For too many of us, Latin America exists "below the fold," an echo
barely heard beyond the roar of U.S. economics, politics, and culture;
the source of little more than dance steps, mesmerizing soccer, spicy
food, and questionable politics.

But Latin America has been a vital part of the global community since
the seventeenth century, when the Spanish silver peso became the
world's first global currency instrument. Today it is home to six
hundred million people and some of the fastest-growing economies on the
planet. Latin America may not outshine or outspend the United States on
the world stage anytime soon, but its voices will be heard. Its
consumers, resources, and emigrants are already affecting us; they will
be even bigger factors in our future.

What if Latin America Ruled the World? deftly braids together
the histories of North and South America from the exploits of Hernán
Cortés to the political showmanship of Hugo Chávezand Evo Morales.
Scholar Oscar Guardiola-Rivera is an ideal guide for a searching
portrait of the Latin America that we rarely hear about.