La Llorona — The legend of betrayed love
Mythological & legendary love Musical & cinematic love Tragic love 🇲🇽 Mexico

La Llorona

The legend of betrayed love

EraMexico / LATAM · colonial legend
Country / cultureMexico
CategoryMythological & legendary love
Type of loveTragic
EndingTragic
Quick answer

The woman who, betrayed by her lover, drowns her children and herself and wanders weeping "Oh, my children!": the legend of love turned to damnation that all of Latin America knows.

01Why it matters

It is Latin America's most famous romantic ghost, present in horror cinema and in Disney's "Coco."

02The conflict

The lover's betrayal and the desperate revenge.

03The iconic moment

Her eternal weeping by the rivers: "Oh, my children!"

04What survived

The folk song "La Llorona," featured in "Coco" (2017).

Fact-check note. Colonial legend with many variants; often conflated with La Malinche.

05Frequently asked questions

Why is the story of La Llorona famous?

It is Latin America's most famous romantic ghost, present in horror cinema and in Disney's "Coco."

How does the story of La Llorona end?

Her eternal weeping by the rivers: "Oh, my children!" The folk song "La Llorona," featured in "Coco" (2017).

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