News of latin america

Trump posts graphic of Venezuela as 51st US state

13-05-2026 11:01 Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez says Venezuela has "never" contemplated becoming the 51st US state, as suggested by US President Donald Trump.

Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin and his Argentine counterpart Pablo Quirno meet in Montevideo.

ECONOMY & FOREIGN POLICY

Uruguay, Argentina seek compromise on hydrogen plant

13-05-2026 10:49 Montevideo and Buenos Aires advance talks over proposed US$5-billion green hydrogen plant on shared border river; Uruguay prepared to consider alternative locations after environmental concerns, Milei government open to agreement.

Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Narenda Modi.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

OAPs: Old Age Presidents

12-05-2026 14:39 US presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden were both criticised for being too old to serve as heads of government, as has Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil. But India’s Narendra Modi, at the youthful age of 75, is also older and does not face the same questioning. Old age appears to hold a different value, depending on the culture in question. But is old age an obstacle to being a good leader?

by Sabrina Chemen

New York New Jersey Stadium (temporarily renamed from MetLife stadium) is seen from the inside ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 7, 2026.

World Cup 2026

Anxiety, anticipation as World Cup one-month countdown begins

09-05-2026 23:11 A record 48 teams and millions of fans are set to descend on the United States, Canada and Mexico for the first ever World Cup co-hosted by three nations.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Europa and the bullies

09-05-2026 06:00 This month finally sees a massive free-trade agreement covering some 700 million people come provisionally into being – deserving that description because it eliminates tariffs on 91 percent of EU goods while opening European markets to South American farm produce.

by Michael Soltys

Juan Petrina, director of epidemiology for Tierra del Fuego Province, poses after a presser in Ushuaia on May 8, 2026.

Hantavirus scare

Health official: 'Almost zero' chance Dutch man got hantavirus in Ushuaia

08-05-2026 18:03 Tierra del Fuego epidemiology director Juan Petrina says that the likelihood that the Dutch man linked to the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship contracted the disease in the port city of Ushuaia is "almost zero.”

This handout picture released by Argentina's Health Ministry shows a scientist from the Malbran Institute handling containers used to diagnose the Andes hantavirus, which contain RNA from the Andes virus as part of the detection process, in Buenos Aires on May 6, 2026.

THE WEEK IN REIVEW

Stories that caught our eye: May 1 to 8

08-05-2026 16:57 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

BILLIONAIRE BOSS STEPS DOWN

Paolo Rocca steps down as Tenaris chief after tensions with Milei

06-05-2026 23:16 Tenaris confirms that veteran Italo-Argentine billionaire will be replaced by Gabriel Podskubka, the current chief operating officer (COO), at helm; Rocca to remain chairman, move comes after tensions with President Milei.

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Billionaire Rocca steps down as Tenaris CEO after 24 years

06-05-2026 22:30 Argentine-Italian billionaire steps down as CEO of steel-pipe maker Tenaris SA, but will remain as chairman.

Conviction upheld

Brazil court upholds actor Darthés conviction in Fardín rape case

06-05-2026 09:58 Ruling says sexual violence proven, case cannot be reopened; Semi-open regime confirmed as appeals dismissed.

This aerial picture shows a general view of the cruise ship MV Hondius stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 5, 2026. The WHO said on May 5, 2026 that Spain would "welcome" a cruise ship anchored off Cape Verde with suspected hantavirus cases onboard, enabling a probe and assessment of the risk to the remaining passengers.

Cruise ship tragedy

Race to find port for cruise ship battling deadly rodent virus

05-05-2026 12:39 So far, two hantavirus cases have been confirmed – including in one of the fatalities – with five further suspected cases among the 147 passengers and crew.

Agents of Peru’s National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) escort Tony Janzen Valverde Victoriano, alias ‘Pequeno J,’ the suspected mastermind behind the brutal murders of three young women in a live-streamed attack in Argentina, as he leaves the Ancon II penitentiary to be handed over to Interpol officers for extradition, in Lima, on May 4, 2026.

TRIPLE MURDER

Peru extradites key suspect in triple murder case to Argentina

04-05-2026 18:29 Suspect accused of orchestrating drug-linked killings to face court as families protest for justice.

CRUISE SHIP DISASTER

'Low' risk to public of hantavirus after cruise ship deaths, WHO says

04-05-2026 14:19 Suspected outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship presents a low risk to the public, the World Health Organization said Monday.

Cruise ship terror

Three die from suspected hantavirus on Atlantic cruise ship that departed from Ushuaia

03-05-2026 21:55 Three people have died on a cruise ship travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde, one from a confirmed case of hantavirus.

