YEP!!! A whole lotta South Americans speak Spanish only yet have blond or red hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. Yet we both know what would happen if they immigrated illegally to the U.S. and tried to partake of all the things that "real Latinos" with dark skin and dark eyes are entitled to just because they're brown ...
The terms "Latino" and "Hispanic" are like "unicorn" and "pro-choice" -- language intended to disguise illusions.
My Son-in-Law, a highly intelligent, cultured gentleman is from a small town in the middle of Spain (Madrid), is a faculty member at a famous and very expensive and exquisitely politically correct institute of learning in Washington D.C. that was seeking an experienced Director of one of their prestigious programs, for which he applied. The selection committee noticed his overwhelming qualifications and obviously Spanish surname and was overjoyed. OMG! An Hispanic! WOW! Aren't we just cool?
They call the fellow in for an interview, where he discovered to his surprise and dismay that he not only is NOT to be further considered, but that he is NOT EVEN AN HISPANIC! How dare he pretend otherwise?!!
You see "Hispanic" officially means that you are from a land of Spanish tradition, culture, and language, OK? But in addition, you must be darker-complected than a brown paper grocery bag and not be from Spain, Chile, Uruguay or Argentina. ¿Entiendes?
OTOH, you can be Snow White and be from México, Venezuela, Peru, Cuba, etc. and still fit within the EEOC Affirmative Action Guidelines.
But wait, there's more. Puerto Ricans may qualify as African-Americans AND Hispanics. Afro-Cubans may, or may not. (Note the "May.")
BTW, I do wish this story had a happier ending, but my intelligent, handsome, and altogether charming Son-in-Law went into this bizarre episode a convinced Leftist and emerged from it with the very same mind-set. He Lives by Political Correctness and remains a Cheerful Martyr to it.