Latin American Weekly Report
Weekly Report - 16 July 2026 (WR-26-28)
Click here for full report
- Castro grandson draws scrutiny as key negotiator with US
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: New national security plan unveiled
- COLOMBIA: Petro and De la Espriella clash over handover
- PERU: Pressure grows for Castillo’s release
- VENEZUELA: US focus evident in foreign ministry reshuffle
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Tensions escalate over new US tariffs
- BRAZIL: Flávio banned from visiting father
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Ramping up response to US migrant deaths
- MEXICO: CJNG declares war in CDMX
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Edging towards elections
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele ratified to seek third presidential bid
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Milei clashes with Church in contrasting independence addresses
- Quotes of the week
With Washington showing little sign of easing up on its relentless pressure campaign on Cuba, aimed at forcing political and economic change, the role of Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of 95-year-old former president Raúl Castro (2008-2018), who has emerged as a key interlocutor with the US, is coming under renewed focus.
Weekly Report - 09 July 2026 (WR-26-27)
Click here for full report
- De la Espriella names hardline defence minister as cabinet takes shape
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Reconstruction costs pile up
- PERU: Sánchez concedes defeat
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Flávio Bolsonaro warns US against new tariffs
- CHILE: Kast seeks to de-escalate tensions in coalition
- URUGUAY: Orsi’s popularity plummets
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: USMCA in limbo
- MEXICO: More controversy over El Mayo
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: UN win for Havana belies fading support
- PANAMA: Mulino toughens security stance
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Noboa fighting second recall petition
- Quotes of the week
Colombia’s far-right president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is steadily filling the ministerial positions in his incoming cabinet.
Weekly Report - 02 July 2026 (WR-26-26)
Click here for full report
- Venezuela’s hopes for a brighter future knocked off track
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Bad blood over constitutional recall
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Adorni quits as cabinet chief
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro family infighting comes to the fore
- BRAZIL: Agribusiness dissatisfied over government subsidies
- CHILE: Senate throws out Grau impeachment
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Government rejects latest US corruption claims
- MEXICO: Domestic abuse in the spotlight
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Former president Hernández poised to return
- COSTA RICA: Authorities hail another major anti-drug operation
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- De la Espriella leans on the usual suspects
- Quotes of the week
With the death toll climbing steeply in the wake of the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on 24 June, attention is shifting towards the long-term ramifications for a country that until last week was beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
Weekly Report - 25 June 2026 (WR-26-25)
Click here for full report
- Colombia elections confirm regional shift to far-right populism
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Rescue efforts underway after devastating earthquakes
- PERU: Fujimori win confirmed
- BOLIVIA: Paz sends in the army to clear roadblocks
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: PT grandee steps down over Banco Master probe
- ARGENTINA: Milei embraces Adorni while demoting him
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum hails security gains
- MEXICO: Controversial former attorney general declares assets
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: US tightens sanctions, deals further blow to economy
- COSTA RICA: Doubling down on controversial mining project
POSTSCRIPT
- US to assist with Ecuador border security
- Quotes of the week
Abelardo de la Espriella won the second round of Colombia’s presidential elections on 21 June.
Weekly Report - 18 June 2026 (WR-26-24)
Click here for full report
- US takes out Tren de Aragua leader in Venezuela
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Sánchez calls for protests as Fujimori closes in on victory
- BOLIVIA: Paz stages COB talks to try and end protests
- COLOMBIA: Cepeda faces uphill task
- ECUADOR: Los Choneros leader captured
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Supreme court convicts Bolsonaro’s son on coercion charges
- BRAZIL: Lula boosts ties with various allies at G7
- ARGENTINA: Pressure increases on Adorni
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Teachers double down on protests as World Cup starts
- MEXICO: Oaxaca mayor killing renews security concerns
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: US scuppers fuel deal as Havana makes more concessions
- COSTA RICA: Fernández moves on insecurity
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Abinader unveils anti-crisis economic plan
POSTSCRIPT
- Guterres pays another visit to Haiti, claims ‘faint glimmers of hope’
- Quotes of the week
The US military killed the leader of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal group, Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (‘Niño Guerrero’), in an air strike on Venezuelan soil on 12 June.
