Latin American Weekly Report
Weekly Report - 05 December 2024 (WR-24-48)
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- Mexico bids farewell to autonomous agencies
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Finance minister quits as corruption allegations stack up
- PERU: Scandal hits Boluarte on the nose
- ECUADOR: Congress rejects money laundering bill
- VENEZUELA: Ratcheting up the pressure on Machado
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: New security ministry takes shape
- BRAZIL: Markets rattled by government’s fiscal plans
- BRAZIL: São Paulo police under pressure over alleged brutality
- ARGENTINA: Milei plays to anti-immigrant sentiment
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Government hints at relaxation of state of emergency
- HONDURAS: Congressional corruption targeted
- CARIBBEAN: Counting the cost of climate resilience
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Moves to revive gold mining in Central America
- Quotes of the week
Mexico’s congress has approved a constitutional reform to abolish seven autonomous regulatory agencies.
Weekly Report - 28 November 2024 (WR-24-47)
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- Orsi sweeps FA back to power in Uruguay
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Informal miners block roads as minister impeached
- ECUADOR: Electoral disputes acquire new dimension
- BOLIVIA: Excitement over Peru’s new trade route with China
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Police accuse Bolsonaro of plotting coup
- BRAZIL: Tensions rise with French supermarket
- CHILE: Electoral success marred by sexual harassment claims
- ARGENTINA: Milei clashes with industrialists
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Tensions rise over Trump trade threats
- MEXICO: Gender violence in the spotlight
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Hyperactive dictatorship
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Haitian security forces take fight to Chérizier
- Quotes of the week
Uruguay’s Frente Amplio (FA) won the country’s presidential elections for the fourth time in its last five attempts on 24 November.
Weekly Report - 21 November 2024 (WR-24-46)
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- Mixed results for Lula at G20 summit
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Political prisoners released
- COLOMBIA: Spectre of corruption hangs over disaster response
- BOLIVIA: Judicial rulings threaten to sink Morales’ candidacy
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Boric rocked by Monsalve scandal
- URUGUAY: Opposition FA leads in tight race
- BRAZIL: Renewed threats of violence against institutions
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Harfuch takes on super-minister role
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum moves to contain budget deficit
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR-COSTA RICA: Bukele meets with mixed reception
- NICARAGUA: Ortega revives an old initiative
POSTSCRIPT
- Cuba facing more devastation
- Quotes of the week
The past two G20 leaders’ summits, in Indonesia and India, were dominated by discussions about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Weekly Report - 14 November 2024 (WR-24-45)
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- Noboa confronted by catalogue of crises ahead of Ecuador’s elections
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Deepening or damaging the peace process?
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Legal setback mars Fernández’s political comeback
- BRAZIL: Rising concern over inflation and interest rates
- PARAGUAY-BRAZIL: Peña hails ‘win-win’ relationship with Brazil
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Querétaro massacre shatters ‘safe haven’ image
- MEXICO: PAN selects new leader
- MEXICO: Toyota invests in Mexico despite US tariff concerns
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: More turmoil as another prime minister ejected
- PANAMA: Mulino’s social security reform package raises eyebrows
- GUATEMALA: Former president implicated in another corruption case
POSTSCRIPT
- Bringing pressure to bear on Maduro
- Quotes of the week
To Ecuador’s security and energy crises add a political crisis to the mix.
Weekly Report - 07 November 2024 (WR-24-44)
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- Region reacts to Trump triumph
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Protest pause grants Arce brief respite
- PERU: Union strikes threaten to disrupt Apec summit
- VENEZUELA: Spat breaks out with Brazil and Colombia
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Lula and governors clash over security reform
- BRAZIL: Clear favourite emerges for lower chamber presidency
- BRAZIL: The trudge towards justice for Marielle Franco
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Army involved in migrant killings
- MEXICO: Boost for judicial reform
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: High-profile human rights defenders cleared
- NICARAGUA: New telecoms law draws alarm
POSTSCRIPT
- Noboa campaigning on security progress in Ecuador
- Quotes of the week
Governments across the region received the news of Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections on 5 November with a mixture of trepidation and dread for most, and euphoria and excitement for a more select group.
Weekly Report - 31 October 2024 (WR-24-43)
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- Orsi on top as ruling coalition loses control of congress
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Shots fired at Morales as tensions reach boiling point
- ECUADOR: Noboa sets risky deadline to resolve energy crisis
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Traditional right performs well in local elections
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro and Lula suffer electoral setbacks
- ARGENTINA: Transport strike puts pressure on Milei
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Concerns as government moves to limit judicial power
- MEXICO: Journalist killings raise scrutiny on Sheinbaum
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: High-profile jailed journalist moved to house arrest
- HAITI: Gang attacks escalate as TPC requests peacekeepers
POSTSCRIPT
- Peru’s Chancay mega-port to deliver a strategic shift
- Quotes of the week
Uruguay’s ruling multi-colour coalition suffered a setback in presidential and congressional elections on 27 October.
Weekly Report - 24 October 2024 (WR-24-42)
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- Chile’s security czar resigns on eve of elections
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Former oil minister arrested in new power play
- PERU: Ex-president Toledo gets 20 years for Odebrecht bribe
- BOLIVIA: Opposition attempts to capitalise on MAS turmoil
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Fernández enters Peronist presidential contest
- BRAZIL: Porto Alegre mayor expected to win re-election
- BRAZIL: UK court hears case on Brazil’s worst mining disaster
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: García Luna sentenced
- MEXICO: Chiapas priest killing draws outrage
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: No power for the Communist Party?
