Editing Spanish language (section)

====Rest of the Americas====
Although Spanish has no official recognition in the former [[British overseas territories|British colony]] of [[Belize]] (known until 1973 as [[British Honduras]]) where English is the sole official language, according to the 2022 census, 54% of the total population are able to speak the language.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://sib.org.bz/wp-content/uploads/Languages_Infographic_2022.pdf|title=Languages spoken in Belize, 2022 Census|date=2022 |language=en |access-date=11 September 2024}}</ref>

Due to its proximity to Spanish-speaking countries and small existing [[Trinidadian Spanish|native Spanish speaking]] minority, [[Trinidad and Tobago]] has implemented Spanish language teaching into its education system. The Trinidadian and Tobagonian government launched the ''Spanish as a First Foreign Language'' (SAFFL) initiative in March 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tradeind.gov.tt/SIS/FAQ.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103080637/http://www.tradeind.gov.tt/SIS/FAQ.htm |archive-date=3 November 2010 |title=FAQ |work=The Secretariat for The Implementation of Spanish |publisher=Government of the Republic |location=Trinidad and Tobago |access-date=10 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Spanish has historically had a significant presence on the [[Dutch Caribbean]] islands of [[Aruba]], [[Bonaire]] and [[Curaçao]] ([[ABC islands (Leeward Antilles)|ABC Islands]]) throughout the centuries and in present times. The majority of the populations of each island (especially Aruba) speaking Spanish at varying although often high degrees of fluency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Language and education on Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/300471435}}</ref> The local language [[Papiamento|Papiamentu]] (Papiamento on Aruba) is heavily influenced by Venezuelan Spanish.

In addition to sharing most of its borders with Spanish-speaking countries, the creation of [[Mercosur]] in the early 1990s induced a favorable situation for the promotion of Spanish language teaching in [[Brazil]].{{Sfn|Valle|Villa|2006|p=376}}<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.es/&httpsredir=1&article=1082&context=gc_pubs|title=Spanish in Brazil: Language Policy, Business, and Cultural Propaganda|first1=José del|last1=Valle |first2=Laura|last2=Villa |journal=Language Policy |year=2006|volume=5|issue=4 |doi=10.1007/s10993-006-9035-2|pages=376–377 |s2cid=144373408|access-date=5 February 2022 |archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124020917/https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.es%2F&httpsredir=1&article=1082&context=gc_pubs|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2005, the [[National Congress of Brazil]] approved a bill, signed into law by the [[President of Brazil|President]], making it mandatory for [[school]]s to offer Spanish as an alternative foreign language course in both public and private secondary schools in Brazil.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_Ato2004-2006/2005/Lei/L11161.htm |title = Brazilian Law 11.161 |publisher = Presidência da República |date = 5 August 2005 |access-date = 31 March 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131031191701/http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_Ato2004-2006/2005/Lei/L11161.htm |archive-date = 31 October 2013 |url-status = live}}</ref> In September 2016 this law was revoked by [[Michel Temer]] after the [[impeachment of Dilma Rousseff]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://oglobo.globo.com/sociedade/educacao/novo-ensino-medio-tera-curriculo-flexivel-mais-horas-de-aula-20164798 |title=Novo ensino médio terá currículo flexível e mais horas de aula |newspaper=O Globo |date=23 September 2016 |access-date=23 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923213525/http://oglobo.globo.com/sociedade/educacao/novo-ensino-medio-tera-curriculo-flexivel-mais-horas-de-aula-20164798 |archive-date=23 September 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> In many border towns and villages along Paraguay and Uruguay, a [[mixed language]] known as [[Riverense Portuñol|Portuñol]] is spoken.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lipski |first=John M |year=2006 |title=Too close for comfort? the genesis of "portuñol/portunhol" |editor1-first=Timothy L |editor1-last=Face |editor2-first=Carol A |editor2-last=Klee |pages=1–22 |journal=Selected Proceedings of the 8th Hispanic Linguistics Symposium |location=Somerville, MA |publisher=Cascadilla Proceedings Project |url= http://www.lingref.com/cpp/hls/8/paper1251.pdf |access-date=29 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216225441/http://www.lingref.com/cpp/hls/8/paper1251.pdf |archive-date=16 December 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>