Latin America Archives

Getting cocaine in many of Europe's big cities is now as easy as ordering a pizza: twenty or so minutes after you place your order by WhatsApp or Signal, a dealer can be at your door.

Brazilian security forces cleared protest camps Monday (10 January) and arrested 1,500 people as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned "acts of terrorism" after a far-right mob stormed the seat of power, unleashing chaos on the capital.

President Joe Biden visited the US-Mexico border on Sunday (8 January) for the first time since taking office, tackling one of the most politically charged issues in the country as he prepares for a re-election bid.

Brazilian security forces wrested back control of Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court Sunday (8 January) after a flood of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro's supporters stormed the seat of power, unleashing chaos on the capital.

In 2023, the EU’s economic policy agenda will likely focus on the bloc's reaction to the US large-scale subsidy plan for green technologies, but fiscal rules, trade policy, the reconstruction of Ukraine, and financial stability will also be on the menu for EU policymakers.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn in as Brazil's president on 1 January, delivering a searing indictment of far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro and vowing change of course to rescue a nation plagued by hunger, poverty and racism.

The European Union welcomed a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling Wednesday (21 December) against Colombia's imposition of duties on frozen fries from three EU countries.

The European Union added its voice Monday (19 December) to calls for calm after nearly two weeks of protests prompted by the ouster of leftist ex-president Pedro Castillo.

France are disappointed they could not successfully defend their World Cup crown after losing to Argentina on penalties in Sunday's final but leave Qatar with heads high having fought until the end, players Raphael Varane and Hugo Lloris said.

The EU’s ambition to hold third countries' food imports to its own sustainability standards has been met with consternation as stakeholders sounded the alarm in key trading partners, including Brazil and the US.

hilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonia Urrejola came to Brussels on Friday (9 December) to conclude negotiations on a new, more far-reaching "Advanced Framework Agreement" that slashes most tariffs between the EU and Chile.

Bringing a message that "Brazil is back" in the fight against global warming, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with climate envoys from China and the US at the COP27 talks, on his first foreign trip since being elected Brazilian president.

The victory on Sunday (31 October) of Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva in Brazil's presidential election has raised environmentalists’ hopes that the Amazon rainforest will be protected from ranchers, illegal loggers and gold miners. EURACTIV's media partner, Climate Home News, reports.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated President Jair Bolsonaro in a runoff election on Sunday (30 October) that marked a stunning comeback for the leftist former president and the end of Brazil's most right-wing government in decades.

Brazil's heated presidential race has tightened ahead of a Sunday vote, several opinion surveys showed on Saturday (29 October), with right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro eroding a slight advantage for leftist challenger Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in most polls.

The much-criticised free trade agreement between the EU and the four Latin American countries in Mercosur is currently at a standstill but will be revived if Socialist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wins the Brazilian presidential elections on Sunday (30 October).

Latin American and EU leaders called for closer and better ties between their regions on Thursday (27 October), while lamenting Russia's invasion of Ukraine for stoking global inflation, poverty, and the risk of recession.

The EU is 'fully committed' to moving ahead with the stalling Mercosur free-trade deal with the South American bloc and should do so before “other actors intervene,” EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell said on Monday (24 October).

US prosecutors on Wednesday (19 October) charged five Russian nationals for sanctions evasion and other violations related to shipping military technologies bought from US manufacturers to Russian buyers, some of which ended up on the battlefield in Ukraine.

French officials expressed "deep concern" on Thursday (13 October) over the detention in Nicaragua of two women with joint French-Nicaraguan citizenship, on allegations of conspiracy and spreading fake news.

A group of MEPs calls on the governor of an Italian region to reconsider the consequences of hiring Cuban doctors to tackle a shortage of medical staff as this could lead to forms of labour exploitation.

The European Union on Monday (10 October) announced it was declaring Nicaragua's representative to the bloc "persona non grata" in retaliation for the expulsion of its ambassador from the Central American country.

Brazil's presidential election is headed for a run-off vote, electoral authorities said on Sunday (2 October), after President Jair Bolsonaro's surprising strength in the first round spoiled rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's hopes of winning outright.

Several dozen members of the European parliament urged European Union leaders on Wednesday (28 September) to monitor Brazil's Sunday election for attempts by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro to subvert democracy, arguing trade sanctions should apply if he does.