During July 2022, Panama experienced weeks of popular protest and convulsion. Thousands of people went into the streets to demand government action to contain the prices of gasoline, basic food items, and medicine. The protests led to the closing of public schools, suspension of transportation, and calls for strikes. The United Nations office in Panama

From June 13 through June 30, 2022, Ecuador was rocked by indigenous protests and strikes over the rising cost of living, official plans to extract hydrocarbons in certain areas of majority indigenous people, and the reduction of social investments. The demonstrations, directed against the government of President Guillermo Lasso, were led by the Confederación de

On June 19, 2022, Colombia elected Gustavo Petro of the leftist Pacto Histórico coalition as President of Colombia, defeating the right-wing populist Rodolfo Hernández of the Liga de Gobernantes Anticorrupción. The result of the second-round election was broadly interpreted as one more important signal heralding the resurgence of the Latin American left, following the election

British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira were last seen on June 5, 2022, travelling by boat in Brazil’s Vale do Javari, a rainforest region near the border with Peru, where Phillips was researching a book. After their disappearance, defenders of the Amazon demanded an investigation from the slow-moving Brazilian state and

The IX Summit of the Americas was held in Los Angeles, CA, from June 6 to 10, hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden. While the Biden administration had originally hoped that the much-anticipated summit would help jumpstart a new era of U.S. engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, it took place under a cloud

On May 29, 2022, Colombians voted in the first round of their nation’s presidential electoral process. As predicted, former M-19 guerrilla, mayor of Bogotá, current senator, and leftist Pacto Histórico coalition candidate Gustavo Petro proved his mettle as the obvious front runner, garnering more than 40% of the vote. Yet, seemingly out of nowhere, the

After Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador shook up the Latin American diplomatic world by insisting that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden invite all countries of the hemisphere (including the decidedly non-democratic Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua) to the planned Summit of the Americas scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, California, in June

The next Summit of the Americas is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, CA, from June 6 to 10, 2022. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador threw down the gauntlet by saying he would skip the Summit unless the Biden administration invites all countries in the region. In particular, if the U.S. president excludes

On May 9, 2022, former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched his campaign for a new presidential term, vowing to rebuild Brazil after what he called the “irresponsible and criminal” administration of far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. His move came as Brazil grows more polarized and tensions are rising, with widespread talk of a

On April 24, 2022, the regime of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua closed the offices of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the capital, Managua, and moved forward its planned withdrawal from the hemispheric diplomatic community. Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada announced his country’s immediate split from the OAS, saying that the “infamous organization” would