Weekly Report - 11 June 2026 (WR-26-23)
Click here for full report
- Fourth time lucky for Fujimori?
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro controversies threaten to sink Cepeda’s chances
- ECUADOR: Foreign minister replaced in government restructuring
- VENEZUELA: Electricity sector next in line for reform
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Presidential hopefuls vie for evangelical votes
- BRAZIL: Electoral court suspends opinion poll
- PARAGUAY: Cartes cements control over ruling party
- CHILE: Opposition denounces crackdown on protest
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Boost for PRI in Coahuila
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: More US sanctions and sabre-rattling as Hegseth visits Guantánamo
- NICARAGUA: Outrage over death of high-profile indigenous leader
POSTSCRIPT
- Macri thinking about 2027?
- Quotes of the week
After narrowly losing three consecutive presidential run-off elections in Peru, Keiko Fujimori might have won at the fourth opportunity on 7 June by the closest margin of all, with the result confirming the country’s deep polarisation.
Weekly Report - 04 June 2026 (WR-26-22)
Click here for full report
- Colombians face polarised run-off
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Talk of recall referendum reflects depth of crisis facing Paz
- PERU: Candidates of chaos?
- ECUADOR: Italy lends its mafia-fighting experience
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Kasting off
- BRAZIL: Bilateral relations with US sour
- BRAZIL: Economy remains resilient in first quarter
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum takes stock
- MEXICO: Concerns over bill allowing election annulment
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: See you in Guantánamo
POSTSCRIPT
- Another Mexican mayor arrested
- Quotes of the week
Colombia faces potentially the most divisive second-round presidential electoral contest in a generation after the far-right populist Abelardo de la Espriella and former left-wing senator Iván Cepeda booked their passage to the run-off in emphatic terms in the first round on 31 May with 85% of the vote between them.
Weekly Report - 28 May 2026 (WR-26-21)
Click here for full report
- Cuba and US ramp up rhetoric amid little sign of dialogue breakthrough
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: De la Espriella gains momentum ahead of first round
- BOLIVIA: Paz inches towards military deployment to control unrest
- ECUADOR: Noboa submits upbeat report to national assembly
- VENEZUELA: Dissidents begin to return home
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Flávio Bolsonaro meets with Trump amid popularity slump
- BRAZIL: Supreme court removes obstacle for controversial railway
- CHILE: Kast faces double challenge
- ARGENTINA: Milei bets on more tax cuts to diversify and boost the economy
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Boosting ties with Europe
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Asfura faces security test
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- What’s at stake for Paraguay’s elections?
- Quotes of the week
Amid heightened tensions between Cuba and the US, which has imposed a fuel blockade on the island, hardened sanctions, floated military action and, most recently, indicted Raúl Castro, the 94-year-old former Cuban president (2008-2018) [WR-26-20], aimed at forcing political and economic reforms, both sides have recently dialled up the rhetoric.
Weekly Report - 21 May 2026 (WR-26-20)
Click here for full report
- Protests roil Bolivia
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Difficult election campaign
- VENEZUELA: Saab extradited
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro under pressure over Banco Master ties
- CHILE: Early reshuffle sounds alarm bell for Kast
- ARGENTINA: Milei under the cosh
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Pressure rises over Sinaloa accusations
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum proposes changes to judicial elections
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: Washington targets Raúl Castro
- GUATEMALA: Porras era comes to a close
POSTSCRIPT
- Fujimori and Sánchez to face off in debate
- Quotes of the week
It was only a matter of time before President Rodrigo Paz faced a major uprising against his efforts to transform Bolivia’s economic model.
Weekly Report - 14 May 2026 (WR-26-19)
Click here for full report
- US spy planes cause stir as severity of fuel blockade laid bare
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Sánchez clinches second only to face charges
- VENEZUELA-GUYANA: Rodríguez heads to ICJ to make Essequibo argument
- BOLIVIA: Morales’ supporters rally as he skips court appearance
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Protesters take to streets to defend public education
- BRAZIL: Supreme court deals blow to right-wing lawmakers
- BRAZIL: Lula meets Trump in Washington
- PARAGUAY: Creating a digital Itaipú
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Tensions escalate over alleged CIA operations
- MEXICO: Madrid leader leaves under cloud
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Elections delayed again
- THE BAHAMAS: PLP retains power in snap election
POSTSCRIPT
- Venezuela involved in Colombian security decisions
- Quotes of the week
A report by US broadcaster CNN released on 10 May, that US military intelligence-gathering flights “are surging off the coast of Cuba”, is fuelling major speculation regarding the intentions of US President Donald Trump, who has previously threatened to “take” the island.
