Latin American urban legends constitute a large part of the popular folklore of the countries. That’s why myths and legends are the revival of ancient beliefs of the peoples of Latin America. In Supercurioso, we want to tell you about some of the most terrifying and shocking Latin American urban legends. Are you ready for a chill to run down your spine? Today we will learn more about the most popular Latin American curiosities and urban legends.
We invite you to take a tour of some of the most famous urban legends of Latin America of all time. Is there some truth in all of them or are they just stories on the road?
7 Latin American urban legends you should know
As one of the scary phrases Alexandre Dumas’s best known: “It is not necessary to know the danger to be afraid; in fact, the unknown dangers are the ones that inspire the most fear” Today we will meet some of the most fearsome Latin American urban legends of folklore… Join us!
1. The Patasola (Colombia)
Similar to Latin American urban legends of other legendary women, the Patasola is the soul of a woman who wanders in the mountains of Colombia.
She spends her nights disconsolate, crying for losing her children due to love conflicts in life. They say that she was a woman married to a peasant with whom she had three children.
One night, when her husband arrived, he found her with her lover. This, full of rage, with his machete cut the lover’s neck and the woman before escaping cut off her leg.
It is said that she bled to death, while her husband took their children, never to see them again. Since then the Patasola wanders in the mountains trying to find them.
Depending on the area you are in, they will tell you that the Patasola is a woman with huge fangs (like those of a tiger) and a corpulent body, or more a kind of pale and bony ghost that goes jumping from one side to another with its horse leg.
2. The Widow (Chile and Argentina)
Continuing with our list of Latin American urban legends, we bring again a terrifying and impressive woman. She is mostly known in Chile and Argentina.
It is said that the soul in pain of a malevolent woman seeks revenge on every man who crosses the rural roads that she is stalking. His motivation is heartbreak, revenge and a pact with the devil.
Hatred and rage awoke in this woman when she found out that her husband had been unfaithful to her, enraged she made a pact with the devil to take revenge on all the men who crossed his path.
So since the day this woman passed away, her specter has roamed the country roads seeking revenge. She has been seen wearing a long black dress and usually you can’t see his face and hands very well.
Men who walk this path must be very careful not to run into her. It is said that the only way to combat it is with holy water and a crucifix.
As you can see, Latin American horror legends are also stories of feelings and grief that represent the folklore of a region.
3. The Nagua cart (Nicaragua)
Now we move on to Nicaragua… People tremble with terror as they sense death when they hear the Carreta Nagua go by, this is one of the most popular Latin American urban legends in colonial times.
He goes out at one in the morning on dark and gloomy nights to look for new souls. Walking, pulled by two reluctant and skinny black oxen, she creates an unbearable noise. She looks like she is rolling on a cobblestone and that she is getting hit with every step.
This cart searches throughout its journey for the souls in pain of evil, gossipy people and in general anyone who enjoys doing some harm to another human being.
In the Nicaraguan imaginary, the Carreta Nagua is a ghost cart that carries souls and announces the death of someone.
There are those who say that when the Spanish wanted to get the gold out of Nicaragua they did it at midnight in a thunderous cartwith the noise they frightened the natives so that they would not claim the gold.
4. Black Charro (Mexico)
The Charro Negro is, along with the myth of La Llorona, one of the most popular Latin American urban legends.
It narrates a man with an elegant appearance, stocky and very well groomed who wanders through the streets of the towns on a jet-black horse with fire-colored eyes.
This usually accompanies people who wander alone at night, but watch out! If he offers to ride his horse or give you a few coins, your soul will be his.
In the imaginary of Mexico, the Charro Negro is associated with the devil, an extremely cunning man who will do anything to get your soul.
It is believed that this legend arose in 1920 thanks to the mixture of indigenous and European beliefs.where this man represents the dark side of the human soul.
5. The Wolfhound (Paraguay and Argentina)
This is perhaps one of the darkest Latin American urban legends in existence. Although heard throughout the region, it is popular in Paraguay and Argentina.
The Lobizón is also known as Lubisonte or Luis Rufino malo y luisón. This legend of Guarani origin is the Latin American equivalent to the famous European Werewolf.
It is said that a terrible curse fell on the seventh son of Tau and Keraná. The Wolfhound is considered the lord of death, due to the taste he has for haunt cemeteries and feed on the flesh of corpses.
It is said that on Tuesdays and Fridays, the Werewolf loses his human form and turns into a giant dark-colored dog with red eyes that stalks farms.
When his transformation begins, the man begins to feel severe pain, foreseeing what is going to happen, he goes to a lonely place.there he falls on the ground and praying a creed upside down, he transforms into a dog…
He only recovers his human form at sunrise, tired and sad, he spends his life alone.
6. La Pisadeira (Brazil)
One of the legends of Brazil tells us about a ghostly creature known as the Pisadeira, this is recognized as the physical representation of nightmares.
This creature has the body of a skeletal old woman, with long yellowish nails, a hawk’s nose, and an open mouth. from which only horrible laughter arises that only some can hear.
This is one of the Latin American urban legends that shows a woman stalking people at night.
It is said that the Pisadeira jumps on the chest of sleeping people and generates a suffocation that paralyzes its victim..
The attacked person is aware of what is happening, but is unable to move or react, some associated with sleep paralysis.
The Pisadeira smells your fear, the more you terrify she will prolong the episode and even repeat the attack.
7. The Chupacabra (Puerto Rico)
Feared by all farmers and ranchers in Puerto Rico, the Chupacabra is a legendary creature that is described as a being that It attacks animals of different species to drink their blood.
The most common description of this creature is based on a combination of forms. It is said to be reptilian-like, with greenish-gray, scaly skin and feathers along its back.. It is considered a creature the size of a bear that when standing is similar to a kangaroo.
In many parts of Latin America, sightings of creatures related to the Chupacabra have been confirmed.
However, biologists and reserve guards they believe that the Chupacabra is simply one of the contemporary and popular Latin American urban legends. What do you think?
We have reached the end of our story about some of the most terrifying urban legends in Latin America.
Tell us, what do you think of these legends and myths? which is your favorite? We read you!. And if you want to continue reading, we recommend you go through our post about Hachishakusama, the Japanese legend of the 8-foot woman.