Best Colonia Podcasts (2026)

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This Giving Tuesday, Futuro reflects back on 2025 39:00

Play Pause

23d ago39:00

39:00

It’s been quite the year, for the United States and for Futuro Media. At Latino USA, we’re bringing you in-depth reporting from the front lines. At Futuro Studios, we’re developing ground-breaking shows like La Brega Season 3, which is set to premiere early next year. In this special Giving Tuesday episode, Futuro Media founder Maria Hinojosa refle…

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Sneak Peek: How we make La Brega 4:05

2M ago4:05

4:05

We have a sneak peek of our latest bonus episode for Futuro+ members. Alana and OG La Brega producer Ezequiel Rodríguez Andino break down how they make the show in two languages – something rarely done in podcasting. Plus, hear never before heard audio. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and…

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Big News from La Brega 7:02

3M ago7:02

7:02

Wepa! We’ve got big news for you: La Brega is back, directly from Futuro Studios! We’re in production right now on a third season and it’ll hit your headphones soon. In the meantime, we have a hint on what’s coming this season. So hit play to find out! Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and …

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¡Buenas noticias de La Brega! 7:32

3M ago7:32

7:32

¡Wepa! Te traemos buenas noticias: ¡Regresa La Brega! Y llega directamente desde Futuro Studios. Estamos produciendo la tercera temporada, que podrás escuchar muy pronto. Pero, mientras, te dejamos algunas pistas de por dónde irán los nuevos episodios. ¡Dale play, pa que te enteres! ¿Quieres apoyar nuestro periodismo independiente? Únete a Futuro+ …

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S2 Ep9: How Do Cults Brainwash Their Members? | The Nazi Pedophile Who Ran a Sinister Cult | Case of Colonia Dignidad | True Crime 18:26

2y ago18:26

18:26

Important disclaimer: The episodes we cover on our channel are researched using publicly available information and archival resources. Every episode is created with the highest regard & the upmost respect to the victim, their families, and those close to them. Another friendly reminder; Some aspects of the case are sensitive and may not be suitable…

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S2 Ep8: Can You Prove a Murder Without a Body? | Case of John George Haigh or "Acid Bath Murderer" | True Crime 19:04

2y ago19:04

19:04

John George Haigh, known as "The Acid Bath Murderer," was a notorious English serial killer born in 1909. His criminal activities spanned the late 1930s to the early 1940s. Haigh's method of murder was particularly gruesome and unique—he would dissolve his victims' bodies in sulfuric acid to destroy any evidence of his crimes. Important disclaimer:…

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S2 Ep7: She Killed Her Mother With a Frying Pan Over Bad Grades | Case of Sydney Powell | True Crime 14:46

2y ago14:46

14:46

Important disclaimer: The episodes we cover on our channel are researched using publicly available information and archival resources. Every episode is created with the highest regard & the upmost respect to the victim, their families, and those close to them. Another friendly reminder; Some aspects of the case are sensitive and may not be suitable…

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S2 Ep6: Hospital Led to the Suicide of a Mother | "Take Care of Maya" Case Overview (Case of Maya Kowalski) 12:31

2y ago12:31

12:31

This podcast is an audio version of our YouTube videos, where we dive deep into intriguing true crime stories and mysteries. While we strive to make the podcast as engaging as possible for our audio audience, it's worth mentioning that our YouTube channel offers a more visual experience, with images, videos, and additional content. In this episode,…

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S2 Ep5: Was She Wrongfully Convicted? | Revisiting "Lethal Latte" or "Cyanide Coffee Murderer" | Case of Jessica Wongso | True Crime 37:37

2y ago37:37

37:37

In this episode of our true crime podcast, we delve into the case of Jessica Wongso, also known as the "Lethal Latte" or "Cyanide Coffee Murderer". Wongso was accused and convicted of poisoning her friend, Wayan Mirna Salihin, with cyanide-laced coffee, which led to Salihin's death. However, some have raised questions about the validity of the evid…

