A cacique is a tribal chief in Latin America, particularly of the Spanish West Indies and Brazil from the 16th century. The term is a Spanish or Portuguese variation of the Taíno word cacike or the Arawak word kassequa, both meaning "chieftain".
Cacique is also used to refer to a local Pueblo Chief or political leader within the 19 Pueblos found in the Southwestern part of the United States in the state of New Mexico, See the Pueblo People * in United States.
Cacique is also used to refer to a local political leader or boss in the Philippines, Latin America or Spain. It has connotations of corruption and vote manipulation in the turno system. See also caudillo.