Latin American Weekly Report

Weekly Report - 30 June 2022 (WR-22-26)

Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso narrowly survived an impeachment attempt on 28 June after opposition legislators accused his government of mishandling social protests that have raged for over two weeks.

Weekly Report - 23 June 2022 (WR-22-25)

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LEADER
- Petro takes Colombia into uncharted waters
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Anti-government protests intensify
- BOLIVIA: International community weighs in on Áñez verdict
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: The noose tightens around Petrobras
- ARGENTINA: Internal power struggle deepens
- PARAGUAY: Opposition unites against ruling Colorados
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Divisions widen within Morena
- MEXICO: Jesuit killings highlight security challenges
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: More independent judicial operators under threat
- PANAMA: Charges thrown out in high-profile case
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Chile’s Boric faces copper strike
- Quotes of the week

For the first time in history Colombia will have an out-and-out left-wing president in August after Gustavo Petro defeated his populist rival, Rodolfo Hernández, in the second round of elections on 19 June.

Weekly Report - 16 June 2022 (WR-22-24)

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LEADER
- López Obrador and Bolsonaro win at the Summit
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro and Hernández make final push
- PERU: Castillo celebrates Las Bambas breakthrough
- ECUADOR: Indigenous protesters mobilise against Lasso
- BOLIVIA: Áñez sentenced to 10 years for ‘coup’
- VENEZUELA: Maduro drums up support in the Middle East
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA-REGION: Emtrasur flights stir a media-feeding frenzy
- BRAZIL: Two murders throw spotlight on Amazon
MEXICO
- MEXICO: PRI old guard turns on Moreno
- MEXICO: Mysteries abound over Manzanillo port robbery
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Defiant Ortega doubles down
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-HAITI: Relations strained after wires crossed
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Bolivia and Paraguay make show of unity over bi-oceanic links
- Quotes of the week

It could be argued that there were two winners at the much-anticipated Summit of the Americas (SoA), hosted by the US from 6-10 June.

Weekly Report - 09 June 2022 (WR-22-23)

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LEADER
- Morena sweeps to fresh electoral victory
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Cautious opening to second round
- ECUADOR: Llori’s downfall increases risk of legislative gridlock
- BOLIVIA: MAS divisions deepen
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Fernández hangs minister out to dry to placate CFK
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro wrestles with inflation
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele marks three years in office
- HONDURAS: Killing by security forces reignites familiar concerns
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Minister’s murder throws spotlight on gun crime
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- López Obrador skips Summit of Americas
- Quotes of the week

In the space of just eight years Mexico’s left-wing Movimiento Regeneración Nacional (Morena) has risen to supplant the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) whose state-level dominance stretched back nearly a century.

Weekly Report - 01 June 2022 (WR-22-22)

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LEADER
- Colombia braces for populist clash in presidential run-off
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Castillo faces criminal charges
- PERU: Labour and social conflict levels remain high
- VENEZUELA: Early start to a long presidential race
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: New poll good news for Lula
- BRAZIL: Pushback against institutionalised police violence
- CHILE: Boric’s approval rate still heading south
- ARGENTINA: Micropolitics offers a glimpse of the future
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Tensions high ahead of gubernatorial elections
- MEXICO: Self-supply permits in the firing line
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Ortega intensifies campaign against the Church
- THE BAHAMAS: Ruling PLP presents bold budget
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Extreme weather strikes again in Brazil
- Quotes of the week

Colombians want change.

Weekly Report - 26 May 2022 (WR-22-21)

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LEADER
- Hernández threatens to upend Colombian presidential race
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Reshuffle unlikely to offer quick Las Bambas fix
- ECUADOR: Supreme court president suspended
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: High-risk police operations in Rio and São Paulo
- BRAZIL: Another Petrobras chief executive hits the dust
- ARGENTINA: Guzmán stronger but more vulnerable
- URUGUAY: Lacalle Pou pays visit to UK
- CHILE: Boric offers business an olive branch
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Outrage over activist killing
- MEXICO: Concerns raised over Title 42 continuation
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Alleged dealings with gangs back under scrutiny
- COSTA RICA: Chaves faces unexpected challenge
POSTSCRIPT
- Santokhi strengthens Suriname’s standing
- Quotes of the week

As the presidential race enters the closing straight, a major upset is looking like a distinct possibility.

