Latin America

• Venezuela: energy deal with USA approved despite criticisms 3 September 2026
  US energy secretary Chris Wright is expected to visit Venezuela as Washington advances a controversial agreement giving the USA extensive access to the country’s oil reserves. Venezuela’s national assembly has approved the deal, although some opposition lawmakers abstained and demanded publication of its full terms. Reports indicate that the arrangement…
• Brazil: Lula celebrates offshore discovery of oil 21 August 2026
  Brazil’s president, Luiz Lula da Silva, has welcomed the discovery of oil near the mouth of the Amazon, describing it as a potential ‘passport to the country’s future’. State-run Petrobras found oil during exploratory drilling about a hundred miles offshore, although the field’s size and commercial viability remain unknown. Environmentalists…
• Brazil: supreme court to hear cases which could weaken protection for Amazon rainforest 14 August 2026
  Brazil’s supreme court is considering several major cases which could reshape protections for the Amazon rainforest, after a mostly conservative Congress overrode several of leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s environmental vetoes. The court is reviewing questions surrounding Indigenous land rights after rejecting the ‘time limit’ doctrine, which would…
• Colombia: 200+ killed, tallest cathedral tower collapses due to earthquake 14 August 2026
  A state of emergency has been declared in Colombia after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed at least 160 people and caused widespread damage. Among the buildings affected was the country’s tallest cathedral, nearly a hundred years old: its tower collapsed, scattering debris across surrounding streets. Churches and other religious buildings…
• Guatemala: huge volcanic eruption causes deaths and evacuations 7 August 2026
  A nationwide ‘danger’ alert has been declared in Guatemala after a powerful eruption of Fuego, the country’s most active volcano, prompted authorities to evacuate two nearby villages. There are warnings that the volcano is entering a more explosive phase; one disaster agency urged residents to leave immediately if instructed or…