What was the encomienda system primarily used for in colonial Latin America?

The encomienda system was primarily implemented as a system of forced labor in colonial Latin America, which is why that answer is correct. Under this system, Spanish settlers were granted the right to extract labor from Indigenous peoples and, in theory, were responsible for their protection and Christianization. In practice, however, this often led to severe exploitation and harsh conditions for the Indigenous population.

The structure of the encomienda was designed to facilitate the colonizers' agricultural needs and allow for the extraction of resources while simultaneously attempting to convert local populations to Christianity. This created a hierarchical system where Indigenous people had little to no autonomy and were subjected to the demands of the Spanish settlers.

In contrast, while trade might have been a related activity during colonization, the primary purpose of the encomienda was not to promote trade but to establish a labor force for extraction and agriculture. Likewise, the encomienda system was not a form of democratic governance, as it enforced a highly stratified social order with the colonizers at the top. Finally, although education established by the colonists was a goal later on, this was not the primary function of the encomienda system, which was explicitly focused on labor exploitation rather than educational advancement.