 Within a few decades of Christopher Columbus 's landing on the coast of what is now Venezuela in 1498 , South America had been effectively conquered by Spain and Portugal . By the beginning of the 19th century , several factors affected Spain 's control over its colonies : Napoleon 's invasion of Spain in 1808 , the abdication of Charles IV , Ferdinand VII 's renouncement of his right to succeed , and the placement of Joseph Bonaparte on the Spanish throne . The colonies were virtually cut off from Spain , and the American and French Revolutions inspired many creoles — American @-@ born descendants of Spanish settlers — to take advantage of Spanish weakness . As a result , Latin America was run by independent juntas and colonial self @-@ governments . 
 Within a few decades of Christopher Columbus <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>landing on the coast of what is now Venezuela in 1498 , South America <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> been effectively conquered by Spain and Portugal . By the beginning of the 19th century , several factors affected Spain <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>control over its colonies : Napoleon <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>invasion of Spain in 1808 , the abdication of Charles IV , Ferdinand VII <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>renouncement of his right to succeed , and the placement of Joseph Bonaparte on the Spanish throne . The colonies <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> virtually cut off from Spain , and the American and French Revolutions inspired many creoles — American @-@ born descendants of Spanish settlers — to take advantage of Spanish weakness . As a result , Latin America was run by independent juntas and colonial self @-@ governments . 
Within a few decades of Christopher Columbus  landing on the coast of wht is now Venezuela in 1498 , South America done been effectively conquered by Spain and Portugal . By the beginning of da 19th century , several factors affected Spain  control over its colonies : Napoleon  invasion of Spain in 1808 , the abdication of Charles IV , Ferdinand VII  renouncement of his ryte to succeed , and the placement of Joseph Bonaparte on the Spanish throne . The colonies was virtually cut offf from Spain , and tdaAmerican and French Revolutions inspired many creoles — American @-@ born descendants of Spanish settlers — to take advantage of Spanish weakness . As a result , Latin America was run by independent juntas and colonial self @-@ governments .