Formula 1 racing driver Franco Colapinto reportedly drew over half-a-million people to his road show last Sunday.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: April 24 to May 1

01-05-2026 17:24 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, left, and Javier Milei, Argentina's president, during a news conference at the Mercosur Leaders Summit in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Friday, December 6, 2024.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Blockbuster EU-Mercosur trade deal set to enter into force

01-05-2026 12:01 European Union and Mercosur trade agreement comes into force provisionally; Euro leaders hail "historic" day that will see tariffs significantly reduced."

PRESS FREEDOM WORLDWIDE

Reporters Without Borders: Press freedom at lowest level in 25 years

30-04-2026 14:39 Argentina falls 11 places in annual ranking, now in 98th place; Press freedom at lowest level in 25 years, says media watchdog RSF; More than half of countries facing “difficult” or “very serious” situation.

INTERNATIONAL CRIME RING CLAMPDOWN

Child sex abuse crackdown in 16 countries, including Argentina, leads to 84 arrests

29-04-2026 11:10 Major international operation against sexual exploitation of children and teenagers; 84 arrests across 17 provinces, including the Buenos Aires City;

USS Nimitz, an aircraft carrier of the US Navy.

MILITARY & DEFENCE

Argentina’s Navy conducts military exercises with US aircraft carrier

28-04-2026 20:59 Argentina’s Navy has begun a series of military manoeuvres in the South Atlantic alongside forces from the United States.

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Netherlands rejects Argentina soy meal cargoes over GMO issue

28-04-2026 11:16 Netherlands has rejected at least two Argentinian soybean meal cargoes this month after non-approved genetically modified material was found.

Aerial view of workers at an apartment building construction site in Santiago on April 9, 2026.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

UN body trims Latin America growth outlook on Middle East conflict

28-04-2026 10:40 United Nations body CEPAL/ECLAC warns of weaker expansion, rising inflation pressures as oil shock ripples through regional economies.

ART & CULTURE

MALBA to showcase 150 works in 25th anniversary exhibition revamp

26-04-2026 10:05 ‘Latin America in Expansion,’ MALBA’s 25th anniversary show, spotlights regional art giants; Starting May 1, Buenos Aires’ museum of modern Latin American art will exhibit 150 works from its holdings and Eduardo Costantini’s private collection.

The White House is seen from the National Mall in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2026.

MALVINAS SOVEREIGNTY DISPUTE

US confirms its neutrality on Malvinas after reported Pentagon memo

24-04-2026 22:39 Washington’s “position on islands remains one of neutrality,” says US State Department; UK Foreign Secretary reiterates “Falkland Islands are British.”

President Javier Milei attends an Independence Day ceremony in Israel.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: April 17 to 24

24-04-2026 18:55 A selection of stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Aerial view of Punta del Este seaside resort, in Maldonado, Uruguay.

LUXURY IN SOUTH AMERICA

Rich Latin Americans descend on Uruguay’s beach haven to party

24-04-2026 11:53 Punta del Este is becoming a top destination for those looking to host lavish celebrations.

CRIME & SECURITY

Confusion over arrest linked to slaying of Colombian senator

24-04-2026 11:07 Authorities in Argentina on Tuesday arrested a man after identifying him as a participant in the assassination of the Colombian presidential hopeful Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay – although officials in that country denied the claim.

Nancy Rojas, curadora del museo, Fernanda Laguna, Miguel López, curador de la exposición, y Manuel Segade, director del Museo Reina Sofía.

ART & CULTURE

From the streets to museum walls: Fernanda Laguna brings Ni Una Menos to MALBA

24-04-2026 09:34 Fernanda Laguna’s retrospective reframes decades of 21st-century feminist protest as art, archive and collective action; Exhibition runs at MALBA until May 25.

by Macy Young

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Peter Thiel’s dystopia, Milei’s utopia

24-04-2026 06:07 There is ideological affinity between Milei and Thiel. Both of them fall under the category of anarcho-capitalist libertarians who see socialism and the decadence of Western society as major threats to humanity.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

Costa Rican economist and former Second Vice-President Rebeca Grynspan (on screen, R) speaks during a hearing to be considered as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations at the UN Headquarters in New York, on April 22, 2026.

RACE FOR UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN leadership hopefuls stress need for peace and restoring confidence

23-04-2026 11:55 Contenders for next UN secretary-general make their case this week for a United Nations more invested in peace.

Brazil’s Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin.

TRADE & COMMERCE

Mercosur to reconsider Venezuela’s membership, Brazil says

23-04-2026 11:36 Mercosur is set to discuss Venezuela’s possible return to the South American trade bloc as countries warm to Caracas following Nicolás Maduro's ouster.

