Have you heard of the "War of the Pacific" before? Your mind will inevitably go to WWII, where the American soldiers fought the Japanese in an endless, bloody battle that culminated in the two atomic bombs being launched on Japan, but...


That's certainly NOT what this was. What I'm talking about today is the war that occurred between Chile and the alliance of Bolivia and Peru, when some trade disagreements turned into a full-blown clash that ended up with very angry neighboring nations facing off, and at least one of them occupied by foreign forces.


But how exactly did things get as bad as having countries attack each other and start a war? Was it justifiable, or was it another case of human stupidity? And what consequences did this leave for the three nations? 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/1832

On April 22, 1997, at 15:23, one of the world's most incredible military operations occurred on the planet, and you've probably never heard of it...


Operation Chavín de Huántar was a surgical military operation that took place after the MRTA (a far left-wing guerrilla movement) took close to 800 hostages at the Japanese Embassy in Lima, Peru. It was not just any operation, however, but one that required an extreme amount of preparation, patience, and care.

But after hearing more about its final results, you'll understand why I'm hyping it up so much and why, despite the noise-making from human rights campaigners that followed (who were nowhere to be seen when the victims were taken hostage by the armed men to begin with!), it was considered an astounding military success.


Find out more about exactly what happened that day (and everything that led up to it) in this week's incredible episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast!


Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/1270

Few names of Venezuelan gangs and cartels have made as many headlines as El Tren de Aragua, especially in recent months. Named a terrorist organization by President Trump's administration and called "the most disruptive criminal organization operating nowadays in Latin America" by an esteemed Colombian former vice-president, this gang is among the most dangerous in the world.

And the worst part is that they're not confined to Venezuelan borders, either - no, they're actually spread across South, Central and North America, having caused pain and suffering to migrants and natives all across the American continent, and they only seem to be gathering more and more power.

But how can they be stopped, and will there be a way for new measures to put an end to their terror? 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/1799