All Americas
First LookPeru’s former president accepted $35 million in bribes. Now he will serve 20 years.Peru’s national court sentenced former President Alejandro Toledo to more than 20 years for accepting $35 million in bribes from a Brazilian construction company. He will spend it at a prison outside Lima built specifically for former Peruvian presidents.
First LookExtended power outage sparked protests in Cuba. Then Hurricane Oscar made landfall.“We haven’t had electricity for three nights,” said one Cuban protestor, amid widespread blackouts. Authorities said the outage stemmed from increased demand but residents say this is just the latest issue in a series of problems with electricity.
Canada-India relations are at a new low. Why China could be the winner.The breakdown in India-Canada ties could force western allies into a difficult balancing act in Asia.
First Look‘India has made a monumental mistake’: Canada expels India’s diplomats in growing riftCanada expelled India’s top diplomat and five others over the assassination of a Sikh activist as the latest salvo in an escalating conflict since the 2023 crime. India adamantly denies it was involved, and said it will expel six Canadian diplomats.
Reframing a dictatorship: Argentine human rights museum under fireIn Argentina, decades of well-documented crimes and court hearings are being questioned by the nation’s new populist, libertarian leadership.
Brazil has struggled to elect women to political office. Upcoming elections could change that.Many Latin American countries have reached gender parity in politics, but Brazil still lags far behind.
First LookClaudia Sheinbaum takes the presidential oath in Mexico. Now the hard work begins.Claudia Sheinbaum will become the first female president of Mexico when she takes her oath of office on Oct. 1. She promises to continue the social policies and constitutional reforms of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, but faces many crises.
First LookWhy are three of Brazil’s mega dams in the Amazon on the brink of failure?Brazil’s mega dams rank among the most powerful in the world, but droughts driven by climate change have decreased the dams’ output to as low as 3% of their potential. Hydropower accounts for around half the energy Brazilians use.
Ten years after 43 students disappeared, Mexican parents still seek the truthProtests usually express opposition. But in Mexico, where parents of disappeared students have marched for 10 years, grief is stronger than dissent.
First LookMexico’s beloved Obrador prepares to say goodbye. What is his presidential legacy?President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who leaves office Sept. 30, is admired for his social programs and breaking down barriers between government and voters. However, he also attacked media, granted military more power, and eliminated regulatory agencies.
Once ‘extinct’ in Canada, the Sinixt people are reclaiming their ancestral homeWhen a country recognizes the rights of peoples to use their ancestral territory but they live in a different country, it raises tricky questions around access and sovereignty. That’s just what’s happening in Canada with the Sinixt Confederacy.
Latin America’s populist prototype: Peru’s Fujimori leaves divisive legacyFormer President Alberto Fujimori had been out of office for more than two decades when he died. But his legacy still divides Peru today.
Tango for all? How Argentine artists are upending stereotypes.Tango may conjure up images of tight suits and stiletto heels, but an alternative approach to Argentina’s national cultural icon could change that.
First LookWith protestors at the door, Mexico’s Senate says judges must stand for electionMexico’s Senate voted on Sept. 10 to have all judges elected by popular vote, a change critics fear will threaten democracy. Hundreds of protestors pushed their way into the chamber, yelling, “The judiciary isn’t going to fall.”
First LookMaduro retains two-decades-long rule as opposition leader flees to SpainEdmundo González, considered by several foreign governments to be the winner of the July presidential election, landed in Madrid Sept. 8. There, he joins at least four former presidential hopefuls who are victims of Nicolás Maduro’s brutal rule.
Human smuggling is on the rise. International collaboration is key to halting it.Despite efforts to crack down on immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, human smugglers adapt quickly to new laws and regulations in how they market their “services” to desperate migrants. Human trafficking is on the rise. International collaboration is key to halting it.
First LookAs X sinks in Brazil, many users find refuge on Threads and BlueskyAfter Brazil’s Supreme Court’s decision to suspend X – with a hefty fine for those who evade the ban – users are moving to Bluesky or Threads. While X was not the largest platform in Brazil, it played an outsized role in politics, academia, and journalism.
The ExplainerWhy Mexican judicial reform is causing a rift with the USMexico’s president is pushing a controversial reform package through the legislature before leaving office. While he sees changes in how judges are selected as a win for democracy, others fear the loss of a key independent institution.
How Venezuela’s opposition leader went from political fringe to center stageVenezuela’s government and opposition have both claimed victory in the July 28 presidential election. María Corina Machado’s name wasn’t on the ballot, but she has a big stake in the outcome.
First LookVenezuelans worldwide rally against Maduro's disputed election victoryVenezuelans globally rallied to support the opposition's claim of victory over President Maduro in last month's disputed election. Demonstrations in cities like Caracas, Tokyo, and Sydney urged global backing for candidate Edmundo González, and support for those silenced by repression.