US Ambassador in Argentina Peter Lamelas sparks ire of China's Embassy in Argentina.

DIPLOMATIC ROW

US and Chinese envoys in Argentina clash over influence in region

22-04-2026 15:33 Chinese Embassy in Argentina accuses US Ambassador Peter Lamelas of “ideological prejudices” and defamation after Washington’s envoy warned about advance of Asian giant.

Villa 31 shantytown, backdropped by part of Buenos Aires.

WEALTH & SOCIETY

Is taxing the super rich really viable in Latin America?

22-04-2026 12:05 New report proposing minimal levy on individuals with huge asset wealth in Latin America proposes a way to tax extreme wealth, but the idea also faces resistance.

LATIN AMERICA

Daniel Noboa’s ‘new Ecuador’ has some fearing loss of civil freedoms

22-04-2026 10:40 Ecuador's Daniel Noboa appears to be consolidating power in ways that are causing growing unease in civil society. One week it’s political parties, the next it’s the courts. Now it’s the media.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Argentina's candidate to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations, address the UN General Assembly during public hearings for the post.

RACE FOR UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

Rafael Grossi pitches ‘enlightened pragmatism’ for fractured UN

21-04-2026 21:49 IAEA chief warns of growing distrust in the United Nations while outlining a more “pragmatic” approach to global crises; UN is not going in the right direction, he warns, offering “impartial” leadership and a front-footed approach to global crises.

by James Grainger

RIGHTS REPORT

Amnesty Int'l warns Milei government scaling back protections

21-04-2026 11:57 Report by NGO’s local chapter says government’s cuts have deepened inequality, with protests, the press and gender violence and abortion protections under increasing pressure.

by James Grainger

Amnesty International secretary general Agnès Callamard.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Amnesty warns of ‘predatory’ world order as leaders fuel crisis

21-04-2026 11:39 Human rights group says global protection system built over last 80 years faces potential collapse as governments fail to act against abuses; Amnesty's chief warns Trump, Putin and Netanyahu are "predators" and must not be appeased.

Grupo Mexico has pledged an initial US$3-billion investment to rebuild Argentina’s rail system.

Privatisation plans

Milei’s auction of nation's railroads risks sidelining US-backed bidder

21-04-2026 10:37 The model Milei's administration has chosen for the auctioning off of Argentina’s decaying freight railways has drawn criticism from industry experts and risks sidelining one of the most prominent bidders.

Macky Sall; Michelle Bachelet; Rebeca Grynspan; Rafael Grossi.

RACE FOR UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

'Save humanity': A look at the four figures battling it out to lead the United Nations

20-04-2026 06:51 Argentina's Rafael Grossi, Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan and Senegal's Macky Sall will each face grillings by 193 member states and NGOs this week as the race to become UN secretary-general heats up.

News photographer Tadeo Bourbon has been awarded a prize by the international World Press Photo (WPP) organisation for his photograph of the elderly Father Jorge ‘Chueco’ Romero being arrested by Coast Guards while joining pensioners in their weekly protest march outside Congress last May 14.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: April 10 to 17

17-04-2026 18:17 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank.

FRESH FINANCING

IDB joins World Bank in backing debt refinancing plan

17-04-2026 14:05 Multilateral support builds as government seeks cheaper refinancing ahead of July debt maturities.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCING

World Bank lines up US$2bn shield for Argentina’s debt refinancing

16-04-2026 16:01 Proposed backing could lower borrowing costs; Milei administration faces major July repayments and is seeking fresh international support.

Director General of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Thibaut Bruttin poses for a picture after an interview with AFP in Guatemala City on April 13, 2026.

INTERVIEW: PRESS FREEDOM

Thibaut Bruttin: 'Trump playbook' is 'dangerous' example for press in Latin America

16-04-2026 15:44 Director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press organisation says that Donald Trump's approach to the media could colour the behaviour of ideologically aligned leaders across Latin America.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

Rafael Grossi named one of world’s 100 most influential figures by Time magazine

15-04-2026 17:25 IAEA chief recognised for crisis diplomacy as he warns Iran oversight is vital; Argentine diplomat receives award days before key hearings get underway, race to be UN secretary-general heats up.

AMCHAM SUMMIT 2026

Milei vows to stay course, tackles ‘bad’ inflation data head-on in AmCham speech

14-04-2026 19:37 President confronts negative inflation data head-on at AmCham Summit in Buenos Aires, defending austerity measures, insisting inflation “will plummet” and vowing to remain on his economic course.

by James Grainger

Antofagasta sees a natural advantage in leveraging Chile’s established mining ecosystem to support developments across the Andes.