Weekly Report - 07 May 2026 (WR-26-18)
Click here for full report
- US indictment shakes Mexico’s national politics
- TRACKING TRENDS
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Cepeda denounces ELN electoral intervention
- PERU: Fujimori blasts Sánchez for link to extremist
- VENEZUELA: Attention turns to debt restructuring
- BOLIVIA: Judge assassinated as Marset’s cartel fractures
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Lula suffers defeats in congress
- CHILE: Unions lead protest against Kast administration
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo names new attorney general
- EL SALVADOR: More constitutional changes as 2027 election draws into focus
- CUBA: Trump doubles down, expands sanctions
POSTSCRIPT
- Browne makes history as ruling party sweeps Antigua elections
- Quotes of the week
The governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state, Rubén Rocha Moya, has temporarily stepped down from his role, following a bombshell US indictment that accused him and nine other current and former officials of ties with the Cártel de Sinaloa.
Weekly Report - 30 April 2026 (WR-26-17)
Click here for full report
- Violence erupts in Cauca as Petro talks security with Rodríguez
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Sánchez strengthens grip on run-off berth
- BOLIVIA: Corruption allegations at the central bank
- ECUADOR: Billion-dollar gold mine faces opposition
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Tensions rise over Goiás state mining plans
- ARGENTINA: Milei offers Adorni full support
- CHILE: Kast admits to “mistake”
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Morena undergoes reshuffle as Sheinbaum eyes midterms
- MEXICO: CJNG crackdown continues amid US tensions
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Mass trial of MS-13 leadership kicks off
- HONDURAS: Budget boost amid efforts to revive IMF programme
POSTSCRIPT
- Dominican tourism booming – but for how long?
- Quotes of the week
Colombian media described a 25 April mortar attack on the Pan-American highway as one of the country’s worst terror attacks in decades.
Weekly Report - 23 April 2026 (WR-26-16)
Click here for full report
- Peru’s presidential election descends into farce
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- BOLIVIA: Ruling coalition suffers electoral setbacks
- ECUADOR: Majority of population facing curfews in May
- VENEZUELA: Reaching out to global lenders
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Kast presents key reform to congress
- BRAZIL: Lula appeals to allies in Europe
- BRAZIL: Ruling party to back centrist figure for Rio governorship
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Shooting at tourist site raises alarms
- MEXICO: Tensions resurface over US security intervention
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: US talks confirmed
- HAITI-DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Patching up diplomatic relations
POSTSCRIPT
- Milei doubles down on Israel support
- Quotes of the week
Peru’s presidential election is growing more chaotic by the day.
Weekly Report - 16 April 2026 (WR-26-15)
Click here for full report
- Fujimori could face Sánchez in Peru run-off repeat
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Mining reform gets over line in latest win for US
- ECUADOR-COLOMBIA: Noboa doubles tariff rate as Petro dispute escalates
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- PARAGUAY: Rift in ruling party ahead of elections
- ARGENTINA: Bad time for bad number
- BRAZIL: New minister to handle institutional relations
- BRAZIL: Government seeks security cooperation with US
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Opening the door to fracking
- MEXICO: US sanctions find new target
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Setback for Arévalo over key appointment
- PANAMA: Mulino seeks to downplay China tensions
- EL SALVADOR: Ruling party announces election date
POSTSCRIPT
- Díaz-Canel vows to stay put amid US pressure on Cuba
- Quotes of the week
Four days after the first round of presidential elections in Peru on 12 April the result remains up in the air.