Weekly Report - 19 May 2022 (WR-22-20)

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LEADER
- Boric’s torrid start gets even worse
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Government-opposition talks back on as US eases sanctions
- COLOMBIA: Candidates go into overdrive as campaign winds up
- PERU: Student protests set to strain Castillo-congress relations
- ECUADOR : Troubled SolGold looks to expand in mining sector
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro cultivates the farm vote
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Cuban medical assistance prompts pushback
- MEXICO: Investing in the border
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Giammattei ends speculation over attorney general
- HONDURAS: Castro marks first 100 days
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Organised crime strikes again against Paraguayan authorities
- Quotes of the week

The well-meaning but improvised attempt by the government led by President Gabriel Boric to resolve a longstanding conflict with the indigenous Mapuche came to an abrupt end on 16 May when the interior minister, Izkia Siches, decreed a state of exception in two regions in southern Chile.

Weekly Report - 12 May 2022 (WR-22-19)

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LEADER
- Peru becomes byword for political unpredictability
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Clan del Golfo bares its teeth
- ECUADOR: Gangs undeterred by state of exception
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Friendly fire intensifies
- BRAZIL: Politics of debt could play big in elections
- BRAZIL: Anger over accounts of “disappearing” Yanomami
- PARAGUAY: Beach murder causes shockwaves
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Air safety under scrutiny in Mexico City
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- COSTA RICA: Chaves takes office, stokes controversy with initial moves
- NICARAGUA: Crackdown continues
POSTSCRIPT
- Dominicans demand police reform
- Quotes of the week

Peru has hardly been renowned for political stability in recent years, but since President Pedro Castillo took office in July last year scarcely a day has gone by without some new incident heightening political uncertainty.

Weekly Report - 05 May 2022 (WR-22-18)

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LEADER
- Lula missteps could provide Bolsonaro with opening
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA-REGION: Maduro looks to capitalise on high oil prices
- COLOMBIA: Petro warns of assassination plot
- ECUADOR: Pacifying the coast
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Ruling coalition consumed by infighting
- CHILE: Growth and inflation head in wrong direction
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Violence erupts on Jalisco-Michoacán border
- MEXICO: Ebrard goes to Washington
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- ENGLISH-SPEAKING CARIBBEAN: Colonial legacy comes in for criticism
- HAITI: Resurgence in gang violence sparks concerns
- CUBA: Government hails May Day march
POSTSCRIPT
- Moving on cryptocurrency
- Quotes of the week

Brazil’s former president Lula da Silva (2003-2011) is due to formally launch his presidential election campaign on 7 May.

Weekly Report - 28 April 2022 (WR-22-17)

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LEADER
- Gutiérrez’s ‘moderation’ could be winning tactic against Petro
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Combating corruption, a deferred priority
- ECUADOR: Lasso takes on ‘cowardly’ judges
- PERU: Castillo finally acts on promise of new constitution
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Violence increases pressure on Boric
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro seeks to energise his base
- BRAZIL: Brazilian right celebrates Twitter takeover
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Gender violence in the spotlight
- MEXICO: Controversial telephone registry put to bed
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Ortega evicts OAS, withdraws from bloc
- COSTA RICA: Chaves reveals initial cabinet picks
- HONDURAS: Castro moves on another electoral pledge
- EL SALVADOR: Gang crackdown extended
POSTSCRIPT
- Wrestling the slippery eel
- Quotes of the week

Colombia’s presidential campaign took several major twists and turns this week as it approaches the finish line on 29 May.

Weekly Report - 21 April 2022 (WR-22-16)

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LEADER
- Pension defeat reveals scale of challenge for Boric in Chile
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Petro struggles to explain meetings with jailed politicians
- PERU: Ending the cycle of political instability
- VENEZUELA: Opposition rejects calls for lifting sanctions
- ECUADOR: Lasso talks trade in Southern Cone
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Opposition incensed over new judicial council
- BRAZIL: The ‘third way’ tries to regroup
- BRAZIL: Concerns over violence in run-up to elections
- PARAGUAY: Union leaders arrested for extortion
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: End of the road for electricity reform?
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- PANAMA-REGION: Blinken in Panama for high-level migration talks
- HONDURAS: Castro faces unrest
POSTSCRIPT
- Aramayo’s death sparks heated debate in Bolivia
- Quotes of the week

“The key lesson is we need a dialogue with other political forces.” This was the conclusion of Chile’s President Gabriel Boric after deputies in the lower chamber of congress shot down both the early pension withdrawal initiative his government opposed and the alternative bill his government proposed.