- REGION: Haiti-Dominican Republic tensions rising
- PANAMA: Blacklist removal tops Mulino’s agenda in France
- EL SALVADOR: Freedom for Santa Marta five
POSTSCRIPT
- Uruguay’s elections point towards Orsi-Delgado face-off
- Quotes of the week
Chile’s President Gabriel Boric has suffered a serious setback just days before voters go to the polls to cast their ballots in regional and municipal elections.
Weekly Report - 17 October 2024 (WR-24-41)
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- Machado makes desperate appeal to armed forces as hope fades
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Prosecutors consider arresting Morales
- COLOMBIA: The battle of El Plateado
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: New round of mudslinging between mayoral candidates
- BRAZIL: US investigates fighter jet deal
- BRAZIL: Coffee bucks trend of falling exports
- ARGENTINA: Milei wants bonfire of dead leaves
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum turns to energy reform
- MEXICO: Spotlight on political violence
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA: Mulino moves on insecurity
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Progress on key promise
- EL SALVADOR: Ambitious debt-for-nature deal sealed
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Guyana and Suriname mull joint exploitation of gas reserves
- Quotes of the week
Venezuela’s opposition figurehead María Corina Machado urged the Bolivarian armed forces (FANB) this week not to prop up “a regime that is on the way out”.
Weekly Report - 10 October 2024 (WR-24-40)
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- Strong showing for centrists and conservatives in Brazil elections
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro denounces coup attempt
- PERU: Transport strike puts spotlight on extortion
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei survives fresh trial by fire
- CHILE: Boric targets student debt
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum presents security strategy
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: New TPC leader takes over as body grapples with crisis
- GUATEMALA: Judicial appointments fail to quell concerns
- EL SALVADOR: Unions prepare protests
POSTSCRIPT
- González promises to return for inauguration in Venezuela
- Quotes of the week
The first round of Brazil’s municipal elections on 6 October produced strong performances from big tent parties such as the Partido Social Democrático (PSD) and the Movimento Democrático Brasileiro (MDB), as well as for the right-wing party of former president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023), the Partido Liberal (PL).
Weekly Report - 03 October 2024 (WR-24-39)
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- Sheinbaum makes history as Mexico’s first female president
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Arce caves to pressure from Morales
- VENEZUELA: Leading opposition mayor arrested
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Insecurity sharpens political tensions
- BRAZIL: Lula’s mayoral endorsements face tight races
- URUGUAY: Outcome of crucial referendum in the balance
- ARGENTINA: Milei hosts fellow strongman
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- REGION: Parlacen divided over Russia’s observer status
- HAITI: UNSC ends speculation over MSS
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Ecuador’s presidential line-up confirmed
- Quotes of the week
Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s president on 1 October, becoming the country’s first-ever female head of state.
Weekly Report - 26 September 2024 (WR-24-38)
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- Lula and Milei demand more of UN
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Supporters of Arce and Morales face off in La Paz
- COLOMBIA: Congress rejects 2025 budget proposal
- ECUADOR: Noboa under pressure amid blackouts and fires
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Scandal deepens as top magistrates face impeachment
- BRAZIL: Signals of X’s potential return to Brazil
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Morena’s new generation tied to the old
- MEXICO: National guard reform passes senate
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Edging towards elections
- GUATEMALA: Key appointment process begins
- CUBA: Let them eat (less) bread
- HONDURAS: Zedes shot down
POSTSCRIPT
- Venezuela’s crisis elicits contrasting response
- Quotes of the week
There is no love lost between Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Argentina’s President Javier Milei, who are still yet to meet, and their political convictions and foreign policy priorities, for the most part, diverge.
Weekly Report - 19 September 2024 (WR-24-37)
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- Petro cries coup in Colombia
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Foreigners arrested as González concedes ‘under duress’
- BOLIVIA: Tensions soar over ‘March to Save Bolivia’
- ECUADOR: Noboa opens door to return of foreign military bases
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei faces growing headwinds in congress
- CHILE: Largest steel plant closes
- BRAZIL: The ‘Marçal effect’ in São Paulo mayoral race
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Judicial reform becomes law
- MEXICO: Sinaloa violence will pose challenge for Sheinbaum
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Environmental activist shot dead
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele has a zero-deficit epiphany
- PANAMA: Mulino proceeds with social security reform
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Government on cost-cutting drive
POSTSCRIPT
- Jamaica leads way with troop deployment to Haiti
- Quotes of the week
President Xiomara Castro did it in Honduras this month.
Weekly Report - 12 September 2024 (WR-24-36)
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- Judicial reform clears final hurdle in Mexico
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Opposition hopes dashed as González flees the country
- BOLIVIA: Unhappy census
- COLOMBIA: Petro submits a second tax reform package
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- REGION: A drought-struck continent in flames
- ARGENTINA: Bribery scandal rocks Milei government
- BRAZIL: Far-right galvanised on Independence Day
- BRAZIL: Scandal topples human rights minister
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum names military leaders
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Prisoner release raises questions over US policy
- EL SALVADOR: Questions raised by helicopter crash
POSTSCRIPT
- Fujimorismo to survive Fujimori?