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S2 Ep4: Buried Alive by Toxic Ex-Boyfriend | The Case of Jasmeen Kaur | True Crime 15:26

2y ago15:26

15:26

An Indian-origin man brutally murdered his ex-girlfriend for not wanting to get back together with him by burrying her alive. Her body was found in a shallow grave in Flinders Ranges in Australia. Important disclaimer: The episodes we cover on our channel are researched using publicly available information and archival resources. Every episode is c…

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S2 Ep3: Doctor Fakes Cancer Diagnosis for Profit | The Case of Dr. Farid "Death" Fata 11:30

2y ago11:30

11:30

This podcast is an audio version of our YouTube videos, where we dive deep into intriguing true crime stories and mysteries. While we strive to make the podcast as engaging as possible for our audio audience, it's worth mentioning that our YouTube channel offers a more visual experience, with images, videos, and additional content. In our latest ep…

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S2 Ep2: Behind Enemy Lines: Unit 731's Infamous Human Experiments 10:05

2y ago10:05

10:05

This podcast is an audio version of our YouTube videos, where we dive deep into intriguing true crime stories and mysteries. While we strive to make the podcast as engaging as possible for our audio audience, it's worth mentioning that our YouTube channel offers a more visual experience, with images, videos, and additional content. In this episode …

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Bonus Track — Songs for the Future of Puerto Rico 31:25

2+ y ago31:25

31:25

Una notita: This episode is in Spanglish. This season, we explored songs that tell the complicated, beautiful story of Puerto Rico. We wanted to bring that exploration into the present moment, so we called up some of the most innovative Puerto Rican artists making music today and we gave them a challenge: what would you do with these classic anthem…

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8. “Olas y Arenas” — The Beaches Belong to the People 41:38

3y ago41:38

41:38

Puerto Rico’s beautiful beaches are an integral part of Puerto Rican life. They form a ring of pleasure that encircles the whole island — an escape valve. And they’re one of the few places that are truly public. At least, that’s what the law says. Yet in practice, that stretch of land where the water meets the shore is the most contested space in a…

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8. “Olas y arenas” — las playas son del pueblo 44:28

3y ago44:28

44:28

Las hermosas playas de Puerto Rico son una parte integral de la vida puertorriqueña. Las costas forman un anillo de placer que rodea toda la isla, una válvula de escape. Y son uno de los pocos espacios que son verdaderamente públicos. Al menos, eso es lo que dice la ley. En la práctica, sin embargo, esa franja de tierra donde el agua se encuentra c…

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7. "Vamos Pa’ Plaza" — The Center of Everything 34:56

3y ago34:56

34:56

Plaza Las Americas is not any mall — going there, “Pa Plaza,” is a quintessential boricua experience. Young people experience first dates; old people gather and enjoy the air conditioning; you can renew your passport, get vaccinated, and buy an electric car in a single visit. The Pope even gave mass in the parking lot! This mall that has Columbus’ …

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7. "Vamos pa’ Plaza" — el centro de todo 34:35

3y ago34:35

34:35

Plaza Las Américas no es un centro comercial cualquiera: ir allí, "pa’ Plaza", es una experiencia muy boricua l. Los jóvenes viven sus primeras citas; las personas mayores se reúnen y disfrutan del aire acondicionado; puedes renovar tu pasaporte, vacunarte y comprar un automóvil eléctrico en una sola visita. ¡El Papa incluso dio misa en el estacion…

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6. “Boricua en la Luna” — The Moon’s Distance 33:41

3y ago33:41

33:41

“Boricua En La Luna” is a classic anthem about a young man born outside Puerto Rico, who dreams of going back to his parents’ home but never does. Based on a poem written by Juan Antonio Corretjer, the song vividly evokes themes of displacement and connection. And it asserts that Puertoricanness exists no matter where one lives, declaring, “yo seri…

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6. “Boricua en la luna” — la distancia de la luna 34:06

