LOS ANGELES (Grammy Official Website) - Spanish singer
Alejandro Sanz has scooped major prizes at the third Latin Grammy awards ceremony in Los Angeles, taking home trophies for best album, song and record of the year.
Sanz, who also dominated last year's Latin Grammys, won album of the year for MTV Unplugged and record and song of the year for Y Solo Se Ocurre Amarte.
During the lavish ceremony in celebration of Latin music at the Kodak Theatre, awards were given to nominees in 40 different categories.
Last year's ceremony - which was set up for 11 September - was cancelled following the attacks in New York and Washington. It was later replaced by a charity concert.
Latin winners
Colombian singer Carlos Vives and Mexico's Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte won two awards apiece.
Vives - who was nominated in a record six categories - won the best contemporary tropical album award for Dejame Entrar, and also shared honours for the best tropical song.
Ayala and his group triumphed in the best norteno album category, with El Numero Cien and best regional Mexican song with Del Otro Lado Del Porton.
Another Colombian - pop crossover star Shakira - took home the trophy for best video with Suerte - the Spanish version of her huge English hit Wherever, Whenever.
Cuban-American veteran singer Celia Cruz won the Grammy for the best salsa album for La Negra Tiene Tumbao.
While the best rock album award went to the Chilean group, La Ley, for their MTV Unplugged.
'Break down barriers'
To qualify for a Latin Grammy, an album must be at least 51% in Spanish or Portuguese, and at the ceremony presenters and winners went back and forth between English and Spanish.
"Excuse me, but I gotta talk to my people in Spanish," Shakira said in English before switching into Spanish for her acceptance speech.
Vives said the awards proved how popular Latin music has become around the world. "Music has been able to break down barriers... they have been reduced in a way that (now) there's no language in music, it's a sharing," he said before the awards.
Cubans barred
But despite the star-filled line-up, the event was not without political controversy of its own.
Cuba has accused the US Government of denying visas to 22 Cuban artists nominated for awards. The US State Department in Washington has not made any comment.
The musicians affected include jazz pianist Chucho Valdes, members of the group Sintesis, guitarist Rey Guerra and rapper X Alfonso.
Valdes was unable to accept his award in person for best pop instrumental album for Canciones Ineditas.
Moved from Miami
The first Latin Grammys ceremony, in 2000, was originally moved from Miami to Los Angeles after the local authorities tried to ban Cuban performers from taking part.
Last year, it was again set to be held in Miami - home to many Cuban-Americans bitterly opposed to the government of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
But a dispute over where anti-Castro protesters could demonstrate saw the event moved back to Los Angeles, where it is again this year.
Singer Gloria Estefan and actor Jimmy Smits hosted this year's awards.
COMPLET LIST (FULL) THIRD LATIN AWARDS
