List of Latin Americans
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
This is a list of notable Latin American people, in alphabetical order within categories.
Contents
Actors
Norma Aleandro (born 1936)- Héctor Alterio (born 1929)
Marco Aponte (born 1966)-
Imperio Argentina (1906–2003) 
Pedro Armendáriz (1912–1963)
Adrian Bellani (born 1982)
Diego Bertie (born 1967)
Sônia Braga (born 1950)- Cantinflas (1911–1993)
Bárbara Carrera (born 1951)- Grecia Colmenares (born 1962)
- Ricardo Darín (born 1957)
- Dolores del Río (1905–1983)
- Lali Espósito (born 1993)
-
Jade Esteban Estrada (born 1975) - María Félix (1914–2002)
- Dominican Republic Andres García (born 1941)
Andy García (born 1956)- Gael García Bernal (born 1978)
Diane Guerrero (born 1986)- Dario Grandinetti (born 1959)
Maribel Guardia (born 1959)- Salma Hayek (born 1966)
- Pedro Infante (1917–1957)
Oscar Isaac (born 1979)
Raúl Juliá (1940–1994)- Katy Jurado (1924–2002)
- Libertad Lamarque (1908–2000)
- John Leguizamo (born 1964)
- Federico Luppi (born 1936)
- Santiago Magill (born 1977)
- Christian Meier (born 1970)
-
Mauricio Merino, Jr. (born 1991) - Carmen Miranda (1909–1955)
- Ricardo Montalbán (1920–2009)
María Montez (1912–1951)- Rita Moreno (born 1931)
- Jorge Negrete (1911–1953)
- Gianella Neyra (born 1977)
- Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. (born 1964)
- Manny Perez (born 1969)
- Silvia Pinal (born 1931)
- Anthony Quinn (1915–2001)
- Dania Ramirez (born 1980)
- Zoë Saldaña (born 1978)
- Catalina Sandino (born 1981)
- Benicio del Toro (born 1967)
- Christy Turlington (born 1969)
- Lupe Vélez (1908–1944)
- Sofía Vergara (born 1972)
China Zorrilla
Artists and designers
- See also List of Latin American artists.
- Julio Abril (1911–1979), sculptor
- Tarsila do Amaral (1886–1973), painter
- Fernando Botero (born 1932), painter and sculptor
- Luis Camnitzer (born 1937), conceptual artist
- José Campeche (1751–1809), painter
- Lygia Clark (1920–1988), painter and sculptor
Marcela Donoso (born 1961), painter- Pancho Fierro (1810–1879), illustrator
- Gego (1912–1994), geometric-abstract sculptor
- José Guadalupe Posada (1852–1913), illustrator and cartoonist, printmaker
- Alfredo Jaar (born 1956), installation artist
- Frida Kahlo (1907–1954), realist and symbolist painter
- Guillermo Kuitca (born 1961), painter
- Wifredo Lam (1902–1982), painter
- Roberto Matta (1911–2002), painter
- Ana Mendieta (1948–1985), performance artist
- Lola Mora (1866–1936), sculptor
- Hélio Oiticica (1937–1980), painter and sculptor
- Francisco Oller (1833–1917), impressionist painter
- José Clemente Orozco (1883–1949), mural painter and lithographer
- Cândido Portinari (1903–1962), painter
- Benito Quinquela Martín (1890–1977), painter
- Diego Quispe Tito (1611-1681), Cuzco School painter
- Armando Reverón (1889–1954), painter
- Diego Rivera (1886–1957), muralist
- José Sabogal (1888–1956), indigenist painter
- David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896–1974), social realist painter and muralist
- Jesús Rafael Soto (1923–2005), kinetic and op artist
- Rufino Tamayo (1899–1991), painter
- Joaquín Torres-García (1874–1949), constructivist painter
- Remedios Varo (1908–1963), surrealist painter
Fashion
- Dominican Republic Oscar de la Renta (born 1932), fashion designer
- Nina Garcia (born 1965), fashion editor
- Alexandre Herchcovitch (born 1971), fashion designer
- Carolina Herrera (born 1939), fashion designer
- Mario Testino (born 1954), fashion photographer
Film directors
- Alejandro Amenábar (born 1972)
- Alfonso Arau (born 1932)
- Adolfo Aristarain (born 1943)
- Héctor Babenco (born 1946)
- Luis Buñuel (1900–1983)
- Juan J. Campanella (born 1959)
- Roman Chalbaud (born 1931)
- 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 (1941–2011)
- Walter Salles (born 1956)
- Amy Serrano (born 1966)
- Guillermo del Toro (born 1964)
Leaders and politicians
- Ali Lenin Aguilera (1967), youngest Venezuelan congressperson
- Leandro N. Alem (1841–1896), politician