- Quotes of the week
Tensions are running high as President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s highly controversial judicial reform initiative won congressional approval this week.
Weekly Report - 05 September 2024 (WR-24-35)
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- Honduran government rocked by alleged drug links
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: González arrest warrant takes repression to new heights
- PERU: Ministerial reshuffle sidesteps interior minister
- ECUADOR: Environmentalists face long wait on Yasuní oil ban
- BOLIVIA: Morales vies with Arce for control of MAS
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Top court blocks social media platform X
- ARGENTINA: Milei doubles down on austerity for pensioners
- PARAGUAY: Peña administration presents ambitious 2025 budget
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Judicial reform advances
- MEXICO: López Obrador fills Zócalo for farewell Informe
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- COSTA RICA: Protests over education investment
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Colombia truckers’ strike bodes ill for Petro
- Quotes of the week
It has not been a good week for Xiomara Castro, the left-wing president of Honduras.
Weekly Report - 29 August 2024 (WR-24-34)
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- Venezuela’s Maduro overhauls cabinet following legal ‘certification’ of victory
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Pipeline attacks highlight setbacks to ‘total peace’
- PERU: Government faces tough decision on Petroperú
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Rising opposition threatens Milei reforms
- CHILE: Labour accords bring respite for copper industry
- BRAZIL: Wildfire emergencies declared in various states
- BRAZIL: Licensed guns falling into hands of gangs, study finds
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Concerns rise over Morena’s dominance in congress
- MEXICO: Ayotzinapa parents abandon dialogue with gov’t
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Presidential transition council hit by scandal
- PANAMA/COSTA RICA: Mulino shores up neighbourly ties
POSTSCRIPT
- Mulino denounces drug-related corruption in Panama
- Quotes of the week
It seems increasingly likely that Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro will ride out the unprecedented pressure to stand down that he faced following the disputed 28 July presidential election, which the opposition insists was won by Edmundo González.
Weekly Report - 22 August 2024 (WR-24-33)
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- Domestic abuse case further polarises Argentine society
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Cracks appear in opposition’s post-election plan
- ECUADOR: Battle resumes over vice presidency
- COLOMBIA: Petro tries new tack with ELN
- BOLIVIA: Primary elections called off
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Local election campaigns kick off
- BRAZIL: Spat between X and supreme court escalates
- PARAGUAY-BRAZIL: Police kill lawmaker suspected of organised crime ties
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Judicial workers strike
- MEXICO: Sinaloa on high alert
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Abinader undertakes sweeping reforms
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo engaged in ‘lawfare’ with attorney general’s office
POSTSCRIPT
- Fujimori wins partial court victory in Peru
- Quotes of the week
Argentina’s media has gone into feeding frenzy mode over allegations that former president Alberto Fernández (2019-2023) subjected his partner, Fabiola Yáñez, to years of physical and psychological abuse.
Weekly Report - 15 August 2024 (WR-24-32)
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- El Mayo puts Morena under pressure in Mexico
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Hopes persist for Maduro’s negotiated exit
- COLOMBIA: Tough times ahead for Petro
- PERU: Boluarte insists with statute of limitations
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Congress rails against budgetary grants ruling
- BRAZIL: Inquest begins over plane crash
- CHILE: Will she, or won’t she?
- ARGENTINA: Where’s the food?
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Moreno maintains hold over PRI
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Relations with Brazil hit low point
- PANAMA: Moving on deportations
POSTSCRIPT
- Ministerial changes amid Bolivia’s energy crisis
- Quotes of the week
Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada García, the co-founder of the Sinaloa drug trafficking organisation (DTO) who was arrested in the US at the end of July, released an explosive statement on 10 August that has pointed to the murky links between politicians and DTOs in Mexico.
Weekly Report - 08 August 2024 (WR-24-31)
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- Maduro plays for time, seeks legal validation of ‘victory’
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: ELN ceasefire expires
- BOLIVIA: Arce attempts to regain initiative with referendum
- PERU: Boluarte seeks immunity
- ECUADOR: Four ministers face impeachment proceedings
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL-CHILE: Lula and Boric deepen economic cooperation
- CHILE: Boric signs trade deal with UAE
- BRAZIL: Lula approves green hydrogen regulations
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Zaldívar to oversee judicial reform
- MEXICO: Chiapas violence fuels displacement
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo-Porras tensions rise
- HAITI: Initial MSS operations produce mixed results
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Proposed changes to Panama’s criminal code spark suspicion
- Quotes of the week
Venezuela’s supreme court (TSJ) began the process of “certifying” the presidential elections this week, summoning each of the competing candidates, while investigating claims by President Nicolás Maduro and his coterie that there had been a foreign cyberattack orchestrated by the opposition to subvert democracy.
Weekly Report - 01 August 2024 (WR-24-30)
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- Maduro clings to power amid evidence of electoral fraud
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Boluarte flags security reforms in key speech
- COLOMBIA: Intelligence chief resigns amid corruption allegations
- ECUADOR: IMF deal facing challenge in congress
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Lula signals fiscal restraint
- BRAZIL: Government’s G20 tax initiative faces resistance
- URUGUAY: Opposition FA ahead
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Capture of Sinaloa drug kingpin raises questions
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Concerns over proposed criminal justice reforms
- COSTA RICA: Chaves floats reviving mining and megaprojects
POSTSCRIPT
- Arce facing fresh wave of protests in Bolivia
- Quotes of the week
An entire generation of Venezuelans has never known anything other than a Bolivarian government in power.