Weekly Report - 14 April 2022 (WR-22-15)

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LEADER
- Reading into Mexico’s recall result
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Torres scores untimely own goal
- COLOMBIA: ‘Putumayo massacre’ ignites security debates
- ECUADOR: China FTA negotiations get the green light
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Parties seal Lula-Alckmin alliance
- BRAZIL: Indigenous mobilise amid intensifying climate concerns
- ARGENTINA-REGION: Shoring up gas supplies
- CHILE: Boric grappling to gain initiative
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele doubles down on repressive laws
- NICARAGUA : Crackdown extended
POSTSCRIPT
- Winding road to Mexico’s electricity sector reform
- Quotes of the week

The results from Mexico’s presidential recall referendum are in and, unsurprisingly, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador comfortably came out on top.

Weekly Report - 07 April 2022 (WR-22-14)

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LEADER
- Costa Rica heads into uncertainty as outsider Chaves wins run-off
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Ukraine factor knocks Castillo into a tailspin
- COLOMBIA: Petro hoping against the odds for a first-round victory
- ECUADOR: Llori clings to the congressional presidency
- BOLIVIA: Áñez trial gets underway at last
- VENEZUELA: ICC to open office in Caracas
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: The ‘third way’ collapses
- CHILE: Warning light on the constitution
- ARGENTINA: South Atlantic dialogue of the deaf
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: López Obrador sets sights on new reform
- MEXICO: Violence marks local elections
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: UN to probe alleged human rights abuses
POSTSCRIPT
- Cuba bridles at foreign criticism of harsh sentencing
- Quotes of the week

The victory of anti-establishment candidate Rodrigo Chaves in the 3 April presidential run-off has upended politics in Costa Rica, one of the region’s most stable democracies.

Weekly Report - 31 March 2022 (WR-22-13)

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LEADER
- Has Nicaragua reached a tipping point?
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Bogotá bombing moves Farc dissidents up electoral agenda
- PERU: Castillo acquitted in impeachment vote
- ECUADOR: Lasso clashes with congress over investment
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- URUGUAY: Lacalle Pou wins key battle
- ARGENTINA: Opposition slams proposed new tax
- BRAZIL: Presidential race picks up pace
- BRAZIL: Petrobras CEO ousted after education minister resigns
MEXICO
- MEXICO: López Obrador under pressure over Russia stance
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele hammers gangs after surge in violence
- PANAMA: Electoral court raises eyebrows with Martinelli ruling
POSTSCRIPT
- Mexico’s attorney general faces calls to go after adverse ruling
- Quotes of the week

Nicaragua’s (now former) ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Arturo McFields, has delivered a blistering attack on the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) government led by President Daniel Ortega.

Weekly Report - 24 March 2022 (WR-22-12)

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LEADER
- Fernández facing formidable opposition within and without
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Boost and blow for Petro
- PERU: Fujimori story reprised
- BOLIVIA: Sedition removed from the penal code
- ECUADOR: Government acts on prisons
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Education ministry engulfed in another scandal
- BRAZIL: War stokes inflation fears
- CHILE: Boric off to slow start
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Plain sailing for López Obrador’s new airport?
- MEXICO: Opposition rejects ‘propaganda’ decree
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Hernández edges closer to extradition
- REGION: Washington seeks new alliances in Central America
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- El Salvador delays bitcoin bond issuance
- Quotes of the week

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández is facing a significant political struggle on two fronts which could scupper any aspiration he has for a second term in power from December 2023.

Weekly Report - 17 March 2022 (WR-22-11)

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LEADER
- Petro cements pole position as congress shifts slightly leftwards
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Congress moves to impeach Castillo
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Boric takes office
- BRAZIL: Petrobras price hike fuels discontent
- BRAZIL: Political alliances start to form ahead of election
- ARGENTINA: Fernández declares “war” on old foe
MEXICO
- MEXICO: European Parliament receives López Obrador’s wrath
- MEXICO: Mayorkas visits Mexico
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- GUATEMALA: Economy minister steps down
- EL SALVADOR: Arrest warrants issued over high-profile civil war case
POSTSCRIPT
- Paraguayan government fails to placate protesters
- Quotes of the week

Gustavo Petro roared to victory in the primary elections for his left-wing Pacto Histórico coalition on 13 March.

