Latin American Weekly Report
Weekly Report - 22 January 2026 (WR-26-03)
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- 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)
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- 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)
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- 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.