Do you notice that even though Ricky is CUBAN, when Lucy wants to recreate Cuba for him (when she sings like Carmen Miranda-- in PORTUGUESE!), the clothes, the food, the accents are all MEXICAN. They make allusions to tortillas (which is one thing in Cuba and another in Mexico) and often Ricky uses a faux Mexican accent. They often dress like Mexicans when it should be Cuban -- didn't Desi Arnaz know better?
The "I Get Ideas" number (which is an Argentine tango) Lucy dresses like a flamenco (Spanish) dancer. Huh? And then Lucy refers to the Mexican Hat Dance as an "old Cuban folk song" (Breaking the Lease episode).

The musical repertoire is lovely though, and he addresses most all Latin American countries and Spain individually. Mexico and Cuba are such different countries, however, like confusing England and Australia -- both countries speak speak English...BUT...

I guess someone forgot to do their homework or the writers assumed all latins are the same,

It must not have been that different if Desi didn't have it changed. I'm sure he knew better, but didn't have the time to teach his writers the differences or care about the insignificant stuff. It all worked and that is all that mattered.

I always figured that anything that happened in Ricky's nightclub was for entertainment regardless of ethnic background in the act. Of course, Ricky would have sung "Heartbreak Hotel" and someone would be upset because he didn't sing it in Spanish, or it wasn't Cuban, or so on.

You could probably also find techinical flaws with Ricky's African makeup when he visits the hospital, but I guess they just cared about the general theme.

I hope I didn't sound mean when I posted that last comment. I just feel that after almost 60 years of being on the air nonstop, it must not be a big issue how authentic something is. I'm just of the belief that if it's entertaining and it makes you happy, who cares! Besides, for all we know Desi could have dressed like that in Cuba and hung around with flamingo dancers!!! I doubt it, I imagine he was prim and proper and looked great, but I wasn't there so I don't know. As I've learned over the past few weeks, anything is possible.

What's a "Cuban" accent anyway? I mean if you want to get technical how can you define the Spanish language into one category? I know that Cuban Spanish is different from Spanish spoken in Mexico and Spain itself. Different words for different things. Different expressions. The core is there for but heaven's sake how can lump "Spanish" or "Latino" into only one category!

desi drank heavily, right? he wouldn't have cared

It must not have been that different if Desi didn't have it changed. I'm sure he knew better, but didn't have the time to teach his writers the differences or care about the insignificant stuff. It all worked and that is all that mattered.
I have to agree. I am sure with time constraints, there was no time to be technical. The general idea was there.

Do you notice that even though Ricky is CUBAN, when Lucy wants to recreate Cuba for him (when she sings like Carmen Miranda-- in PORTUGUESE!), the clothes, the food, the accents are all MEXICAN. They make allusions to tortillas (which is one thing in Cuba and another in Mexico) and often Ricky uses a faux Mexican accent. They often dress like Mexicans when it should be Cuban -- didn't Desi Arnaz know better?
The "I Get Ideas" number (which is an Argentine tango) Lucy dresses like a flamenco (Spanish) dancer. Huh? And then Lucy refers to the Mexican Hat Dance as an "old Cuban folk song" (Breaking the Lease episode).

The musical repertoire is lovely though, and he addresses most all Latin American countries and Spain individually. Mexico and Cuba are such different countries, however, like confusing England and Australia -- both countries speak speak English...BUT...

You bring up a very interesting point! I have never noticed that before about the show.

desi drank heavily, right? he wouldn't have cared

You may be right about that!