When we discuss about central and south America, you must understand that there are two communitues living there. The eurooean immigrants who are mostly rich and own most of the land and properties.
The indigenous poor communities of aztecs, incas, mayans who were brutal even to their own tribe before the arrival of the europeans and merciless killing is just part of life.they are poor because the europeans won and seized everything they got.
The wealth of europe is partly because of the gold bullion spanish ships used to transport the gold snd silver back yo Spain , which the English sometimes ambush, hijack and robbed. Pirates were honoured in england. One was even knighted. Sir Francis Drake.