Orquesta América is a Cuban charanga orchestra that was founded in Havana in 1942 by singer Ninón Mondéjar, alongside musicians such as Alex Sosa on piano, Enrique Jorrín, Antonio Sánchez, and Félix Reina on violins, and Juan Ramos on flute. The orchestra became renowned for pioneering the cha-cha-chá in 1953, particularly with their recording of Jorrín's "La engañadora" on the Panart label. This success led to a dispute between Mondéjar and Jorrín over the credit for the invention of the cha-cha-chá, resulting in the band's split during a tour of Mexico in December 1954. Ramos returned to Havana with part of the band to form Orquesta América del '55. The orchestra was later revived in California by Mondéjar and Sosa. Leadership of Orquesta América eventually passed to Jorge Machado Durán in the 1990s. Ninón Mondéjar passed away in Havana in 2006.