (born 1960)
Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento, born 1940), FIFA best football player of the century (people's choice in 2000).

Golf

Juan "Chi-Chi" Rodríguez (born 1935), 8 PGA Tour and 22 Champions Tour titles winner; World Golf Hall of Famer (1992).

Motor sports

Juan Manuel Fangio (1911–1995), five times Formula One World Champion.
Emerson Fittipaldi (born 1946), 1972 and 1974 Formula One World Champion.
Carlos Lavado (born 1956), 250cc GP motorcycle racing World Champion (1983 and 1986).
Juan Pablo Montoya (born ?), Indianapolis 500 winner, also won Formula One and NASCAR races.
Nelson Piquet, (born 1952), triple Formula One World Champion (1981, 1983 and 1987).
Ayrton Senna (1960–1994), triple Formula One World Champion (1988, 1990 and 1991).

Tennis

Maria Bueno (born 1939), 19 Grand Slam titles winner (7 singles, 12 doubles); International Tennis Hall of Famer since 1978.
Gastón Gaudio (born 1978), 2004 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
Mary Joe Fernández (born 1971), 2 Grand Slam Dobles titles winner; Won 2 Olympic Gold Medals and 1 Olympic Bronze Medal.
Andrés Gómez (born 1960), 1990 French Open Men's Singles Champion.
Gustavo Kuerten, (born 1976), three-time French Open Men's Singles Champion (1997, 2000 and 2001).
David Nalbandian (born 1982), 2005 Tennis Masters Cup Champion.
Alex Olmedo (born 1936), 3 Grand Slam titles winner (2 singles, 1 doubles).
Rafael Osuna (1938–1969), 4 Grand Slam titles winner (1 singles, 3 doubles).
Gabriela Sabatini (born 1970), 1990 US Open Women's Singles and 1988 Wimbledon Women's Doubles Champion.
Pancho Segura (born 1921), International Tennis Hall of Famer since 1984.
Paola Suárez (born 1976), 8 Grand Slam Doubles titles winner.
Guillermo Vilas (born 1952), 4 Grand Slam Singles titles winner.

Writers

See also List of Latin American writers (by country).

A-L

Juan Ruiz de Alarcón (c. 1581 – 1639), dramatist.
Isabel Allende (born 1942), best selling novelist.
Julia Julia Álvarez (born 1950), poet, novelist, and essayist.
Jorge Amado (1912–2001), modernist writer.
Mário de Andrade (1893–1945), poet, novelist, musicologist, art historian and critic.
Angel Luis Arambilet Alvarez (born 1957), creator of the first Latin American short story using computerized linetext art or ASCII art.
José María Arguedas (1911–1969), novelist.
Roberto Arlt (1900–1942), short-story writer, novelist, and playwright.
Miguel Ángel Asturias (1899–1974), Nobel Prize Laureate (1967).
Mario Benedetti (born 1920), novelist and poet.
Adolfo Bioy Casares (1914–1999), novelist, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1990).
Roberto Bolaño (1953–2003), novelist, Rómulo Gallegos Prize Laureate (1999).
Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986), Cervantes Prize Laureate (1979).
Alfredo Bryce Echenique (born 1939), novelist and short stories writer.
Guillermo Cabrera Infante (1929–2005), novelist, essayist, translator, and critic, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1997).
Alejo Carpentier (1904–1980), novelist and essay writer, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1977).
Julio Cortázar (1914–1984), novelist and short stories writer.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648/1651–1695), poet and dramatist.
Rubén Darío (1867–1916), modernist poet.
Virgilio Dávila (1869–1943), poet.
Jorge Edwards (born 1931), Cervantes Prize Laureate (1999).
Laura Esquivel (born 1950), novelist.
Rosario Ferré (born 1938), poet and essayist.
Carlos Fuentes (born 1928), novelist and essayist, Rómulo Gallegos (1977), Cervantes (1987) and Prince of Asturias (1994) awards Laureate.
Rómulo Gallegos (1884–1969), novelist.
Gabriel García Márquez (born 1928), novelist and journalist, Nobel Prize Laureate (1982).
Nicolás Guillén (1902–1989), poet.
José Hernández (1834–1886), poet and journalist, author of the epic poem Martín Fierro.
Vicente Huidobro (1893–1948), poet, initiator of the Creacionismo movement.
José Lezama Lima (1910–1976), novelist.
Luis Llorens Torres (1878–1944), poet.
Luis López Nieves (born 1950), best-selling novelist and tale writer.
Dulce María Loynaz (1902–1997), poet, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1992).
Leopoldo Lugones (1874–1938), poet.