- Óscar Arias Sánchez (born 1940), statesman, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1987)
- Romulo Betancourt (1908–1981), statesman, leader President of Venezuela
- 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)
- Fidel Castro (born 1926), marxist revolutionary and Cuba's state ruler from 1959–2008
- Alfonso García Robles (1911–1991), diplomat and politician, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1982)
José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (1766–1840), Paraguayan revolutionary, leader and supreme dictator- 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)
- Alberto Lleras Camargo (1906–1990), first Organization of American States Secretary (1948) and 28th President of Colombia
- Leopoldo Lopez Lopez (born 1971), Mayor of Chacao, Venezuela
- 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)
- José de San Martín (1778–1850), Libertador and statesman, leader in the Spanish American wars of independence
- Augusto Sandino (1985–1934), guerilla leader and revolutionary
- Pancho Villa (1878–1923), guerrilla leader of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1917)
- Emiliano Zapata (1879–1919), leading figure of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1917)
Musicians
- Miguel del Aguila (born 1957), composer
- Dominican Republic Michel Camilo (born 1954), pianist and composer
- Simon Diaz (1928-2014), composer, actor and singer
- 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
- Jose Antonio Abreu (born 1939), pianist, conductor and composer
- Miguel del Aguila (born 1957), composer
- Claudio Arrau (1903–1991), pianist
- Daniel Barenboim (born 1942), pianist and conductor
- Agustín Barrios (1885-1944), known as "Mangoré", guitarist and composer
- Teresa Carreño (1853–1917), pianist, conductor and composer
- Reynaldo Hahn (1874–1947), music, critic, conductor and composer
- 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
- Dominican Republic Eduardo Brito (1906–1946), baritone
- José Cura (born 1962), tenor
- Juan Diego Flórez (born 1973), tenor
Singers
- Desi Arnaz (1917–1986), salsa singer
Ruben Blades (born 1948), salsa singer- Roberto Carlos (born 1941), singer and songwriter
- Cazuza (1958–1990), singer and songwriter
- Gustavo Cerati (1959–2014), alternative rock singer-songwriter
- Celia Cruz (1925–2003), salsa singer
- Dominican Republic Kat DeLuna (born 1987), singer
- Lali Espósito (born 1993), pop singer and songwriter
- Gloria Estefan (born 1957), singer and songwriter
- José Feliciano (born 1945), singer-songwriter
- Juan Gabriel (born 1950), ranchera and ballad singer-songwriter
- Charly García (born 1951), rock musician
- Juan Luis Guerra (born 1957), singer and songwriter
- Pedro Infante (1917–1957)
- Víctor Jara (1932–1973), singer-songwriter
- Juanes (born 1972), singer-songwriter
- Jennifer Lopez (born 1969), Latin pop, singer, dancer, actress, record producer, movie producer, songwriter, model, fashion designer
- Jorge Negrete (1911–1953), singer-songwriter
- Fito Páez (born 1961), singer, songwriter, producer and film director
- Dominican Republic Prince Royce (born 1989), Bachata singer and songwriter
- Ivete Sangalo (born 1972), singer and songwriter
- Raul Seixas (1945–1989), composer, singer, songwriter and producer
- Shakira (born 1977), Latin pop singer and songwriter
- Luis Alberto Spinetta (1950–2012), singer and songwriter
- Lynda Thomas (born 1981), alternative rock and eurodance, singer-songwriter
- Carlos Vives (1961), vallenato singer and composer
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
- Ernesto Mayz Vallenilla (born 1925), humanist, philosopher and educator
- Antonio Nariño (1765–1824)
- Edmundo O'Gorman (1906–1995), philosopher
- Francisco Varela (1946–2001), major proponent of the embodied philosophy
- José Vasconcelos (1882–1959), thinker, educator and essayist
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
- Ricardo Alegría (1921–2011), physical anthropologist, pioneer in the anthropological studies of the Taino culture
- José Antonio Balseiro (1919–1962), Physicist, study on nuclear fusion and nuclear physics
