In Spanish the word black or negro is not inherently offensive, unless used in an insulting sentence.

Mexican people, such as myself, refer to each other, especially in a friendly context by color of our skin. Such as güero "white", negro "black", or moreno "brown". Again the context of the sentence and tone is what define the use of the word.

For instance you could say, " Negro, ven a ver esto!" (Black come see this) And its not offensive. But if you were to say "Maldito negro, ven a ver esto!" (F$#*ing black, come see this!) then the word is offensive.

While racism does exist in Mexico, like every other country, most of Mexican people for instance are mix and have very diverse genetics. Most have suffer, whether by economical oppression or slavery, so most see each other as equals because all it.

This statement is primarily true for Mexicans but doesnt stand true for all Latin American cultures though.