Citing the example of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, Joe Contreras explores the degree to which Latin Americans are increasingly keen to mobilise and assert their African roots on the back of a new black consciousness movement stirring in Central and South America. While momentum around black power would not be said to be entirely new in the region, lobbying for community land rights and increased spending to improve living conditions in urban slums and rural villages has gathered pace, driven in particular by its epicentre of Colombia and facilitated by the possibilities for communication and the sharing of experiences through the Internet.