Still, some longtime aficionados fear that the new Latin pop wave could wash away important cultural connections.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia

Salles is at the forefront of a new wave of Latin American cinema and has played a central role cultivating a sense of unity among the region's filmmakers.

CNN: Walter Salles: Back on the road

Some pundits see Mr Humala as part of a left-wing wave sweeping across Latin America.

ECONOMIST: Peru

They first came to power in the 1960s, as an alternative to the left-wing wave then sweeping Latin America.

ECONOMIST: Chile

The choice of an Argentine to be the first Latin American pope has generated a wave of light-hearted banter between social media users in Brazil and Argentina.

BBC: New Pope election sparks Brazil-Argentina barbs