3y ago34:06

34:06

“Boricua en la luna” es un himno clásico sobre un joven nacido fuera de Puerto Rico, que sueña con volver a la casa de sus padres pero nunca lo hace. La canción, que está basada en un poema escrito por Juan Antonio Corretjer, evoca vívidamente temas de desplazamiento y conexión. Y afirma que la puertorriqueñidad existe sin importar dónde se viva, d…

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5. “Las Caras Lindas (De Mi Gente Negra)” — An Ode to Blackness 37:09

3y ago37:09

37:09

Catalino Curet Alonso (known as Don Tite) penned some 2,000 songs during his life — and around 200 were massive hits across Latin America. “Las Caras Lindas (De Mi Gente Negra)” is undeniably personal. Tite, who passed away in 2003, was proud to be an “Antillano of visibly African heritage.” While songs by other writers demean dark skin — or even e…

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5. “Las caras lindas (de mi gente negra)” — una oda a la negrura 37:42

3y ago37:42

37:42

Catalino Curet Alonso (a menudo llamado Don Tite) escribió unas 2000 canciones durante su vida, y alrededor de 200 fueron grandes éxitos en Latinoamérica. “Las caras lindas (de mi gente negra)” es innegablemente personal. Tite, que falleció en 2003, estaba orgulloso de ser un “Antillano de visibles raíces africanas.” Mientras que las canciones de o…

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4. "I Wonder if I Take You Home" — Freedom in Freestyle 41:10

3y ago41:10

41:10

Created on the streets by young Nuyoricans in the mid-1980s, freestyle music became the soundtrack for the lives of second-generation Puerto Ricans. Hip-hop and pop, Latin Caribbean rhythms and instruments — it all came together in freestyle. The sound was ubiquitous in New York, and later in Orlando, Florida, where many of these Boricuas were char…

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4. “I Wonder if I Take You Home” — La libertad en el freestyle 49:05

3y ago49:05

49:05

Creada en las calles por jóvenes nuyoricans en la mitad de los ochenta, la música freestyle se convirtió en el sonido y la historia de los puertorriqueños de segunda generación. La fusión entre el hip-hop y el pop con los ritmos e instrumentos latino-caribeños dieron como resultado la música freestyle. El sonido era omnipresente en Nueva York — y m…

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3. “Suavemente” — The Merengue War 41:33

3y ago41:33

41:33

At the end of the 1990s merengue ruled supreme on the radio and television in Puerto Rico. Elvis Crespo’s “Suavemente” is perhaps the most famous example — a bonafide hit that helped popularize the genre all over the world. But how did this Puerto Rican hit become the most recognizable merengue song in a genre pioneered by Dominican musicians? The …

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3. “Suavemente” — La guerra del merengue 44:37

3y ago44:37

44:37

En Puerto Rico, a finales de los noventa el merengue reinaba en la radio y en la televisión. "Suavemente" de Elvis Crespo es quizás el ejemplo más famoso de ese momento — un verdadero éxito que ayudó a popularizar el género en todo el mundo. Pero, ¿cómo esta canción puertorriqueña se convirtió en el merengue más reconocido de un género iniciado por…

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2. “El Gran Varón” — Who Was Simón? 42:36

3y ago42:36

42:36

Gabby Rivera was 7 or 8 years old when Willie Colón released “El Gran Varón” in 1989. She remembers her father playing it while she sat in the backseat of their white minivan in the Bronx. The cinematic arc of the song would stick with her: the lyrics describe how a character referred to as Simón, depicted as a queer person who appears dressed as a…

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2. “El gran varón” — ¿Quién era Simón? 41:22

3y ago41:22

41:22

En 1989, Gabby Rivera tenía 7 o 8 años cuando Willie Colón lanzó "El gran varón". Recuerda a su padre poniendo el tema mientras ella estaba sentada en su minivan blanca en el Bronx. El argumento casi cinematográfico de la canción se quedaría con ella: Simón, es representada como una persona cuir (queer) que se viste como mujer, que recibe el rechaz…

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1. "Preciosa" — The Other Anthem 29:53