MINING & INDUSTRY

Antofagasta signals interest in joining Argentina’s copper rush

14-04-2026 09:19 Chilean miner would consider entering through standalone exploration or a partnership with existing projects.

FERIA DEL LIBRO 2026

Buenos Aires Book Fair turns 50 with a focus on memory

13-04-2026 21:16 Fiftieth anniversary edition will revisit censorship during the dictatorship, honour Jorge Luis Borges and expand into immersive formats about future of reading and publishing in Argentina.

People wait in line for the reopening of a polling station in Lima on April 13, 2026, after logistical failures prevented tens of thousands of people from voting in presidential and legislative elections the day before.

Peruvian election 2026

Right-wing candidates tipped for run-off in Peru presidential vote

13-04-2026 15:35 Peru’s presidential election resumes after logistical problems prevented tens of thousands of voters from casting ballots; Candidate Keiko Fujimori the favourite to reach two-headed right-wing run-off.

Inside the Brasil Bolsa Balcão (B3) stock exchange in the financial district of São Paulo.

MARKETS & INVESTMENT

Oil-rich Latin America lures traders navigating war jitters

13-04-2026 14:45 Latin American assets have emerged as a haven for emerging-market investors trying to navigate an increasingly volatile global backdrop.

A portrait of Peru's presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, for the Fuerza Popular party, is pictured as she speaks during an interview with AFP at the party headquarters in Lima on April 10, 2026

Interview: Keiko Fujimori

Peru frontrunner vows to expel migrants, further Latin America's rightward tilt

11-04-2026 08:52 Keiko Fujimori, 50-year-old daughter of late ex-president Alberto Fujimori, is one of 35 candidates running to be Peru's next leader in Sunday's election.

The Argentine microsatellite ATENEA attached to the Artemis II moon mission successfully completed its 20 hours of transmitting data from outer space to earth last weekend, the CONAE (Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales) space agency informed.

The Week in Review

Stories that caught our eye: April 2 to 10

10-04-2026 18:33 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Eduardo Coudet is known for his intense, possession-based football that mirrors the manic energy he projects from the sidelines, and it is impressive just how quickly he has instilled that on a River team that looked to be merely going through the motions for long spells under Gallardo and his predecessor Martín Demichelis.

FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA

Eduardo Coudet makes impressive start at River

10-04-2026 07:48 River are in the Copa Sudamericana for the first time since winning it in 2014 in Marcelo Gallardo’s first year in charge, a title which kickstarted one of the greatest coaching tenures in history. Now, his replacement would love to launch a dynasty of his own, with the cup as a launching pad.

by Dan Edwards

Argentina's Glaciers are subject to legal protections, but President Javier Milei's bill would weaken existing rules for glaciers and periglacial areas.

ANALYSIS

Congress approves glacier law in win for Milei and copper miners

09-04-2026 11:42 Reform, which miners had lobbied for, gives provincial governors control over deciding whether a glacier or permafrost formation is a key source of water downstream. If the provinces decide they aren’t, miners can exploit them.

Lucrecia Martel: One of the most influential contemporary filmmakers returns with a documentary redefining our outlook on the social and sensory spheres.

FILM & CINEMA / INTERVIEW

Lucrecia Martel: ‘Filmmakers have the best tools – cheaper and more potent than missiles’

08-04-2026 13:59 Argentine film director Lucrecia Martel moves into documentary making with ‘Nuestra tierra’ (“Our land”), a feature which does not limit itself to reconstructing the facts.

by Juan Manuel Dominguez

BUSINESS & INVESTMENT

InterCement deal ‘once in a lifetime opportunity,’ Mindlin says

07-04-2026 12:30 Argentine energy mogul Marcelo Mindlin is leading a group of investors and creditors seeking to restructure Brazil’s InterCement, the parent company of Loma Negra SA.

McEwen Copper is in talks with the US Export-Import Bank as it seeks financing for its US$4-billion Los Azules project in Argentina.

MINING

McEwen Copper in talks with lenders to fund Argentina project

07-04-2026 11:47 McEwen Copper in talks with global lenders as it seeks financing for its US$4 billion Los Azules project in Argentina.

Chile's President José Antonio Kast and Argentina’s President Javier Milei look at each other on the balcony of the Casa Rosada government palace after a meeting, in Buenos Aires on April 6, 2026.

FOREIGN POLICY

Milei meets Kast after failed arrest of Chilean ex-guerrilla

06-04-2026 13:36 Argentina’s President hosts Chilean counterpart in Buenos Aires as ties deepen; Visit overshadowed by failed arrest of ex-guerrilla wanted by Santiago as leaders seek closer political and economic alignment.

