List of Latin Americans
This is a list of notable Latin American people. In alphabetical order within categories.
Actors
Architects and urbanists
- Ricardo Alvarez-Diaz, (1973)
- 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.
- Enrique Peñalosa (1955), former mayor of Bogotá.
- 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.
- 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
- See also List of Latin American artists.
- Tarsila do Amaral (1886–1973), painter.
- Fernando Botero (born 1932), painter and sculptor.
- José Campeche (1751–1809), painter.
- Francesca Miranda Fashion Designer
- Roberto Matta (1911-2002), painter
- 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.
- Martín Chambi (1891-1973), photographer.
- Cândido Portinari (1903–1962), painter.
- Hélio Oiticica (1937–1980), painter.
- Julio Abril (1911-1979), sculptor.
Fashion
Film directors
Leaders and politicians
- Óscar Arias Sánchez (born 1940), statesman, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1987).
- Simón Bolívar (1783–1830), Libertador and statesman, leader in the Spanish 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).
- Alberto Lleras Camargo (1906–1990), first Organization of American States Secretary (1948) and 28th President of Colombia.
- 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).
- Pedro II (1825–1891), Emperor of Brasil (1831–1889).
- 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 in the Spanish 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).
- Leopoldo Lopez Lopez (1971) Mayor of Chacao, Venezuela
- Ali Lenin Aguilera (1967) The youngest Venezuelan congressperson
Musicians
- Gilberto Gil (born 1942), singer and composer; founder of the Tropicália movement.
- Chabuca Granda (1920–1983), singer and composer.
- 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.
- Pedro Suarez Vertiz (1966), pianist, singer and composer.
- 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
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.
- Ruben Blades (born 1948), salsa singer.
- Juan Gabriel (born 1950), ranchera and ballad singer-songwriter.
- Carlos Vives (1961), Vallenato singer and composer.
- Juan Luis Guerra (born 1957), Singer and songwriter.
- Pedro Infante (1917–1957)
- Víctor Jara (1932–1973), singer-songwriter.
- Juanes (born 1972), singer-songwriter.
- Jorge Negrete (1911–1953)
- Willie Rivera (1970), composer, salsa singer.
- Roberto Carlos (born 1941), singer and songwriter.
- Ivete Sangalo (born 1972) singer and songwriter.
- Shakira (born 1977), Latin Pop singer and songwriter.
- Allison Iraheta, winner of Telemundo reality show, Quinceañera and finalist in the eighth season of American Idol.
- Jennifer Lopez (born 1969), Latin pop, singer, dancer,Actress, record producer, movie producer song writer, model, fashion designer
- Kat DeLuna (born 1987), Singer
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.
- Antonio Nariño (1765-1824).
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.
- 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).
- Francisco Jose de Caldas (1768-1818), commonly known as "el sabio" (the wise)
- 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.
- Julio Garavito Armero (1865-1920), Colombian astronomer.
- 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
Sports
- Basketball
- Carlos Alberto Arroyo (born 1979), Detroit Pistons point guard.
- Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix Suns
- , Jose Juan Barea, Dallas Mavericks
- Emanuel "Manu" Ginóbili (born 1977), NBA Champion (with San Antonio Spurs, 2003 and 2005) and Olympic Champion (with Argentina, 2004).
- Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
- , Horacio Llamas, Phoenix Suns
- Eduardo Najera, New Jersey Nets
- 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.
- Carlos "El Famoso" Hernández, retired Boxer and former holder of both the WBC Latino Super featherweight and IBC Super featherweight titles.
- 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.
- Oscar De La Hoya, (born 1972) first six division world champion in boxing history.
- Carlos De León, 4 time world Cruiserweight 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.
- Santos Laciar, Three time world Champion
- Raul Macias World Bantamweight 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.
- Jose Luis Ramírez, 2 time World Lightweight Champion.
- John Ruiz (born 1972), two-time WBA's World Heavyweight Champion, first Latino to be world Heavyweight champion in history.
- Félix Trinidad (born 1973), World Champion.
- José Torres, first Latino world Light Heavyweight champion in boxing history.
- Kina Malpartida, World Boxing Association Champion in the Super Featherweight.
- 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.
- Gigi Fernández, Wimbledon doubles Champion
- 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.
- Rosemary Casals, former tennis player and winner of multiple Grand Slams.
- 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.
- Marcelo Ríos (born 1975), ATP World Number One, 1998. Australian Open finalist
- Fernando González 2007 Australian Open Finalist and double olympic medalist.
- Nicolas Massú double olympic gold medalist 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.
- Clarice Lispector (1925–1977), novelist.
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.
- Nicanor Parra (1914-), anti-poet.
- 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) and Nobel Prize Laureate (2010).
- "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.
- Ali Lenin Aguilera (born 1967), businessman.
- 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).
Lists by nationality
See also