Weekly Report - 09 April 2026 (WR-26-14)
Click here for full report
- Kast and Milei push alliance amid domestic challenges
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Fujimori and one other
- COLOMBIA: Roa suspended as Ecopetrol chief executive
- VENEZUELA: Government and opposition cooperate over foreign assets
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Conservative parties boost presence in congress
- BRAZIL: Indigenous groups demand more of Lula
- ARGENTINA: Russian spy scandal triggers court probe and media ban
- PARAGUAY: Peña eyes cabinet reshuffle
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: New foreign minister appointed
- MEXICO: On the defensive over enforced disappearances
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: Another big gesture to Washington
- HAITI: GSF mandate begins days after massacre
- NICARAGUA: Prisoner release Easter ‘gesture’
POSTSCRIPT
- Ecuador planning for early elections
- Quotes of the week
José Antonio Kast’s first foreign trip as president of Chile to Buenos Aires on 6 April was designed to showcase the right-wing alliance that he has forged with Argentina’s President Javier Milei and that he hopes to advance across South America. There were bear hugs and mutual praise, wreath-laying, and talk of enormous potential for cooperation between the two nations.
Weekly Report - 02 April 2026 (WR-26-13)
Click here for full report
- Venezuela’s rapprochement with Washington complete
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Surprises still possible
- ECUADOR: Curfew in four provinces
- COLOMBIA: Conflicting reports about US investigation into Petro
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Government officials prepare for elections
- BRAZIL: Relief for Lula as corruption inquiry ends
- ARGENTINA: Government dodges US$16bn bullet
- CHILE: Kast popularity crunch
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Tensions rise over migrant deaths
- MEXICO: Government cracks down on illegal fuel market
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: Russian relief as crude shipment arrives
POSTSCRIPT
- Bolivian hydrocarbon chief fired amid fuel fiasco
- Quotes of the week
After three months of accelerating rapprochement, diplomatic ties were fully restored between the US and Venezuela on 30 March when the Department of State announced a return to its abandoned embassy in Caracas, two days after Venezuelan diplomats moved back into their country’s embassy in Washington.
Weekly Report - 26 March 2026 (WR-26-12)
Click here for full report
- Colombian aviation tragedy prompts political mudslinging
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Plethora of candidates seek voter support
- VENEZUELA: Smoke, mirrors, and democracy
- BOLIVIA: Shift to the right confirmed in regional elections
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Lula protégé to run for São Paulo governor again
- ARGENTINA: Rival narratives over 50th anniversary of coup
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Plan B goes to the vote
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum upbeat on Ayotzinapa investigation
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Attorney general fired in ominous sign for Libre
- CUBA: Another nationwide blackout as Havana remains firm
POSTSCRIPT
- US actions give Kast early headache
- Quotes of the week
The wreckage was probably still smouldering at the site of a military plane crash, where at least 69 people lost their lives this week, when a furious blame game began in Colombia’s political arena.
Weekly Report - 19 March 2026 (WR-26-11)
Click here for full report
- Díaz-Canel admits official talks with Washington amid worsening crisis
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA : Rodríguez strengthens control, deepens US ties
- ECUADOR-COLOMBIA: Border bombing raises tensions as Noboa escalates crackdown
- BOLIVIA: Marset captured and extradited to US
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Government under pressure over transparency issues
- CHILE: Kast fires up the excavators
- BRAZIL: Diplomatic tensions with US simmer
- BRAZIL: Rate-cut cycle begins
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum pushes on with electoral reform
- MEXICO: A new chapter in relations with Spain?
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: UN expert claims glimmer of hope, doubts persist
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele toughens sentences after report criticises rights abuses
POSTSCRIPT
- Peru’s candidates debate as government collapses
- Quotes of the week
After weeks of rumours, Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel has acknowledged that talks are taking place with the US administration led by President Donald Trump which, following its January military incursion in Venezuela and removal of former president Nicolás Maduro (2013-2026), has been applying unprecedented pressure to the island via an oil blockade, among other things.