Weekly Report - 25 July 2024 (WR-24-29)
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- Boric in crosshairs as Chile’s insecurity rises
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA : Opposition optimistic ahead of polls
- COLOMBIA: Petro contrite as finance minister investigated
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: France spat deepens Milei rift with Villarruel
- PARAGUAY: Peña hails drug success
- BRAZIL: Crime figures highlight persistent security challenges
- BRAZIL: Government to mediate conflicts on indigenous land
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum’s cabinet continues to fill
- MEXICO: Tensions with Trump
- MEXICO: Moreno defies legal challenge to seek re-election
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA: Edging forward on campaign promise
- HAITI: Second MSS deployment arrives as US shores up support
POSTSCRIPT
- Peru’s economy primed for lift off?
- Quotes of the week
Chile’s President Gabriel Boric’s approval rating has suffered a sharp drop in the space of just one week.
Weekly Report - 18 July 2024 (WR-24-28)
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- Panama’s Mulino moves on Darién migration pledge
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Alberto Fujimori plans audacious comeback
- COLOMBIA: EMC splinters in blow to Petro’s peace plans
- VENEZUELA: Opposition arrests continue in final stretch of campaign
- ECUADOR: ‘Metástasis’ investigation begins to show results
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Inflation blow for Milei
- BRAZIL-ARGENTINA: Ambassador seeks to ease Lula-Milei tensions
- BRAZIL: Police raid militia-controlled territory in Rio
- BRAZIL: Spying probe piles pressure on Bolsonaro
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Morena fights accusations of electoral misconduct
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: Government to roll out new austerity plan
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele moves on new priority
- HONDURAS: Prisons policy proves contentious
POSTSCRIPT
- Bolivia makes major gas breakthrough
- Quotes of the week
Since taking office at the start of the month, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino and his new right-of-centre Realizando Metas (RM) government have moved swiftly on a campaign pledge to curb illegal migration through the Darién Gap, a roadless expanse of jungle on the border with Colombia which serves as a key migration route to the US.
Weekly Report - 11 July 2024 (WR-24-27)
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- Milei promises to restore Argentina’s grandeur
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Campaign begins with new opposition probe
- ECUADOR: Opposition walks fine line with eye on elections
- COLOMBIA: Petro’s constituent plans rebuffed
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA-BRAZIL: Milei snubs Lula for far-right conference
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum announces major cabinet picks
- MEXICO: Tensions mount over judicial reform
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Attorney general challenges Arévalo and allies
- HAITI: MSS gets to work
- CUBA: Díaz-Canel isolates a key problem but no solution in sight
POSTSCRIPT
- Mercosur membership unlikely to revive Bolivia’s troubled economy
- Quotes of the week
Argentina’s President Javier Milei presided over a ceremony on 9 July which he billed as “a turning point” in his quest to revive a “golden era” lost in the mists of time.
Weekly Report - 04 July 2024 (WR-24-26)
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- Fujimori in the dock as corruption trial begins
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Doubts set in over coup claims
- VENEZUELA: Unexpected engagement with US raises questions
- COLOMBIA: Petro conducts cabinet reshuffle
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei pushes for pact after congress victory
- PARAGUAY: Peña gives upbeat address to congress
- URUGUAY: Presidential favourites coast to victory
- BRAZIL: Lula tours big cities to back mayoral endorsements
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum names more key ministers
- MEXICO: SCJN under pressure over judicial reform
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA: Mulino takes up the reins
- BELIZE: PUP government cracks down on gangs
POSTSCRIPT
- Hernández sentenced in Honduras
- Quotes of the week
The long-awaited trial of Keiko Fujimori for money laundering is finally underway in Peru.
Weekly Report - 27 June 2024 (WR-24-25)
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- Bolivia’s democracy survives military uprising
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Gloves are off as elections loom
- COLOMBIA: Petro becomes latest president to face spying allegations
- VENEZUELA: Limited international observation confirmed for election
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei conducts polarising tour of Europe
- BRAZIL: Pantanal faces unprecedented outbreak of wildfires
- BRAZIL: Tensions rise over cannabis decriminalisation
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum plays cabinet balancing act
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: First MSS contingent arrives in Haiti
- NICARAGUA: Ortega dispenses with another ally
- COSTA RICA: Clashing with the comptroller general
POSTSCRIPT
- Uruguayans vote for presidential candidates
- Quotes of the week
For a few hours on 26 June, Bolivia seemed to be teetering on the brink of military rule.
Weekly Report - 20 June 2024 (WR-24-24)
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- Petro gets pension reform over the line in Colombia
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Noboa grasps the nettle and slashes fuel subsidies
- VENEZUELA: More opposition arrests
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Interest rate debate fuels tensions
- CHILE: Boric plays key role in peace summit
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Opposition parties weigh up future
- MEXICO: More pushback to judicial reform
- MEXICO: Insecurity harms avocado industry in Michoacán
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Ortega family feud erupts
- HONDURAS: Castro hardens anti-crime fight
- CUBA: Russian ships cause a stir
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo confronted with fresh challenges
POSTSCRIPT
- Paraguayan corruption critic bids to recover senate seat
- Quotes of the week
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro scored a major victory on 14 June when congress gave its final approval to his government’s pension reform bill.
