A person who is obsessed with Central and South American culture, although they themselves have little to no "natural" connection to that culture.
Persons with this trait
will show a strong tendency to dine at Latin
American restaurants, date Latin
American men/women, and discuss global human rights struggles solely in terms of the citizens of Latin
American countries. May attempt to co-opt Latin American culture as their own, or simply profess a strong communion with that culture.
It is important to note the distinction between persons who are simply sexually attracted to Latinos because of common facial features/skin tone, vs. true otacos, whose singular focus on all things Hispanic
will also affect/impair other day-to-day judgments--for instance choosing to purchase a cheap gutrot mezcal if it is the most "authentic" option in an otherwise well-stocked liquor store.
Commonly occurs in people who grew up in Caucasian upper middle-class suburbs, in which a Hispanic working class was the second-largest demographic.
Apparently derived from the western use of the term otaku and the Mexican
food item
taco.
1. "Did you see that La Raza bumper sticker
Tim Philips-Whitehead put on his
car? That dude is such an otaco."
2. "That torta truck is so bad they had to move it to the University district... only the otacos are
dumb enough to eat there."