Weekly Report - 12 March 2026 (WR-26-10)
Click here for full report
- Petro’s coalition edges elections but moderates hold the key
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: US focus shifts to mining sector
- ECUADOR: Correísmo in existential legal battle
- PERU: Court ruling could damage Fujimori’s candidacy
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Kast takes office promising new order
- BRAZIL: Lawmakers ramp up calls for inquiry into Banco Master
- BRAZIL: Signs of divisions on the left
- ARGENTINA: New justice minister seeks to appoint 200 judges
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum defiant in face of anti-cartel coalition snub
- MEXICO: Women’s marches reflect frustrations with government
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Appointment process concludes for key courts
POSTSCRIPT
- Jurists warn of possible crimes against humanity in El Salvador
- Quotes of the week
Colombia’s ruling Pacto Histórico performed better than any left-wing coalition in the country’s history in congressional elections on 8 March and will be the largest bloc in both the senate and the lower chamber of congress when new senators and deputies take their seats in July.
Weekly Report - 05 March 2026 (WR-26-09)
Click here for full report
- Milei hitches fortune to US in key address to congress
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Balcázar delays vote of confidence
- VENEZUELA: Machado plans her return
- ECUADOR: US military steps in as Noboa escalates war on crime
- BOLIVIA: Deadly plane crash litters El Alto with money
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Emboldened Bolsonaro holds rally in São Paulo
- BRAZIL: Government promises aid for Minas Gerais
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Electoral reform tests Morena allies
- MEXICO: Massive security presence for El Mencho funeral
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- REGION-CUBA: Rubio attends Caricom summit amid regional divisions
- HAITI: Fils-Aimé hails signing of new governance agreement
POSTSCRIPT
- EU-Mercosur trade deal gets go-ahead
- Quotes of the week
“A new world order is being configured,” Argentina’s President Javier Milei said in his state-of-the-nation address to a joint session of congress on 1 March, adding that the way the country inserted itself into this “will determine [its] destiny”.
Weekly Report - 26 February 2026 (WR-26-08)
Click here for full report
- El Mencho killing boosts Sheinbaum but could herald upsurge in violence
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Imperfect amnesty bill marks step towards political reform
- PERU: Balcázar faces rocky start with corruption trial looming
- BOLIVIA: Morales resurfaces
- ECUADOR: Noboa imposes spending limits on local government
- COLOMBIA: Petro claims voting system is flawed
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Top court sentences killers of Marielle Franco
- BRAZIL: Lula signs deals with Asian partners
- ARGENTINA: Government sees political opportunity
- CHILE: A cable twist for Kast?
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: Renewed focus on Helms-Burton Act as US piles on pressure
- HONDURAS: Asfura holds talks with IMF
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Panama recovers control of ports at heart of US-China tensions
- Quotes of the week
Mexico’s security forces took out the country’s most powerful drug kingpin, Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), on 22 February.
Weekly Report - 19 February 2026 (WR-26-07)
Click here for full report
- Peru goes full circle as Jerí ousted and PL back in power
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Anti-regime protests spring up as fear dissipates
- ECUADOR: Leading opposition mayor arrested
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: CGT launches general strike over labour reform
- CHILE: Boric and Kast at loggerheads
- BRAZIL: Banco Master case judge faces rising pressure
- BRAZIL: Opposition rages over Lula Carnival tribute
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Shoring up Canadian trade ties
- MEXICO: Drama at the education ministry
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Victories for Arévalo as key appointment process kicks off
- PANAMA: Mulino dealt setback
POSTSCRIPT
- Benedetti launches campaign for constituent assembly
- Quotes of the week
Parties from across the political spectrum in Peru voted to remove President José Jerí from power on 17 February.
Weekly Report - 12 February 2026 (WR-26-06)
Click here for full report
- Cuba feeling the strain as US heaps pressure on Mexico
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Re-arrests offer a warning to released political prisoners
- COLOMBIA: Senators targeted by armed groups
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- URUGUAY: Still the best despite sharpest fall
- CHILE: Kast risks upsetting parties by picking independents
- ARGENTINA: Labour reform moves forward in senate
- ARGENTINA: Government secures US trade and investment deal
- BRAZIL: Debates over public sector salary perks fuel tensions
- BRAZIL: Inflation tempers optimism over imminent rate cuts
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Trouble in Tequila
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: PM assumes control as CPT’s mandate ends
- HONDURAS: Asfura meets Trump
POSTSCRIPT
- Bolivia’s fuel saga takes on new dimension
- Quotes of the week
Cuba’s government was forced to issue a warning this week to international airlines that they would be unable to refuel on the island for at least a month due to fuel shortages.
