Why does the word Malinche mean traitor?

Answer 1

The word "Malinche" is often associated with betrayal due to the historical figure La Malinche, an Indigenous woman who served as a translator and advisor to Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. She is perceived by some as having betrayed her own people by aiding the Spanish invaders. Over time, her name has become synonymous with treachery and disloyalty, especially in the context of colonialism and the impact of European conquest on Indigenous cultures. This negative connotation has persisted in Mexican Culture and discourse.