Las botánicas como “farmacias invisibles”: Religiones afrocaribeñas y su rol en la población latina de la ciudad de Nueva York

Abstract

This article explores the world of botánicas, or invisible pharmacies, in New York City, where practitioners of Afro-Caribbean religions, especially Santería, play a dual role as religious leaders and spiritual advisers. Botánicas cater to a Latin American population, often immigrant and undocumented, that comes to them looking for effective solutions to a plethora of problems (from bodily disorders to workplace abuse and family conflicts). Counselors understand the individual symptoms as a disruption of the patient’s social and spiritual world, often triggered by a “curse” and negative energies in the environment. The most frequent therapeutic responses combine consultations, herbal infusions, spiritual baths, and prayers (through herbal drinks, spiritual cleansing, and invocations). The article highlights the role of botánicas’ therapeutic services, which offer fast, practical, and economically accessible solutions to a vulnerable population.