Brazilians: Latino, Hispanic, both, or neither?

Brazilians have long been a subject of debate when it comes to whether or not they are considered Latino. 

The term “Latino” has its roots in the Latin language, which was spoken by the Romans and is still used in some parts of the world today. Therefore, every country that speaks a language derived from Latin, such as Spanish, Italian, French, and, of course, Portuguese, should be considered Latino.

In the United States, the term “Latino” is only used to refer to people from Latin America, including countries such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and others. However, the question of whether or not Brazilians are considered Latino is a bit more complicated.

On the other hand, “Hispanic” refers to countries or people from countries who just speak Spanish, including Spain itself. Therefore, Brazil would not fall into that category, as their official language is Portuguese, hailing from Portugal.

Officially, Brazilians are not considered to be Hispanic or Latino because the federal government’s definition of the term applies only to those of “Spanish culture or origin” such as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other origins, regardless of race.

However, many Brazilians say they are Latino, and a new analysis from the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey shows that many Brazilians consider themselves Hispanic or Latino. This is due in part to a coding error in the US Census Bureau processed data from a recent survey, which resulted in many Brazilians being classified as Hispanic or Latino.

The large number of Brazilians who self-identified as Hispanic or Latino highlights how their view of their own identity does not necessarily align with official government definitions. It also underscores that being Hispanic or Latino means different things to different people. Some draw distinctions between the definition of Hispanic, which for some excludes Brazilians, and the definition of Latino, which for some includes Brazilians but excludes people from Spain.

The question of whether or not Brazilians are considered Latino is further complicated by the fact that the terms “Latino” and “Hispanic” are often used interchangeably, even though they have different meanings. Hispanic identity refers to language, or “people of Spanish-speaking origins,” while Latino identity refers to people whose origins are geographically located in Latin America. Brazilians are considered Latino because the country is located in Latin America, but they are not considered Hispanic because the country’s primary language is Portuguese.

In the end, the question of whether or not Brazilians are considered Latino is a complex one and, ultimately, it depends on who you ask and how they define the term.