Weekly Report - 10 March 2022 (WR-22-10)

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LEADER
- Colombia bridles at suspected US move to rehabilitate Maduro
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Castillo scrapes victory in cabinet confidence vote
- ECUADOR: Seeking deeper security partnerships
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Opposition digs in heels over IMF accord
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro defends mining as environmentalists protest
- PARAGUAY: Drug operation claims congressional scalp
- URUGUAY: Trade union accused of hijacking Women’s Day
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Push for legislation to protect journalists
- MEXICO: Victory for pro-abortion movement
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- NICARAGUA: Convictions of opposition figures continue
- HONDURAS: More strides in fight against corruption
- COSTA RICA: Chaves faces campaign finance questions
POSTSCRIPT
- Abinader moves swiftly to lessen impact of Russian war
- Quotes of the week

If Colombia’s President Iván Duque had met his US peer Joe Biden in the White House last week, the mutual backslapping of two allies who speak as one on the international stage would have ensued.

Weekly Report - 03 March 2022 (WR-22-09)

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LEADER
- Russia’s invasion: evaluating the fallout for Latin America
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Military lands major blow against 10th Front
- PERU: López’s plea deal spells trouble for Castillo
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Militarisation of south to end
- BRAZIL: Government trims taxes with eye on election
- URUGUAY: Lacalle Pou upbeat ahead of referendum
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Murders multiply in Michoacán
- MEXICO: Federal judiciary implicated in corruption allegations
- MEXICO: Key debate over electricity reform underway
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- COSTA RICA: Chaves surges clear
- HONDURAS: Castro fulfils another campaign promise
- HAITI: Wage demands spark fresh unrest
POSTSCRIPT
- Fernández’s state-of-the-nation address underwhelms
- Quotes of the week

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a watershed moment in modern history.

Weekly Report - 24 February 2022 (WR-22-08)

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LEADER
- Extreme weather conditions ravage Southern Cone
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Opposition struggle overshadowed
- COLOMBIA: Crucial abortion ruling could impact election result
- PERU: Humala in the dock
- ECUADOR: Lasso denies interfering in CPCCS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- PARAGUAY: Abdo Benítez fires interior minister over drug links
- BRAZIL: Lula remains a favourite in the polls
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Zacatecas security crisis intensifies
- MEXICO: Irregular migration soaring
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- CUBA: Outcry over harsh sentences of protesters
- CUBA-CARIBBEAN: Russia firms up ties
- HONDURAS: Moving on a key pledge
POSTSCRIPT
- Bolivia’s Áñez gets new trial date
- Quotes of the week

Bitter recriminations have broken out in Argentina among different levels of government controlled by the country’s two main rival coalitions over devastating forest fires.

Weekly Report - 17 February 2022 (WR-22-07)

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LEADER
- Hernández suffers swift downfall in Honduras
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Fighting the dark web
- VENEZUELA: Koki shot dead
- PERU: Torres plays a risky game
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Clock ticking on debt restructuring
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro visits Putin in Russia
- BRAZIL: Environmentalists despair as legislation advances
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Spain downplays tensions
- MEXICO: Corruption concerns over president’s son multiply
- MEXICO: US suspends avocado imports
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Signs of dissent within ruling party?
- NICARAGUA: Boosting ties with Russia and China
- GUATEMALA: Concerns mount as anti-corruption crusaders targeted
POSTSCRIPT
- Mining exports surge to “historic record” in Ecuador
- Quotes of the week

Not many heads of state enjoy such an eventful first three weeks in office as Xiomara Castro.

Weekly Report - 10 February 2022 (WR-22-06)

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LEADER
- Fernández’s foreign trip sparks controversy
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Take four for Castillo
- COLOMBIA: Concerns over Russian activity in Venezuela
- VENEZUELA: Outcry as leading newspaper’s headquarters handed to Cabello
- BOLIVIA: Major gas discovery likely to ease export difficulties
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- PARAGUAY: Protesters march on palace over insecurity
- BRAZIL: Brutal killing of Congolese refugee causes outrage, prompts discussions
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro tries to woo the Nordeste
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Towards nationalised lithium production?
- MEXICO: Recall vote formally announced
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- COSTA RICA: Figueres secures pole position
- NICARAGUA: Trials of political prisoners begin
- HAITI: Henry urges elections as challenges proliferate
- TRACKING TRENDS
POSTSCRIPT
- Boost for Castro as legislative dispute resolved
- Quotes of the week

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández paid an official visit to Russia, China, and Barbados between 3 and 8 February with a focus on reducing his country’s dependence on the US and seeking more diverse trade and investment opportunities.