M-Z

Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (1839–1908), realist novelist, poet and short-story writer.
Jorge Majfud (1970), novelist and essayist writer.
José Martí (1853–1895), poet and essayist.
Gregório de Matos (1636–1696), baroque poet.
Leopoldo Minaya (born 1963), Miguel de Cervantes Cultural Association Award winner (2001).
Pedro Mir (1913–2000), poet and writer, named Poet Laureate of the Dominican Republic by Congress in 1984.
Gabriela Mistral (1889–1957), poet, Nobel Prize Laureate (1945).
Augusto Monterroso (1921–2003), short stories writer, Prince of Asturias Award Laureate (2000).
Manuel Mujica Láinez (1910–1984), novelist, essayist, journalist and short stories writer; author of Bomarzo (1962).
Álvaro Mutis (born 1923), poet, novelist, and essayist; Cervantes Prize (2001) and Prince of Asturias Awards (1997) Laureate.
Pablo Neruda (1904–1973), poet, Nobel Prize Laureate (1971).
Amado Nervo (1870–1919), modernist poet.
Juan Carlos Onetti (1909–1994), novelist and short-story writer, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1980).
Fernando del Paso (born 1935), novelist, essayist and poet, Rómulo Gallegos Prize Laureate (1982).
Octavio Paz (1914–1998), Cervantes Prize (1981) and Nobel Prize (1990) Laureate.
Sergio Pitol (born 1933), novelist, short stories writer and translator, Cervantes Prize Laureate (2005).
Elena Poniatowska (born 1932), novelist.
Manuel Puig (1932–1990), novelist, author of The Kiss of the Spider Woman (1976).
Horacio Quiroga (1878–1937), short story writer.
José Eustasio Rivera (1888–1928), poet and novelist.
Augusto Roa Bastos (1917–2005), novelist, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1989).
Gonzalo Rojas (born 1917), poet, Cervantes Prize Laureate (2003).
Juan Rulfo (1917–1986), novelist, Prince of Asturias Award Laureate (1983).
Ernesto Sabato (born 1911), novelist and essay writer, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1984).
Jaime Sabines (1926–1999), poet.
Alfonsina Storni (1892–1938), postmodernist poet.
Lygia Fagundes Telles (born 1923), novelist and short-story writer; Camoens Prize Laureate (2005).
Arturo Uslar-Pietri (1906–2001), novelist, Prince of Asturias Award Laureate (1990).
César Vallejo (1892–1938), poet.
Fernando Vallejo (born 1942), novelist, Rómulo Gallegos Prize Laureate (2003).
Mario Vargas Llosa (born 1936), novelist and essayist, Cervantes Prize Laureate (1994).
"El Inca" Garcilaso de la Vega (1539–1616), first mestizo author in Spanish language.
Xavier Villaurrutia (1903–1950), poet.
Gabriel Zaid (born 1934), poet and essayist.

Others

Carlos Castaneda (1925–1998), New Age and Shamanism author.
Enrique Gratas, television journalist.
María Julia Mantilla García (born 1983), Miss World 2004.
Gladys Zender (born 1940), first Hispanic Miss Universe 1957.
Denise Quiñones (born 1980), Miss Universe 2001.
Geraldo Rivera (born 1943), television journalist.
Ricardo Salinas Pliego (born 1956), businessman.
Carlos Slim Helú (born 1940), businessman, Latin America's richest man and #1 in the world (according to Forbes August 2007 ranking).

Latin Americans

List of Latin Americans

Actors

Architects and urbanists

Artists and Designers

Film directors

Leaders and politicians

Military

Musicians

Classical

Singers

Philosophers and humanists

Science and technology

Social scientists

Sports

Writers

A-L

M-Z

Others

Lists by nationality

See also