Weekly Report - 13 June 2024 (WR-24-23)
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- Milei celebrates passage of omnibus bill but congress shows strength
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Morales’ congressional putsch falls flat
- VENEZUELA: Maduro’s assassination claim rings alarm bells
- COLOMBIA: Constituent assembly by the backdoor?
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Boric addresses rise of far-right on Europe tour
- BRAZIL-ARGENTINA: Far-right rioters flee to Argentina
- BRAZIL: Reaffirming Brics relations
- BRAZIL: Government struggles with economic agenda
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum gets to work
- MEXICO: US delegation pays a visit
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Conille wipes slate clean with cabinet choices
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo seeks to combat poverty
POSTSCRIPT
- Peru’s congress moves against civil society
- Quotes of the week
Argentina’s President Javier Milei survived a cliffhanger in the senate on 12 June to get what he has sought for so long: passage of his omnibus bill of reforms.
Weekly Report - 06 June 2024 (WR-24-22)
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- Sheinbaum sweeps to victory as Morena secures thumping majority
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Peace processes hit rocky ground
- BOLIVIA: Protesters block highways over fuel shortages
- PERU: Government acknowledges failures in crime fight
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Boric serves up mixed bag in annual address
- ARGENTINA: Pettovello in the crosshairs over food fiasco
- BRAZIL: New electoral czar reiterates disinformation warnings
- BRAZIL: Congress approves tax on e-commerce giants
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele begins controversial second term, pledges new priority
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo moves on security pledge
POSTSCRIPT
- Venezuelan electoral observation in doubt
- Quotes of the week
Claudia Sheinbaum will become Mexico’s first-ever female head of state after winning the presidential election by a landslide on 2 June.
Weekly Report - 30 May 2024 (WR-24-21)
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- Francos emerges as top negotiator in Argentina
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Noboa blurs the truth in state of the nation speech
- BOLIVIA: Electoral court gives boost to Morales in MAS power struggle
- VENEZUELA: Censorship – or boredom?
- PERU: Boluarte faces more legal trouble
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- URUGUAY: Scandal on the road to the primaries
- BRAZIL: Government sets guidelines on police body cameras
- BRAZIL: Cerrado ranks as most deforested biome
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Los Chapitos security chief extradited
- MEXICO: Violence overshadows biggest electoral year
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Another PM named as new MSS deployment deadline floated
- CUBA: Another minister dismissed
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Paraguay’s Peña loses first minister
- Quotes of the week
In a ministerial reshuffle announced by Argentina’s President Javier Milei on 27 May, Interior Minister Guillermo Francos became the new cabinet chief, replacing Nicolás Posse.
Weekly Report - 23 May 2024 (WR-24-20)
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- Abinader re-elected with thumping majority
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Noboa foreign tour dogged by dispute
- COLOMBIA: Farc dissidents wreak havoc in the southwest
- PERU: Congress shields Boluarte from triple impeachment threat
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei sparks diplomatic crisis
- BRAZIL: Lula promises to extend tax benefits for local governments
- BRAZIL: Former Lava Jato judge keeps senate seat
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Final presidential debate tackles security
- MEXICO: Electoral violence surges in Chiapas
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA: Mulino ends cabinet speculation
- GUATEMALA: Another minister sees the door
POSTSCRIPT
- Venezuelan opposition sounds conciliatory note
- Quotes of the week
President Luis Abinader won re-election in the Dominican Republic at a canter on 19 May.
Weekly Report - 16 May 2024 (WR-24-19)
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- Boric rides to rescue of Pinochet private health scheme
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro slams state over Farc accord as Márquez re-emerges
- PERU: Arrest of Boluarte’s brother raises the heat
- VENEZUELA: EU push for electoral observation backfires
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: The multifaceted crisis in the flood-stricken south
- BRAZIL: New leadership at Petrobras
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Blackouts cause concern
- MEXICO: Opposition remains divided
- MEXICO: Collaboration with Cuba
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo hosts key migration ministerial meeting
- HAITI: Speculation builds over international security mission
POSTSCRIPT
- Abinader set to cruise home in Dominican Republic
- Quotes of the week
It is a fair bet that Chile’s President Gabriel Boric would have blanched if he had been told upon taking office that just past the halfway point of his four-year term not only would he have failed in his intent to secure a new constitution to replace that drafted during the dictatorship led by General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) but his government would also have propped up a legacy of Pinochet in the form of the private health insurance system, Isapres.
Weekly Report - 09 May 2024 (WR-24-18)
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- Martinelli stand-in wins Panamanian presidency
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro and congress shaken by bribery allegations
- BOLIVIA: Arce tries to counter Morales with MAS power grab
- PERU: Former prime minister accused of illegal surveillance
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Another general strike aims to block Milei’s reforms
- URUGUAY: Campaign ignites after frontrunner defamed
- BRAZIL: Severe floods renew concerns over climate resilience
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Race not yet over for Xóchitl Gálvez
- MEXICO: Triple murder could harm tourism
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- COSTA RICA: Chaves presents balance sheet, floats referendum
POSTSCRIPT
- Israeli conflict exposes political divisions
- Quotes of the week
José Raúl Mulino, who served as interior and security minister under Panama’s right-wing former president Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) of Cambio Democrático (CD), won the presidential elections on 5 May.