3y ago29:53

29:53

For over a century, Puerto Rican musicians have been influential across the hemisphere. From the Harlem Hellfighters of WWI who helped develop jazz to the reggaetoneros who dominate today’s charts, Puerto Rican music is everywhere. We start the season with the island’s most celebrated composer Rafael Hernandez, who wrote beloved songs like “Lamento…

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1. "Preciosa" — El otro himno 31:59

3y ago31:59

31:59

Durante más de un siglo, los músicos puertorriqueños han sido influyentes en todo el hemisferio. Desde el regimiento de los Harlem Hellfighters de la Primera Guerra Mundial, que ayudaron a desarrollar el jazz, hasta los reguetoneros que dominan las listas de los éxitos actuales, la música boricua está en todas partes. Empezamos la temporada con el …

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Season 2: The Puerto Rican Experience in 8 Songs 0:58

3y ago0:58

0:58

As the island donde hasta la piedras cantan — “where even the rocks sing” — Puerto Rico is home to a dizzying breadth of musical expression. From the lyrical boleristas of the 1930s, to the electric salseros of the ’70s, to the reggaetoneros of today who have taken music from the margins and made it a global sensation, this season takes listeners o…

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2da Temporada: La experiencia boricua en 8 canciones 0:58

3y ago0:58

0:58

Conocida como la isla donde hasta las piedras cantan, Puerto Rico alberga una vertiginosa amplitud de expresión musical. Desde los boleristas líricos de la década de 1930 hasta los salseros eléctricos de los '70 y los reggaetoneros de hoy que han tomado la música de los espacios marginales y la han convertido en una sensación mundial, esta temporad…

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I’m back 6:59

3+ y ago6:59

6:59

I’m back from a high era and I’m back doing more podcasts and excited to do more of these intimate moments in my life.. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-ibarra-acosta/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-ibarra-acosta/support…

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S2 Ep1: The Peter Scully Case (Daisy's Destruction / The Dark Web's Repulsive World of 'Hurtcore') 37:43

4y ago37:43

37:43

The devils are not hiding underneath your bed, they are hiding behind their computers. Buckle up before hearing the case of Peter Scully, and the evil minds of the dark web's repulsive world of 'hurtcore'. Explicit content, trigger warning and viewers discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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8. Snow In The Tropics 29:39

4y ago29:39

29:39

During the early 1950s, the children of Puerto Rico were invited to an icy winter spectacle. Mayor Felisa Rincón de Gautier, the charismatic mayor of San Juan, arranged for Eastern Airlines to bring a plane-load of snow for a snowball fight in the city. It was a feat that has become legend for a whole generation. But while this winter wonderland ca…

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8. Nieve en el trópico 30:06

4y ago30:06

30:06

A principios de la década de los 50, los niños de Puerto Rico fueron invitados a un espectáculo invernal. Felisa Rincón de Gautier, la alcaldesa de San Juan, hizo arreglos para que Eastern Airlines trajera un avión cargado de nieve para formar una pelea de bolas de nieve en la ciudad capital. Esta hazaña se ha convertido en leyenda para toda una ge…

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Episode 4: Villa Baviera 19:12

4y ago19:12

19:12

What happened to the former leaders of Colonia Dignidad? What happened to the members of the colony? What happened to the Colony itself? Today, there are guided tours of the place where Shafer abused and raped dozens and dozens of boys. Beers are poured above the floorboards where hundreds of enemies of Pinochet, and members of the colony to stay s…

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Episode 3: Torture Camp 13:56

4y ago13:56

13:56

When the coupe led by Pinochet overthrew the democratic government in 1973, the bonds between the colony and the government deepened. Each needed something from the other - Colonia Dignidad needed protection to do what it wanted, and Pinochet’s military dictatorship needed a place to carry out unspeakable deeds against enemies of the state.See Priv…

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Episode 2: A Fortress in the Forest 19:09

4y ago19:09

19:09

Located 220 miles south of Santiago in the Province of Linares, Colonia Dignidad is separated and secluded from any major city. The location was chosen and constructed so that even if anyone managed to escape the barbed wire fence that surrounded the compound, the armed guards and dogs, there was nowhere to run. What else is hiding within the walls…