- Gregorio Baro (1928–2012), Radiochemistry, he created the first MRI contrast agent
- Baruj Benacerraf (1920–2011), immunologist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Laureate (1980)
- Martha E. Bernal (1931-2001), psychologist, first Latina to receive a psychology PhD in the United States
- Francisco Jose de Caldas (1768-1818), commonly known as "el sabio" (the wise)
- Fernando Caldeiro (born 1958), NASA astronaut
- Dominican Republic Víctor A. Carreño (1911–1967), NASA aerospace engineer
- Nabor Carrillo Flores (1911–1967), nuclear physicist
- Carlos Chagas (1879–1934), physician and scientist, pioneer in Chagas disease
- Franklin Chang-Diaz (born 1950), NASA astronaut who flew on 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; created the technique for coronary bypass surgery (1967)
- Humberto Fernandez Moran (1924–1999), medical research scientist
- 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 yellow fever
- 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
- Salomon Hakim (1922–2011), physician and scientist, Inventor of valve and procedure to treat hydrocephalus
- 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)
- Domingo Liotta (born 1924), cardiologist, he created the first artificial heart
- Adolfo Lutz (1855–1940), physician and scientist, pioneer in Infectious disease
- 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)
Salvador Moncada (born 1944), pharmacologist, discoveries related to nitric oxide function and metabolism- Rodolfo Neri Vela (born 1952), Ph.D, NASA payload specialist and astronaut
- Carlos I. Noriega (born 1959), NASA astronaut
- Antonia Novello (born 1944), 14th Surgeon General of the United States
- Manuel Elkin Patarroyo (born 1947), pathologist, works on improving a vaccine for malaria
- Dominican Republic Feniosky Peña-Mora, engineer and educator
- Felipe Poey (1799–1891), zoologist, specialist in ichthyology
- Eduardo H. Rapoport (born 1927), ecologist, contributions to biogeography (see Rapoport's rule)
- L. Rafael Reif (born 1950), engineer, president of Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Andrés Manuel del Río (1764–1849), geologist and chemist, discovered vanadium (as vanadinite) in 1801
- Helen Rodríguez Trías (1929–2001), pediatrician, advocate for women's reproductive rights
- Wilfredo Santa-Gómez, psychiatrist
- José Santana (born 1962), specialist in technology and development; Executive Director of the Dominican Republic Presidential Commission of Science and Technology; Research Associate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Sarah Stewart (1905-1976), microbiologist, discovered the Polyomavirus
- Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (born 1942), first Cuban cosmonaut
- Francisco Varela (1946–2001), biologist, co-author of the theory of autopoiesis
- Lydia Villa-Komaroff (born 1947), biologist, third Mexican American woman in the United States to receive a PhD in the sciences
- 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
- Luis Aparicio (born 1934), Major League shortstop; member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Miguel Cabrera (born 1983), Major League first baseman
- Roberto Clemente (1934–1972), Major League right fielder, NL MVP Award winner (1966), member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Juan Marichal (born 1937), Major League pitcher; member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Dennis Martínez (born 1955), first Latino to pitch a perfect game in major league history
- Pedro Martínez (born 1971), three-time 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
- 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
- Julio César Chávez (born 1962), World Champion (five titles in three different divisions)
- Juan Martin Coggi (born 1961), three-time WBA's World Jr. Welterweight Champion
- Carlos Cruz (1937–1970), world Lightweight champion
- Oscar De La Hoya (born 1972), first six division world champion in boxing history
- Carlos De León, four-time world Cruiserweight Champion
