Before Simón Bolívar, before José de San Martín, there was someone else. A man who fought for independence not only in South America but in France and the United States, and whose name is the ONLY American one (North or South) to be engraved in the Arc de Triomphe.


I'm talking about Francisco de Miranda, who was born around this time of the year in 1750, and who pretty much got the independence efforts going in Venezuela and South America in general.


Born into a Spanish family, Miranda actually fought for the Spanish armies at one point and protected this nation... but he soon found himself disagreeing with the Spanish occupation of the Americas and commenced a campaign that would end up becoming the world's biggest struggle for independence.


Today, we dedicate this episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast to Francisco de Miranda and his fight for freedom in the Americas. Enjoy.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1229

Francisco de Miranda, Latin American Hero (Francisco de Miranda, Héroe Latinoamericano)

Learn Spanish with Stories is the number one podcast for upper beginner to intermediate Spanish learners. The main objective of this podcast is to give students fun and interesting stories from Latin America to help students with Spanish immersion. You can read while you listen if you head over to podcast.lingomastery.com to find the transcript.

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While not a country we hear about often these days, Nicaragua has gone through quite a turbulent history that has left it with long-lasting economic, political and social scars.


And leaving aside the subject of Daniel Ortega, current dictator of Nicaragua and one of the longest-lasting presidential terms in the world (with 26 interrupted years in power), Nicaragua's Sandinista revolution, in particular, brought massive transformation to the country, although with great controversy attached to it.


In this episode, we discover what exactly led to this revolution of the people, who the Somoza dynasty was and what they did to cause it, and why Nicaragua became the United States' biggest enemy for a period during the 1980s, culminating in a grand trial at the International Court of Justice.


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1266

Sandinista Revolution, the Battle for the Heart of Nicaragua (Revolución Sandinista, la Batalla por el Corazón de Nicaragua)

If you want to see historic sights everywhere you go, you go to Europe. But if you want to have fun, Latin America is the place to be.


Known as the land of dance, music, and smiles, Latin America just has "something else" that makes it a spicy and sweet combination of great food, fantastic nightlife, and quick friendships unlike any other. It's in the culture. It might even be in the genes, if we dug deeper (hmmm...)


But that's still too vague, right? How exactly is this culture of enjoyment expressed each day and night - is it through dancing reggaeton and salsa? Or cultural festivals? Art and museums? Perhaps it's a mix of feasting and drinking that is unrivaled anywhere in the world.


What if I told you that it's all of that and more? And that you're about to do a heck of a deep dive into discovering what makes Latin Americans tick - which will help you have even more fun once you get there.


So buckle up and enjoy this episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast... if you think about it, enjoyment is its middle name!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1233

How Do They Have Fun in Latin America? (¿Cómo se Divierten en Latinoamérica?)

There could be a war brewing in South America... and it's a conflict that has been a long time coming.


You see, Guyana and Venezuela have been fighting a silent battle for centuries over a large territory that makes up two-thirds of Guyana - the Essequibo. During the late 1800s, Venezuela lost this territory to a treaty signed by the United Kingdom and the United States, and things seemed to end there.


However, the recent discovery of oil deposits containing up to 700 million barrels of oil (worth close to $40 BILLION) and the potential existence of a secret CIA base in the area have rekindled the flames of conflict.


With Maduro's regime in Venezuela desperate for cash at any cost, could there be an escalation about to break out in the north of South America - and could this be the start of a new global conflict?


Find out in the latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1232

Guyana vs Venezuela, War for the Essequibo (Guyana vs Venezuela, Guerra por el Esequibo)

Love him or hate him, it is clear that Javier Milei has rapidly made himself quite a controversial figure in global politics. Carrying a message that is unique and very different from traditional South American politicians, Milei has vowed to reduce the "parasitic" state in his country.


But his appearance may be ideal for the nation, and his recent victory as President of Argentina is a sign that the people of Argentina are tired of the old, stagnant systems of Peronism and Kirchnerism, that kept the country poor and corruption at its worst.


Still, what has made Milei such an interesting and refreshing arrival to global politics, and why does he divide opinions this much?


We'll have to find out in this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1231

Javier Milei in Power, A Change in Argentina? (Javier Milei al Poder, ¿Un Cambio en Argentina?)

Believe it or not, there are communities of people out there who have never been contacted: they've only ever seen a handful of outsiders in their lifetimes, never been on the internet, driven a car (or bicycle) and are still several centuries behind us in terms of technological advancement.


It sure is hard to imagine, right? But in fact, that are several communities in South America that are so remote and separated from civilization that they have managed to maintain their ancient traditions and form of living for many centuries now, and who want to keep it that way.


It's a fascinating phenomenon, and one that has raised many questions - for example, do these communities deserve to be bothered and "forcefully" integrated into our healthcare systems? Or is it best if we leave them alone for good? And how do we protect them from criminal organizations that exploit and kidnap them?


All of these questions and more will be raised and hopefully answered in this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1230

Francisco de Miranda, Latin American Hero (Francisco de Miranda, Héroe Latinoamericano)

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