Weekly Report - 03 February 2022 (WR-22-05)

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LEADER
- Peru’s Castillo hanging on by a thread
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- ECUADOR: Lasso’s policies under scrutiny after oil spill
- BOLIVIA: Former drug czar facing extradition
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: Fernández faces fallout from IMF deal
- BRAZIL: Supreme court urges tolerance in electoral year
- BRAZIL: Fiscal outlook uncertain despite primary surplus
- URUGUAY: Gearing up for key referendum
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Mexico-US security alliance fleshed out
- MEXICO: New congress session opens amid competing priorities
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Castro ushers in new era amid immediate constraints
- GUATEMALA: Key minister resigns
POSTSCRIPT
- Colombia and Ecuador citizen security laws excite controversy
- Quotes of the week

Peruvians are well accustomed to a succession of political crises.

Weekly Report - 27 January 2022 (WR-22-04)

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LEADER
- Corruption and threats to democracy menace Latin America
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Recall petition flops amid voter intimidation
- PERU: Congress delivers blow to plans for new constitution
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- CHILE: Boric unveils balanced cabinet
- ARGENTINA: Fernández tries to regain initiative
- BRAZIL: Rio governor launches new security programme
- BRAZIL: Bolsonaro sanctions 2022 budget
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Morena senate divisions intensify
- MEXICO: Ambassador appointments cause a stir
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HONDURAS: Crisis erupts ahead of Castro’s inauguration
- GUATEMALA: Giammattei marks halfway point
POSTSCRIPT
- Repsol in the crosshairs after oil spill
- Quotes of the week

There is nothing quite like the release of the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by the Berlin-based NGO Transparency International (TI) to engender debate among policymakers, the business community, and civil society.

Weekly Report - 20 January 2022 (WR-22-03)

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LEADER
- Tensions over Ukraine spread to Latin America
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- COLOMBIA: Zuluaga set to go it alone after snub
- VENEZUELA: Possibility of recall referendum met with scepticism
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- ARGENTINA: IMF tensions riding high
- CHILE: Boric, Enade, and lithium
- BRAZIL: Disgruntled civil servants take to the streets
- BRAZIL: Inflation and inequality loom over election year
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Electricity reform debated in congress
- MEXICO: Extreme violence surges
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele intent on silencing critics
- CUBA: Mass trials amid renewed crackdown
- HAITI: More arrests in relation to Moïse’s murder
POSTSCRIPT
- Ruling BLP sweeps the board in Barbados
- Quotes of the week

While a repeat of the 13 days of acute tensions that unfolded during the Cuban Missile Crisis remains a remote prospect, memories have been stirred nearly 60 years on from the political and military standoff of 1962 after Russian government officials responded to mounting tensions over Ukraine by suggesting that Russia could send military assets to allies in Latin America, namely Cuba and Venezuela.

Weekly Report - 13 January 2022 (WR-22-02)

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LEADER
- Isolated but unbowed, Ortega begins new term in Nicaragua
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- VENEZUELA: Opposition finds formula in repeat Barinas win
- PERU: New breakaway party to support Castillo
- COLOMBIA: ELN attack in Cali
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- REGION: Omicron wave hits
- BRAZIL: Rains batter Minas Gerais, spark concerns
- ARGENTINA: Rallying regional support amid crunch IMF talks
- TRACKING TRENDS
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Tren Maya focus of cabinet reshuffle
- MEXICO: Progress made in ‘Fast & Furious’ case
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- EL SALVADOR: Reopening of landmark civil war case raises eyebrows
- BARBADOS: Curfew lifted as Mottley calls snap elections
- HONDURAS: Congressional challenge confronts Castro
POSTSCRIPT
- Boric appoints close confidant as chief lieutenant
- Quotes of the week

Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega and his Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) took office this week for a fourth consecutive five-year term.

Weekly Report - 06 January 2022 (WR-22-01)

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LEADER
- Boric sweeps to victory, ushering in new era in Chile
ANDEAN COUNTRIES
- PERU: Changing ministers again
- VENEZUELA: Maduro predicts stabilisation in 2022
- COLOMBIA: At least 24 killed in Arauca guerrilla dispute
- ECUADOR: Lasso lashes out at indigenous leader
- TRACKING TRENDS
BRAZIL & SOUTHERN CONE
- BRAZIL: Bahia under water, Bolsonaro under fire
- BRAZIL: Alarming destruction in the Cerrado
- ARGENTINA: Smoke and mirrors
MEXICO
- MEXICO: Tensions rise between Morena and INE
- TRACKING TRENDS
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
- HAITI: Henry decries assassination attempt
- GUATEMALA: Flare-up of indigenous dispute puts Giammattei on back foot
POSTSCRIPT
- Lacalle Pou moves to protect Uruguay’s pulp industry
- Quotes of the week

When the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet ended on 11 March 1990, Gabriel Boric was only four.