With more TV shows having different Spanish speaking cultures shown, such as "Modern Family's" Gloria and Manny from Columbia and the entire family from Netflix's "One Day at a Time" is from Cuba, I have started to notice similarities in their traditions and culture. They all have Quinceañera's, they all speak Spanish, very family oriented, eat some similar foods, hyper masculinity and more, yet they're quite far from one another. So how did this end up happening?
you are looking at how US media stereotypes this countries traditions,Most Spanish Speaking America shares some stuff like celebrating a daughter's 15th birthday, but Cuban, Mexican and Colombian Food are Extremely varied, Family Oriented can be related to Catholicism and the former Austerity of Spaniards they descent from.
and it should be very obvious these 3 countries speak Spanish as all three were Part of Spain, However all three speak a different Dialect of Spanish with Cuba being a more Caribbean based, Mexico's dialect and accent vary from north to South, Colombia's dialects vary from one region to other.
What they have in common is that they were colonized by the same power, the Kingdom of Spain.
They are similar (and different) in similar ways to how the United States and other territories colonized by the British are.
They also have fundamental dietary, linguistic, and other cultural differences.
You mention that they eat similar foods. I'd disagree. Mexico's culinary tradition is incredibly rich and varied, with a strong emphasis on corn. In Cuba, tamales and other corn products are also eaten, but are far less central to the Cuban diet, which is more based on tubers, like yucca, malanga, potatoes, and boniato. Colombia has its own traditions and dishes specific to their country, with a significant degree of variety between its coastal and mountain regions.
Linguistically there are also significant linguistic differences. Not enough to make them different languages, but certainly enough that the difference in accents is obvious and everyday sayings and slang are alien to those not from a given region. I'd also add that while Cuba's indigenous languages have been lost, Mexico has an incredible variety of indigenous languages which continue to be spoken. In Southern Mexico, the Zapatista movement has taken pains to preserve these languages. I'm less familiar with the case of Colombia and can't speak to its linguistic variety.
They are all also part of the circum-Caribbean region (at least parts of them are). The Antilles and Caribbean coasts of Mexico and Colombia were all part of a profoundly interconnected region since early colonial times. Cuba was the base for the conquest of Mexico and Havana became the final port in the return journey for treasure fleets coming home from the Americas. Colombia had in the city of Cartagena de Indias a key Spanish outpost which was the main entrepot for slave sales to the rest of the region. Mexico's Veracruz was also a key port connecting Mexican treasure, manufactures, and agricultural products and the rest of the Caribbean (and indeed Atlantic) world.
When these cultures are presented to American audiences they are also simplified and sanitized in ways which make them as accessible as possible. The Quinceñera is alien to Anglo cultures but familiar enough that it doesn´t require much explanation. They don't, however, present aliño (a special alcohol made in the Eastern provinces of Cuba when children are born). Or really get into the cultural diversity of Mexico, Cuba, or Colombia.