People high-five each other after playing padel on a court in Miami, Florida, on March 22, 2026.

SPORT & LEISURE

'Sport of the future'? Padel's Miami boom augurs US expansion

04-04-2026 09:19 Padel originated in the late 1960s in Mexico and was exported to Argentina and Spain. As its popularity explodes in Miami, its fans say it will conquer the rest of the United States – and the world.

MALVINAS SOVEREIGNTY DISPUTE

Argentina backs Bolivia, rebukes UK ambassador in La Paz in diplomatic clash

04-04-2026 08:52 Milei government sparks diplomatic clash by criticising UK Ambassador in Laz Richard Porter, who had previously described Bolivia’s support for Argentina’s Malvinas sovereignty claim as unacceptable.

A drilling rig at a site at the Vaca Muerta formation in Patagonia.

ANALYSIS

Vaca Muerta turns global oil shock into opportunity for Argentina

03-04-2026 06:38 Argentina’s shale boom is reshaping its economy. Rising global energy prices were once a historic vulnerability, now they’re into a growing source of external strength.

by Santiago del Carril

Karina Milei, watched on by other officials, is greeted by a military band playing ABBA songs at the Casa Rosada to mark her birthday.

The Week in Review

Stories that caught our eye: March 27 to April 1

01-04-2026 20:28 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

This photo illustration shows the hands of a man withdrawing Argentine pesos from an ATM in a bank in Buenos Aires on March 5, 2026.

Currency & markets

Milei’s peso bucks EM losses on shale, agriculture boom

01-04-2026 16:58 Gains are being driven by a seasonal surge in agricultural exports, rising energy shipments from the Vaca Muerta shale basin and a wave of dollar borrowing by local companies.

Agostina Páez speaks with local media at the Argentinian Consulate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 25, 2026.

RACISM ALLEGATIONS

Brazil court allows Argentine lawyer accused of racism to return home

01-04-2026 15:15 Twenty-nine-year-old lawyer Agostina Páez granted permission to return to Argentina after paying bail of US$18,500; Despite release, she will face trial on charges of racial defamation.

PRIVATISATION PUSH

Milei pushes ahead with Belgrano Cargas privatisation tender

31-03-2026 07:58 Milei government pushes privatisation timetable with Belgrano Cargas freight tender; Government’s ‘open access’ rail model unsettles investors as exporters and Grupo México weigh bids

Chile’s President José Antonio Kast speaks next to a group of soldiers near the Chacalluta border post along the Chile–Peru border on March 16, 2026.

NEW ERA IN CHILE

Kast's Chile axes plans to give papers to almost 200,000 migrants

30-03-2026 11:55 President José Antonio Kast's government also announces it will reverse expropriation of Pinochet-era torture centre.

Customers wait in line to fuel vehicles at a gas station in Santiago.

GLOBAL ENERGY MARKET

Oil surge elicits tough love from Trump’s Latin American allies

29-03-2026 10:23 The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is rippling beyond Asia. Though Latin America is far from the key oil and gas artery that’s been mostly choked off by Iran, it’s still heavily exposed to oil price volatility.

Agostina Paez arrives to the Argentine Consulate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend a press conference on March 25, 2026. Paez was arrested and faces a court trial after she was accused by the Brazilian justice of racism for her gestures during a discussion in a bar, which was recorded and got viral in social medias.

The Week in Review

Stories that caught our eye: March 21 to 27

27-03-2026 18:44 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Supporters of ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro protest outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in New York City on March 26, 2026.

VENEZUELAN LEADER IN COURT

Maduro appears in US court as legal team fights narco-terrorism case

26-03-2026 15:48 Ousted Venezuelan leader pleads not guilty, declares himself a "prisoner of war," as legal team calls for dismissal of case.

FOREIGN POLICY & SECURITY

Argentina designates Mexico's CJNG cartel a ‘terrorist organisation’

26-03-2026 15:23 Milei government adds Jalisco New Generation Cartel to registry of terrorist organisations, following in footsteps of Washington, and reaffirms “commitment to fight against organised crime.”

United Nations headquarters in New York.

MULTILATERALISM

Argentina votes against UN resolution on transatlantic slave trade

25-03-2026 15:52 UN General Assembly designates transatlantic African slave trade as "the gravest crime against humanity" in majority vote, but Argentina, Israel and United States vote against.

BRAZILIAN POLITICS

Flavio Bolsonaro inches ahead of President Lula in Brazil election poll

25-03-2026 12:18 Son of of imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro, would take 47.6% of the vote compared to Lula’s 46.6% in a run-off, according to new AtlasIntel survey.