Weekly Report - 05 February 2026 (WR-26-05)
Click here for full report
- Fernández cruises to victory in Costa Rica
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro strikes rapport with Trump
- ECUADOR: Correísmo hit with campaign finance investigation
- VENEZUELA: Rodríguez meets key opposition demand with amnesty bill
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Lula seeks reset as congress returns from recess
- ARGENTINA: Political battle over inflation stats
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Violence surges in Sinaloa
- MEXICO: Shake-up for Morena in the senate
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA: China blasts court ruling striking down key ports concession
- CUBA: Washington tightens the screws
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Kast foreign visits focused on migration and security
- Quotes of the week
Laura Fernández won Costa Rica’s presidential elections at a canter on 1 February.
Weekly Report - 29 January 2026 (WR-26-04)
Click here for full report
- Efforts to dismiss Haiti’s prime minister draw condemnation
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Rubio says democratic transition will take time
- PERU: Jerí clinging on
- ECUADOR-COLOMBIA: Trade war erupts over claims of security negligence
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Kast cabinet both diverse and controversial
- BRAZIL: Lula walks tightrope on US relations
- BRAZIL: Far-right lawmakers lead demonstration in Brasília
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Football massacre showcases Guanajuato insecurity
- MEXICO: SCJN austerity in question
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Trump-backed candidate assumes office
- COSTA RICA: Fernández closes in on victory
POSTSCRIPT
- Argentina’s unions to square off against Milei
- Quotes of the week
With days to go until the 7 February deadline for the mandate of Haiti’s transitional presidential council (CPT) to end, the nine-member body has sparked international condemnation over its decision to eject Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
Weekly Report - 22 January 2026 (WR-26-03)
Click here for full report
- Machado goes on charm offensive as Venezuela debates oil reforms
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Catatumbo and Trump
- PERU: Jerí on the defensive over Chifagate
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- REGION: EU-Mercosur deal plunged into uncertainty
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro transferred to new prison
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Concerns build over US military intervention
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo declares state of siege amid gang violence
- HAITI: Targeting top gang leader as key deadline approaches
- COSTA RICA: Bukele pays another controversial visit to San José
POSTSCRIPT
- Can Rivadeneira pull Ecuador’s opposition together?
- Quotes of the week
Significant change may be coming for Venezuela’s oil sector after legislators began debating a reform to the country’s hydrocarbon law on 22 January.
Weekly Report - 15 January 2026 (WR-26-02)
Click here for full report
- Trump’s dream of Venezuelan oil bonanza met with scepticism
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro prepares to meet Trump as polls sour
- BOLIVIA: The short life of decree 5,503
- ECUADOR: Judge resigns over corruption case
- PERU: More protests over extortion
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Kast’s migrant plan encounters obstacles
- BRAZIL: Lula vetoes bill to reduce jail time for insurrectionists
- BRAZIL: New minister for justice and security
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum goes direct to Trump
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Tensions rise as Castro and congress order recount
- CUBA: Another domino ready to fall?
- COSTA RICA: Frontrunner makes rare debate appearance
POSTSCRIPT
- Can Argentina’s government take the sting out of inflation?
- Quotes of the week
Nearly two weeks on from the US military raid on Caracas to seize former president Nicolás Maduro (2013-2026), Venezuelans are facing the prospect of their country being pulled tightly into Washington’s orbit without any corresponding democratisation process, at least in the short term.
Weekly Report - 08 January 2026 (WR-26-01)
Click here for full report
- Big stick back as US swoops to seize Maduro
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro seeks to mend ties with Trump amid military threat
- ECUADOR: Homicides hit all-time high in 2025
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Lula faces diplomatic dilemma over Venezuela
- BRAZIL: Institutions clash over controversial bank
- ARGENTINA: Milei seeks to hit ground running in 2026
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Sheinbaum walks tightrope with US
- MEXICO: Morena under pressure over megaproject safety
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Asfura confirmed winner, challenges await
POSTSCRIPT
- Leading contender faces electoral ban in Peru
- Quotes of the week
The significance of events can often be diluted by hyperbole, but it is no exaggeration to describe the US decision to mount a military operation to seize Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as a seminal moment.