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Episode 1: The Bad Shepherd 15:00

4+ y ago15:00

15:00

Subscribe here and your favorite pod apps: https://jonny.hopp.to/dignidad In operation for decades under the leadership of Paul Shafer and influenced by Evangelical Revivalist Christianity, Colonia Dignidad was endorsed by the military dictatorship in Chile. Like many cults, it began with a promise of living off the land and being closer to nature,…

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Cool World 53:37

4+ y ago53:37

53:37

Tom and Dave welcome Anna Valenzuela from the 12 Questions podcast to defend the insane '80s live action/animation hybrid film Cool World

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Killjoy 2: Deliverance From Evil 55:58

4+ y ago55:58

55:58

Tom and Dave welcome comedian Rivers Langley to defend an insane horror movie from the early-2000s

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Colonia 49:55

4+ y ago49:55

49:55

Tom and Dave are back! On this episode, Adam Tod Brown defends the kinda fact-based 2015 Emma Watson film Colonia. Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonia_(film)

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“Tony Bennet Show” 2:04

5y ago2:04

2:04

Tony Bennet Show featuring Sol Rose --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-ibarra-acosta/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ivan-ibarra-acosta/support

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7. The End Of The Promises 47:04

5y ago47:04

47:04

Puerto Rico’s relationship with the United States has long been a subject of intense debate. In 1952, Puerto Rico adopted a new status that was meant to decolonize the island. In English, we call it a “Commonwealth.” In Spanish, it’s called “Estado Libre Asociado”, or ELA. Puerto Ricans were promised for decades that this unique status meant they h…

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7. Se acabaron las promesas 52:43

5y ago52:43

52:43

La relación que tiene Puerto Rico con los Estados Unidos siempre ha sido un tema de debate intenso. En 1952, Puerto Rico adoptó un nuevo status que prometía descolonizar la isla. En inglés le llama “Commonwealth”. En español, lo llamamos Estado Libre Asociado, o ELA. Por décadas se le prometió a los boricuas que este estatus era único porque les br…

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6. The Bankruptcy Letters 38:53

5y ago38:53

38:53

Luis J. Valentín Ortiz from the Centro de Periodismo Investigativo tells a hidden story from Puerto Rico’s debt crisis, that of the micro-creditors — thousands of low-income retirees and former public employees with claims that the government may never pay, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. As a federal judge prepares to make a decisio…

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6. Las cartas de la quiebra 39:45

5y ago39:45

39:45

El periodista del Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, Luis J. Valentín Ortiz, cuenta la historia de los pequeños acreedores en la quiebra de Puerto Rico — miles de retirados y ex-empleados públicos que reclamaron al Gobierno dinero que quizás nunca recibirán. En momentos en que el tribunal federal se prepara para decidir sobre este tema, este episo…

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5. Basketball Warriors 37:12

5y ago37:12

37:12

Despite being a U.S. colony, Puerto Rico competes in sports as its own country on the world stage. Since the 70s, Puerto Rico’s national basketball team has been a pride of the island, taking home trophy after trophy. But in the 2004 at the Athens Olympics, the team was up against the odds, with an opening game against a U.S. Dream Team stacked wit…

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5. Guerreros del basket 39:17

5y ago39:17

39:17

Aunque Puerto Rico es una colonia de Estados Unidos, la isla compite bajo su propia bandera en eventos deportivos internacionales. Desde la década de los 70 el equipo nacional de baloncesto ha sido fuente de orgullo para todo el archipiélago boricua, ganando torneo tras torneo en su región. Pero en las Olimpiadas del 2004 en Atenas, la escuadra nac…

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4. Vieques and the Promise To Build Back Better 45:23

5y ago45:23

45:23

Weeks after Hurricane Maria, the Government of Puerto Rico accepted an emphatic suggestion from officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), put it in writing as if it were its own decision, and celebrated it would be used to rebuild in a “resilient” way. On the island of Vieques — which has a very high rate of cancer — they were su…