Latin American politics has undergone substantial transformation through the resurgence of Indigenous communities as political actors. This review examines Indigenous movements' evolution from social mobilization to institutional governance, analyzing how they captured political power in Bolivia and Ecuador while reshaping constitutional frameworks regionally.  Indigenous identity proves endogenous to political exclusion, with census data showing dramatic increases in self-identification linked to political empowerment. Approximately 58 million Indigenous peoples (9.8% of regional population) concentrate in 2,174 municipalities where they constitute majorities. Traditional governance institutions demonstrate superior democratic practices compared to conventional systems. Contemporary challenges include environmental criminalization of defenders, digital colonialism through AI knowledge extraction, and hybrid legal pluralism. Three research priorities emerge: historical trauma as determinant of political behavior; Indigenous health disparities as political barriers; and youth political participation in urban settings. Political science must incorporate Indigenous epistemologies and recognize these communities as engines of democratic innovation.