Weekly Report - 02 May 2024 (WR-24-17)
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- Haiti’s new council and prime minister face daunting challenge
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Ruling coalition hit by campaign finance probe
- PERU: Concerns persist over threats to judicial independence
- VENEZUELA: Stepping up corruption crackdown
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei secures congressional breakthrough
- CHILE: Carabinero killings cause consternation
- BRAZIL: Tensions escalate over tax breaks
- BRAZIL: Government seeks support of agribusiness sector
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Gálvez pulls no punches in second debate
- MEXICO: CJNG leader’s brother released
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele clears another obstacle to absolute power
- NICARAGUA: Deepening ties with Beijing
POSTSCRIPT
- Mexican bishop’s abduction sparks concern
- Quotes of the week
Haiti’s new transitional presidential council is up and running, appointing a new prime minister to replace Ariel Henry.
Weekly Report - 25 April 2024 (WR-24-16)
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- Noboa hails victory but also tastes defeat in referendum
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Trying to crack the opposition’s unity
- PERU: Prosecutors close in on suspended attorney general
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei faces huge protest march
- BRAZIL: Indigenous rights activists vent frustration
- BRAZIL: Uncertainty over interest rates
- CHILE-VENEZUELA: Tren de Aragua fuels tensions
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum talks Pemex
- MEXICO: Concerns raised as congress passes new reforms
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA: Little certainty as presidential race nears
- PANAMA-HONDURAS: Dry canal plans gather pace
POSTSCRIPT
- Huge march against Petro
- Quotes of the week
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa celebrated victory in a national referendum staged on 21 April which will enable him to intensify the crackdown on criminal gangs responsible for a surge in violence in the country.
Weekly Report - 18 April 2024 (WR-24-15)
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- Iran’s attack on Israel sparks regional tensions
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Sanctioning undemocratic elections
- COLOMBIA: Conservatives fear Petro power grab
- ECUADOR: In the doghouse
- VENEZUELA-GUYANA: UN calls for restraint over Essequibo
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Tensions rise between Lira and Lula government
- BRAZIL: Top court recognises state liability for stray bullets
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Morena guns for Piña over Zaldívar probe
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo challenged by congress
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-HAITI: Renewed pressure over migrant rights
POSTSCRIPT
- Ecuador and Colombia facing energy emergencies
- Quotes of the week
Argentina’s security minister, Patricia Bullrich, caused diplomatic ructions with Bolivia and Chile this week by denouncing the presence in their countries of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah or Quds Force, the overseas wing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Weekly Report - 11 April 2024 (WR-24-14)
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- Mexico wins widespread support in battle with Ecuador
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA : Petro faces biggest setback of presidency
- VENEZUELA: Mystery train?
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA-CHILE: US-China and Antarctic tensions simmering
- BRAZIL: Debates over regulating ‘big tech’ reignited
- BRAZIL: Decline of the PSDB in São Paulo
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum untroubled in first debate
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: State of exception becomes the norm
- HAITI: Presidential transition council a step closer to installation
- CUBA: Wrestling with difficulties
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo acts on anti-corruption pledge
- PANAMA: Migration policy in the spotlight
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Brazil launches new anti-deforestation programme
- Quotes of the week
Mexico has secured overwhelming support in the Organization of American States (OAS) to condemn Ecuador’s forcible entry into the Mexican embassy in Quito on 5 April to seize Jorge Glas, the former Ecuadorean vice president (2013-2017), who faces corruption charges but had been granted political asylum.
Weekly Report - 04 April 2024 (WR-24-13)
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- Time for a Rolex reshuffle in Peru
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA-VENEZUELA: Petro hardens stance on Maduro
- ECUADOR: Noboa acknowledges resurging violence
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Lula’s reluctance to mark 1964 coup anniversary
- BRAZIL: Top court debates jurisdictional privilege for politicians
- ARGENTINA: Unions face off with Milei government
- CHILE: Biggest steel plant struggles for survival
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Electoral violence on a rising curve
- MEXICO: Uproar over murder of eight-year-old girl
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum out in front
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Crackdown on religious figures widens
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Colombian government divided over EMC expansion plan
- Quotes of the week
Peru’s President Dina Boluarte reshuffled her cabinet on 1 April, replacing nearly one third of its members (six out of 19 ministers).
Weekly Report - 28 March 2024 (WR-24-12)
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- Venezuelan opposition to contest election with ‘provisional’ candidate
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Vice president’s son arrested
- PERU: Clash of powers intensifies
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Trade unions flex muscles over dismissals
- BRAZIL: Franco murder probe exposes corruption and paramilitary ties
- BRAZIL: Revitalising Brazil-France relations
- PARAGUAY: China rebuffs Peña over Taiwan comments
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Tren Maya derailment assumes electoral dimension
- MEXICO: Pre-electoral violence fuels concerns
- MEXICO: López Obrador mollifies China
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Reaping the benefits of strengthened US ties
- HAITI: Presidential transition council stalls
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- El Salvador’s economy expands amid improved security
- Quotes of the week
Following a last-minute reprieve from the national electoral council (CNE), Venezuela’s opposition coalition Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD) will compete in the 28 July election against President Nicolás Maduro.
