In 2024, pivotal elections in Latin America will shape the political future of countries like Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Panama. These votes hold significance after a year of varied results, including Argentina's shift in power and Ecuador's historic presidential election. Ruling parties, except in Paraguay, generally faced setbacks in 2023, signaling a regional political transformation. […]
In 2023, the Panama Canal faced its driest year, exposing stumps of a century-old flooded forest. These remnants should be submerged despite the usual rainy season, signaling severe drought. This condition has critically hampered a waterway crucial for $270 billion in global trade. The Canal Authority contemplates long-term solutions like an artificial lake and cloud […]
The year 2023 emerged as a landmark period for the tech industry, with Nvidia shining brightly among its peers. Investors reaped significant benefits, particularly those with stakes in the tech sector. The Nasdaq Composite, a benchmark for top tech firms, climbed 44%. Although it didn't eclipse the peak of 2021, the index still closed impressively […]
Bitcoin's remarkable rebound in 2023, with a 160% increase, faced a significant setback as the year ended. The cryptocurrency's price fluctuated below $43,000 following an impressive surge in the first days of this year. This volatility came amid broader market movements, with stocks also experiencing downturns on the last official trading day of the year. […]
Brazil's Ibovespa dropped, echoing New York's stock market downturn. Investors are awaiting the Federal Reserve's minutes for clues on monetary policy. This anticipation affects market behaviors globally. The slight fall in the U.S. dollar against the Brazilian real also reflects this cautious sentiment. Key data releases in the U.S., including industry and labor statistics, are […]
In 2024, the space race heats up as continents, nations, and companies aim skyward in fierce competition. Japan plans a precise lunar landing in January, seeking to join a select group of moon explorers. This mission, using advanced navigation, sets a new standard for accuracy in space travel. India, not far behind, eyes a space […]
Jean Paul Prates, Petrobras CEO, paused asset sales early on in his tenure, shifting focus to exploration and production. This move altered the company's trajectory, previously set in 2016 to strengthen its core activities. Despite initial commitments to honor past deals, recent reports suggest buyers of assets face unexpected hurdles, as Bloomberg Linea reports. Issues […]
Claudine Gay, the President of Harvard University, has resigned following allegations of plagiarism and criticism of her testimony on antisemitism. These events unfolded after concerns were raised about her failure to condemn calls for the genocide of Jews during a congressional hearing in the United States. Investigations by the media have uncovered evidence of plagiarism […]
A drone strike in Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighborhood, a Hezbollah stronghold, killed Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy chief of Hamas, and left six people dead. Hamas condemned the attack as Israel’s “cowardly assassination.” Al-Arouri was a key Hamas figure and a founder of its armed wing. He lived in exile in Lebanon after an Israeli imprisonment. Israeli […]
In a significant reshuffle, Argentina's President Javier Milei, along with Defense Minister Luis Petri, recently revamped the military leadership. They formalized new appointments for the Argentine Armed Forces on December 29. This change introduces new heads for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army, Navy, and Air Force. Brigadier General Xavier Julián Isaac, formerly leading the […]
During the fourth anniversary of General Qassem Soleimani’s death, two explosions occurred in Kerman, Iran. These blasts claimed at least 73 lives and injured over 170 people. The event was a memorial service where thousands were paying tribute to Soleimani. He is remembered as a martyr in Iran, having been killed in a U.S. drone […]
In November, Brazil's external accounts registered a $1.6 billion deficit, the lowest for this month in seven years. The Central Bank released this data, showing a significant change from past years. This decrease stems from a positive shift in the trade balance, which reached $6.7 billion. This balance compares the country's exports and imports. Notably, […]
In 2023, Brazil's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 35.9%, reaching only $52.7 billion from January to November. This marks the lowest FDI since 2021's $51.6 billion. Despite a slight increase in November 2023 to $7.8 billion, the overall 12-month FDI stood at $57.7 billion, just 2.68% of the GDP. This is a decrease from […]
In early 2024, Neymar Jr. found himself at the center of a new scandal involving rumors of fathering a child with an unidentified model. Neymar's team urgently responded, demanding responsibility for the spread of misinformation. Digital influencer Jamile Lima initially stirred the pot with a pregnancy hint. She later denied any link to Neymar, blaming […]
(Opinion) In 2023, a record-breaking 520,000 brave souls attempted to cross the notorious Latin American Darien Gap Jungle. This jungle, linking Colombia and Panama, saw a doubling in migrant numbers from the previous year. Panama’s migration agency reveals this startling increase. Most migrants hailed from Venezuela, Ecuador, Haiti, and China. Remarkably, 120,000 of these were […]
Uruguay’s exports in 2023 reached $11.518 billion, a 13% decline from 2022’s record high of $13.356 billion. Uruguay XXI, the trade promotion body, reported these figures on Tuesday. Beef led the exports, earning $2.081 billion, 18% of the total. Following beef, cellulose exports increased by 7% to $2.019 billion, while dairy products fell by 7% […]
President Laurentino Cortizo of Panama forecasts a 7% increase in the country’s GDP for 2023, alongside a 1.6% inflation rate. In his final address at the National Assembly, he emphasized Panama’s promising growth within Latin America—his term ends following the upcoming May elections. Cortizo attributed this economic performance to strategies recognized by global entities. Despite […]
As 2023 ended, Mexico’s economy showed moderated growth, particularly in manufacturing and services. The Mexican Institute of Finance Executives (IMEF) provided this outlook, predicting continued expansion into the first quarter of 2024. They anticipate a 3.5% growth rate for 2023 despite slower economic activities. The IMEF’s December Manufacturing Indicator dipped to 49.8 points, slightly below […]
In November 2023, Chile’s economy grew by 1.2% year-over-year, as reported by the Central Bank. Finance Minister Mario Marcel remarked on this growth as a sign of leaving past instability behind. He anticipates a period of sustainable economic expansion. The growth was largely due to increases in manufacturing and mining, which rose by 6.4% and […]
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil signed the 2024 Budget Guidelines Law, ambitiously targeting a zero primary deficit in public accounts. It reflects a major shift in Brazil's fiscal policy, with the government committing to spend only within its income. This is challenging, given Brazil's history of deficits since 2014. The law also […]
In 2023, Paraguay experienced a downturn in meat exports, shipping out 5.4% less meat compared to the previous year. This information comes from the National Service of Animal Health and Quality (Senacsa). They reported a decrease in red meat exports from 333,700 tons in 2022 to 315,521 tons in 2023. This change amounts to a […]
In 2023, Brazil experienced a notable change in the number of firearm registrations, recording a decrease of 81.3% compared to the previous year. This shift follows new weapon acquisition restrictions introduced by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government, as indicated in a report by the Federal Police. Data from the National Firearm System of […]