Why do Americans consider "Latino" a race?

Cubus
Honestly before entering this site I have never heard about considering "Latino" a race. It seems it's only an American thing. And seriously: why you do this? It makes no sense.
This woman is a Latina
This woman is a Latina
This woman is a Latina too
This woman is a Latina too
This woman is a Latina too
This woman is a Latina too
You can't take such a broad and diverse spectrum of people and put them in one group.

Based on what you categorise someone as "Latino"? Because clearly not based on appearance or skin color. Culture? Then why "Slavic" or "Scandinavian" is not considered a race? Language? Region they come from?
"Latino" is not a race. "Latino" is a mixture of races and ethnicities. Some Latinos are mostly White, some are mostly Black and some are mostly Indigenous.
Why do Americans consider "Latino" a race?
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