- Roberto Durán (born 1951), World Champion (six titles in four 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
- Éder Jofre (born 1936), retired Brazilian professional boxer and former Bantamweight and Featherweight Champion
- Santos Laciar, three-time World Champion
- Raul Macias World Bantamweight Champion
- Kina Malpartida, World Boxing Association Champion in the Super Featherweight
- 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, two-time World Lightweight Champion
- John Ruiz (born 1972), two-time WBA's World Heavyweight Champion, first Latino to be world Heavyweight champion in history
- José Torres, first Latino world Light Heavyweight champion in boxing history
- 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), five consecutive times European Champion (with Real Madrid, 1956–1960; scored 49 goals)
- Diego Armando Maradona (born 1960)
- Lionel Andrés Messi (born 1987)
- 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), eight PGA Tour and 22 Champions Tour titles winner; World Golf Hall of Famer (1992)
- Motor sports
- Johnny Cecotto (born 1956), 350cc GP motorcycle racing World Champion (1975)
- Juan Manuel Fangio (1911–1995), five-time 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 Zanelli (1906–1944), Double Le Mans winner, European Hill Climb Championship winner and the first Latin American to win a Grand Prix motor racing in Europe.
- Juan Pablo Montoya, 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)
- Surfing
- Sofia Mulanovich (born 1983), 2004 Women's World Champion
- Phil Rajzman (born 1982), 2007 ASP OXBOW World Championship
- Tennis
- Maria Bueno (born 1939), 19 Grand Slam titles winner (7 singles, 12 doubles); International Tennis Hall of Famer since 1978
- Rosemary Casals, former tennis player and winner of multiple Grand Slams
- Gigi Fernández, Wimbledon doubles Champion
- Mary Joe Fernández (born 1971), won two Grand Slam Doubles titles, two Olympic gold medals and one Olympic bronze medal
- Gastón Gaudio (born 1978), 2004 French Open Men's Singles Champion
Andrés Gómez (born 1960), 1990 French Open Men's Singles Champion- Fernando González 2007 Australian Open finalist and double Olympic medalist
- Gustavo Kuerten (born 1976), three-time French Open Men's Singles Champion (1997, 2000 and 2001)
- Anita Lizana (1915-1994), 1937 US Open champion; first Latin American, and first Hispanic person, to be ranked World Number 1 in tennis
- Nicolas Massú, double Olympic gold medalist winner
- 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), four Grand Slam titles winner (one singles, three doubles)
- Marcelo Ríos (born 1975), ATP World Number One, 1998; Australian Open finalist
- 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), eight Grand Slam Doubles titles winner
- Guillermo Vilas (born 1952), four 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
- Angel Luis Arambilet Alvarez (born 1957), creator of the first Latin American short story using computerized linetext art or ASCII art
- 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
- 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 story 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 story 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
- Clarice Lispector (1925–1977), novelist
- Luis Lloréns 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 (born 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)
- Nicanor Parra (born 1914), anti-poet
- 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 (1911–2011), 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
Others
- Ali Lenin Aguilera (born 1967), businessman
- Carlos Castaneda (1925–1998), New Age and Shamanism author
- Javier Castellano (born 1977), jockey winner of three consecutive Eclipse Awards, in 2013, 2014 and 2015
- Ramon Dominguez (born 1976), jockey winner of three consecutive Eclipse Awards, in 2010, 2011 and 2012
- Enrique Gratas, television journalist
- María Julia Mantilla García (born 1983), Miss World 2004
- 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)
