Latin America

• Brazil: Lula in unprecedented comeback win over Bolsonaro 29 October 2026
  Flávio Bolsonaro’s right-wing Liberal Party has accepted Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s re-election victory as president, even though its candidate at first threatened to challenge the result. Lula won the run-off on 25 October by more than 4.4 million votes. Bolsonaro alleged that a two-hour extension of voting disadvantaged his…
• Colombia: at least 14 die after collapse of illegal gold mine 23 October 2026
  At least fourteen people have died and seven others have been injured following the collapse of an illegal gold mine in south-western Colombia. The accident occurred in a rural area of Nariño department, where authorities reported that another twelve to fifteen miners remained missing. The local governor, Luis Alfonso Escobar,…
• Costa Rica: new mega-prison signals tough stance against criminals 15 October 2026
  A new high-security mega-prison is Costa Rica’s response to rising organised crime and persistently high homicide rates. President Laura Fernández opened the High-Containment Centre Against Organised Crime, which will accommodate 5,100 prisoners, about 20% of the country's existing prison population. The first transfers are expected towards the end of October.…
• Brazil: Bolsonaro in surprise lead against incumbent Lula 8 October 2026
  In a surprise turnaround, right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro narrowly led incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Sunday’s first-round vote. Official results gave Bolsonaro 47.03% of valid votes and Lula 45.16%, ahead of a run-off election scheduled for 25 October. Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, outperformed…
• Venezuela: political prisoners freed after talks between government and opposition 1 October 2026
  Thirty-nine political prisoners have been released in Venezuela following a second round of US-backed talks between the interim government and opposition representatives. A human rights organisation has said those freed included eight women accused of ‘narco-terrorism’ in 2021 and six people accused of involvement with the USA in a 2020…