Other misconceptions like assuming that there are palm trees in all of Latin America, or that coconuts grow brown like you see them in the supermarket, are just a matter of unfamiliarity but can be very shocking to Hispanics. Do not assume that all Hispanics see themselves as one big happy family. There are many segments that do not necessarily get along with others. Many Puerto Ricans in New York find themselves relating more to the black community than to their Cuban cousins. You sometimes even see discrimination within one community.
Discrimination comes from being different.
The more marked the differences among the groups, the more evidence of prejudice. Since Cubans and Puerto Ricans in this country have marked differences in social class, they tend to show more prejudice towards each other. The same is true when the differences are in culture. The Mexican culture is quite different from the rest of Latin America. As a result, Mexicans do not relate as well to the other segments.