Weekly Report - 21 March 2024 (WR-24-11)
Click here for full report
- Milei battered but unbowed after first 100 days at the helm
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Boluarte left scrambling over ‘Rolexgate’
- BOLIVIA: Praise for Putin
- VENEZUELA: Maduro’s candidacy confirmed as opposition flounders
- COLOMBIA: Tempers flare with health reform bill on life support
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Net tightens around Bolsonaro
- CHILE: Police chief arrested in damaging scandal
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Candidates talk green energy
- MEXICO: MC under pressure
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: Rare protests underline economic strife
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo hails relations with Washington
POSTSCRIPT
- Haitians await new leadership
- Quotes of the week
Argentina’s President Javier Milei completed his first 100 days in power on 19 March.
Weekly Report - 14 March 2024 (WR-24-10)
Click here for full report
- Henry caves in to pressure, heeds calls to resign
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Congress moves against top court
- COLOMBIA: New attorney general inherits incendiary investigations
- VENEZUELA: Pressure mounts on Machado to step aside
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei battles to preserve image
- BRAZIL: Public mood dampens on economy
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Ayotzinapa killing fans tensions
- MEXICO: Women’s marches take place with electoral backdrop
- MEXICO: Journalist kidnapping causes alarm
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Hernández convicted
POSTSCRIPT
- Paraguay convulsed by political tensions
- Quotes of the Week
Haiti’s prime minister, Ariel Henry, has confirmed that he will step down once a transitional presidential council is inaugurated, and an interim prime minister named.
Weekly Report - 07 March 2024 (WR-24-09)
Click here for full report
- Haiti’s future hangs in balance amid unprecedented gang attacks
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Crunch time for opposition as election set for July
- PERU: Leaked audio forces resignation of prime minister
- COLOMBIA: Petro shakes up cabinet
- ECUADOR: Noboa’s popularity masks problems
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei acts tough while reaching out to governors
- BRAZIL: Pressure mounts on Bolsonaro as coup probe progresses
- BRAZIL: Lula seeks to rally support in senate
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Campaigns open with security at forefront
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele vanquishes opposition
- GUATEMALA: Moving against Porras
- NICARAGUA: Ortega tightens iron grip on power
POSTSCRIPT
- Candidates limbering up to succeed Lacalle Pou
- Quotes of the Week
Even by recent standards, Haiti plumbed new depths of chaos and anarchy this week amid a series of attacks coordinated by top gang leader Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Chérizier, with the stated aim of bringing down the government.
Weekly Report - 29 February 2024 (WR-24-08)
Click here for full report
- Governors wage funding war with Milei as strikes begin
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Preparing for a return of sanctions
- ECUADOR: Noboa confirms re-election plans
- BOLIVIA: MAS divisions deepen
- PERU: Congress closes in on judicial coup
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Limited gains for Bolsonaro’s São Paulo rally
- BRAZIL: Rio police launch more raids in favelas
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Uproar over López Obrador ‘doxing’ incident
- MEXICO: All eyes on the campaign
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Abinader uses annual address as campaign rally
- PANAMA: Key absence overshadows first presidential debate
- HAITI: High-level resignation over Moïse investigation charges
POSTSCRIPT
- Colombia’s foreign ministry rocked by passport debacle
- Quotes of the Week
At one stage this week it looked as if oil and gas supplies to Argentina might be cut by the south-eastern province of Chubut such was the fury of its governor at the decision by the federal government to withhold funding and subsequent taunting by President Javier Milei on social media.
Weekly Report - 22 February 2024 (WR-24-07)
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- Lula blasts Israel ahead of hosting G-20 summit
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: UN human rights staff expelled
- ECUADOR: Russia ramps up pressure over US arms deal
- BOLIVIA: Trying to address dollar shortage
- PERU: Fujimori confirms alliance to buttress Boluarte
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei spins setbacks as positives
- BRAZIL: An unprecedented escape from a federal prison
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Mexicans march in defence of democracy
- MEXICO: MC opts for familiar faces
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: TSE ends speculation over legislative results
- GUATEMALA: Shoring up ties with Europe
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Municipal result augurs well for Abinader
- COSTA RICA: Chaves claims economic miracle
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Stroessner-era torturer given heavy sentence
- Quotes of the Week
Brazil’s government has for some time been critical of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, following last October’s attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, but on 18 February those criticisms intensified, after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva compared the violence against Palestinians to the Holocaust, sparking a diplomatic row with Israel and drawing flak from opponents within Brazil.
Weekly Report - 15 February 2024 (WR-24-06)
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- Brazil’s Bolsonaro to face moment of truth on Avenida Paulista
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Pick your attorney general
- VENEZUELA: Tension over arrest of leading human rights activist
- ECUADOR: Torture allegations heighten scrutiny on gang crackdown
- PERU: Boluarte shuffles the deck
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Question mark over reforms
- CHILE: Boric faces backlash over Piñera funeral speech
- PARAGUAY: Peña moves to crack down on arms trafficking
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Guerrero’s insecurity crisis continues
- MEXICO: Another lifeline for Pemex
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Key deadline comes and goes
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo moves on security priority
- NICARAGUA/PANAMA: Martinelli asylum request tests Nicaragua-Panama relations
POSTSCRIPT
- Jumbo freighter struggles with political turbulence
- Quotes of the Week
Facing ongoing accusations of coup-mongering, Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023) has called on his supporters to rally on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo on 25 February.
