Did you know Panama has no army? Probably not, but it wasn’t an arbitrary or random decision. You see, it was all due to one man: a dictator, a tyrant, an enemy of the United States of America. Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno, who grew from low-ranking soldier in the Panamanian Army to the most powerful man in the country in just a few decades. And – while they initially loved him as a strong ally against Latin American communism – his relationship with the U.S. soon turned sour and brought about the last foreign invasion Latin America has ever faced.   In this episode, we learn the story behind the United States’ famous ‘Operation Just Cause’, a controversial invasion of Panama which left civilians and enemy forces dead in its wake, and which still causes certain bitterness and anger in the Central American nation to this day. And… just what was Noriega’s darkest, deepest secret that shocked the world long after the invasion had ended? Find out in our latest episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!   Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1166

Operation Just Cause, The Last Invasion of Latin America (Operación Causa Justa, La Última Invasión a Latinoamérica)

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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The Jesuits were a Catholic order that was founded in Europe, but which soon expanded to South America to spread the word of God - mainly to Paraguay.


However, they had a different way of evangelizing, which made them as interesting as it did controversial... hated, even. You see, the Jesuits didn't believe in forcing their beliefs on the local indigenous tribes or forcing conversion.


Instead, they integrated themselves into the indigenous beliefs and allowed the natives to express themselves, as long as they understood what Catholicism meant. This, and the fact that Jesuits believed in communal living, social justice, and a huge respect for the poor, led other branches of Catholicism (and even royal figures) to see them as dangerous Marxists who needed to be eliminated.


But this story has quite a few twists and turns before we get to the end - find out exactly what happened to the Jesuits in Latin America in this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1267

Jesuits in Latin America, a Legacy of Transformation (Jesuitas en América Latina, un Legado de Transformación)

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

Operation Just Cause, The Last Invasion of Latin America (Operación Causa Justa, La Última Invasión a Latinoamérica)

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