Weekly Report - 08 February 2024 (WR-24-05)
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- Bukele claims thumping victory in El Salvador elections
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro spars with attorney general
- VENEZUELA: Planning a snap election?
- BOLIVIA: Roadblocks cleared but challenges remain
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei suffers serious setback
- URUGUAY: Thrilled with Milei’s Montevideo decision
- BRAZIL: Left-wing parties join forces in São Paulo mayoral race
- BRAZIL: Further efforts to dismantle Lava Jato legacy
MEXICO
- MEXICO: López Obrador unveils reforms in electoral power play
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA: Martinelli to depart electoral race, and country
- COSTA RICA: Struggling with insecurity
- CUBA: Economy minister goes
POSTSCRIPT
- Piñera dies in helicopter accident
- Quotes of the week
El Salvador will enter uncharted waters on 1 June when Nayib Bukele begins a second term in office after his emphatic victory in presidential elections on 4 February.
Weekly Report - 01 February 2024 (WR-24-04)
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- Venezuela’s top court outlaws Machado’s presidential bid
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Biggest faller in annual corruption index
- ECUADOR: Top court clips Noboa’s wings
- BOLIVIA: Progress on judicial elections but protests continue
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei faces first big test in congress
- BRAZIL: Spying scandal hits Bolsonaro allies
- BRAZIL: Brumadinho marks anniversary of mining disaster
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Journalist data leak prompts security concerns
- MEXICO: New theory in Colosio murder case
- MEXICO: Opposition congress picks unveiled
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: International security support mission in limbo
- GUATEMALA: A long-awaited meeting
POSTSCRIPT
- Andean deforestation in the spotlight
- Quotes of the week
Venezuela’s supreme court (TSJ) upheld a ban this week on María Corina Machado competing in the presidential elections for the opposition coalition Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD), barring her from holding public office until 2036.
Weekly Report - 25 January 2024 (WR-24-03)
Click here for full report
- Bolivarian Fury unleashed as Venezuela marks ‘Democracy Day’
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- REGION: Ecuador’s crisis prompts Andean security accord
- PERU: Police chief fired after Boluarte attack
- BOLIVIA: Morales supporters block roads as tensions escalate
- COLOMBIA: Foreign minister suspended
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei shrugs off general strike
- BRAZIL: New programme to revitalise industry
- BRAZIL: Authorities address violence against indigenous peoples
MEXICO
- MEXICO: US arms trafficking lawsuit revived
- MEXICO: Ayotzinapa proxy in executive’s war on judiciary
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo names key post
- NICARAGUA: Prominent Ortega critic released, exiled
POSTSCRIPT
- Chilean opposition puts dampener on Boric’s pension victory
- Quotes of the week
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro is cracking down on opposition to his government ahead of elections that are scheduled to be held this year but which still have no date.
Weekly Report - 18 January 2024 (WR-24-02)
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- Guatemala’s Arévalo defies odds to take office
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Brazen gang attacks continue
- COLOMBIA: Petro criticised over presidential spending
- BOLIVIA: Incensed Morales threatens protests
- VENEZUELA: Maduro delivers annual address to congress
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Mixed progress on new legislation
- BRAZIL: Lula appoints new minister to key post
- BRAZIL: Federal government addresses floods in Rio
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: López Obrador outlines reform drive
- MEXICO: Mounting challenges for MC’s Álvarez Máynez
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- SURINAME: Bouterse flees to avoid sentence
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Milei visits Davos as grim data released
- Quotes of the week
“Guatemala’s democracy and the will of Guatemalan voters triumphed over corrupt and antidemocratic forces.” This was the response by Brian Nichols, a senior Western Hemisphere official at the US State Department, which appeared to sum up international relief at the inauguration of anti-corruption outsider Bernardo Arévalo as Guatemala’s new president on 14 January.
Weekly Report - 11 January 2024 (WR-24-01)
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- Ecuador in turmoil as Noboa declares war on gangs
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA-GUYANA: Essequibo dispute returning to status quo
- BOLIVIA: Top court blocks Morales’ 2025 candidacy
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Milei makes audacious bid for more power
- CHILE: Boric seeks consensus after constitution falls flat
- BRAZIL: Government hails strength of institutions after capital riots
- BRAZIL: Elite Rio police unit to wear body cameras
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Political violence as electoral year begins
- MEXICO: MC names (another) presidential candidate
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo poised to take office, ends cabinet speculation
- SURINAME: Bouterse loses appeal – but remains free
- NICARAGUA: Ramping up attacks on Catholic Church
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele set fair for re-election – but only once
POSTSCRIPT
- Colombian guerrilla groups renounce kidnappings
- Quotes of the week
Ecuador was plunged into tumult on 9 January as members of criminal gangs ran amok, bursting onto the set of a live television broadcast, taking some 140 prison guards hostage, and killing two police officers in a wave of violence that poses a direct challenge to the authority of President Daniel Noboa, who decreed a state of ‘internal armed conflict’.