South America

List of South America articles

A worker hoists a United Nations flag with other national flags of participating countries at the venue of the COP28 U.N. climate summit in Dubai on Nov. 30, 2023.
A worker hoists a United Nations flag with other national flags of participating countries at the venue of the COP28 U.N. climate summit in Dubai on Nov. 30, 2023.
An indigenous woman with streaks of paint down her face and wearing a bandana yells as she takes part in a protest against a government mining contract in Panama.
An indigenous woman with streaks of paint down her face and wearing a bandana yells as she takes part in a protest against a government mining contract in Panama.

Panama’s Mining Future Is at a Tipping Point

Protesters want to kick out the country’s biggest investor and usher in a new era of environmental politics.

After winning the runoff election, Argentine president-elect Javier Milei speaks to supporters at his party headquarters in Buenos Aires on Nov. 19.
After winning the runoff election, Argentine president-elect Javier Milei speaks to supporters at his party headquarters in Buenos Aires on Nov. 19.

Javier Milei’s Next Challenge: Governing Argentina

The messianic president-elect may struggle to implement many of his most radical ideas.

A homeless couple sleeps under a pile of blankets on the sidewalk behind a bus stop in Buenos Aires. The man and woman are pressed up against the side of a building wall that is covered in layers of advertisements that are torn in places to reveal shreds of the pieces beneath.
A homeless couple sleeps under a pile of blankets on the sidewalk behind a bus stop in Buenos Aires. The man and woman are pressed up against the side of a building wall that is covered in layers of advertisements that are torn in places to reveal shreds of the pieces beneath.

Milei Inherits an Economically Devastated Argentina

Ordinary lives have been ravaged by massive inflation.

Far-right presidential candidate Javier Milei arrives at his closing rally ahead of the Argentine election runoff in Córdoba, Argentina.
Far-right presidential candidate Javier Milei arrives at his closing rally ahead of the Argentine election runoff in Córdoba, Argentina.

How Javier Milei Upended Argentina’s Politics

If he wins the presidency, the far-right libertarian will have young voters to thank.

A view of giant Komatsu trucks arriving with loads at the Chuquicamata copper mine, in the Atacama Desert of Chile.
A view of giant Komatsu trucks arriving with loads at the Chuquicamata copper mine, in the Atacama Desert of Chile.

Living in a Material World

One of the defining features of modern supply chains is a distinct lack of human beings.

Argentine congressman and presidential candidate Javier Milei speaks to his supporters after the first round of Argentina’s presidential elections in Buenos Aires on Oct. 22.
Argentine congressman and presidential candidate Javier Milei speaks to his supporters after the first round of Argentina’s presidential elections in Buenos Aires on Oct. 22.

Why Libertarianism Is Rising in Latin America

The region’s economic conditions are ripe for radical change—and U.S.-backed influence networks see an opening.

Cuba’s Yunia Milanés plays in a match between Uruguay and Cuba during the Pan American Games 2023 at the Field Hockey Sports Center of the National Stadium Sports Park in Santiago, Chile, on Nov. 4.
Cuba’s Yunia Milanés plays in a match between Uruguay and Cuba during the Pan American Games 2023 at the Field Hockey Sports Center of the National Stadium Sports Park in Santiago, Chile, on Nov. 4.

Cuban Athlete Defections Put Boric in a Bind

Will Chile’s left-wing president privilege his coalition’s affinity for Havana—or human rights?

Leaders gather for a family photo at the inaugural Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Leaders’ Summit at the White House at in Washington on Nov. 3.
Leaders gather for a family photo at the inaugural Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Leaders’ Summit at the White House at in Washington on Nov. 3.

Biden’s Economic Statecraft Takes Shape

Skeptical of trade deals, Washington is working through development banks instead.

Ecuadorian President-elect Daniel Noboa visits the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 6.
Ecuadorian President-elect Daniel Noboa visits the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 6.

What Ecuador’s New President Needs from Washington—And Fast

The country’s youngest-ever leader has less than 18 months to govern before the next election.

Electric public buses line a parking facility in Bogotá.
Electric public buses line a parking facility in Bogotá.

How Oil-Rich Colombia Is Trying to Go Green

Left-wing President Gustavo Petro wants to prove that industrial policy isn’t just for wealthy countries.

Colorful buildings, cramped together, a perched on a hillside.
Colorful buildings, cramped together, a perched on a hillside.

What Happens When the ‘Big One’ Hits Lima?

Peru shows how bad governance and natural disasters are a deadly mix.

Demonstrators protest against a contract between Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals and the Panamanian government in Panama City, Panama, on Oct. 24.
Demonstrators protest against a contract between Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals and the Panamanian government in Panama City, Panama, on Oct. 24.

How a Copper Mine Prompted Mass Protests in Panama

Extracting the critical minerals needed for the energy transition is proving socially explosive.

From left to right: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gesture during the 2023 BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
From left to right: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gesture during the 2023 BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Dollar’s Dominance Is Shakier Than Ever

BRICS has growing currency leverage despite internal divisions.

People take part in a demonstration against Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip in São Paulo on Oct. 22.
People take part in a demonstration against Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip in São Paulo on Oct. 22.

Why the Global South Is Accusing America of Hypocrisy

Many countries perceive a double standard in the West’s contrasting responses to Gaza and Ukraine.

Argentine Economy Minister and presidential candidate Sergio Massa speaks to his supporters outside his party headquarters after the first round of Argentina's presidential election in Buenos Aires on Oct. 22.
Argentine Economy Minister and presidential candidate Sergio Massa speaks to his supporters outside his party headquarters after the first round of Argentina's presidential election in Buenos Aires on Oct. 22.

Why Massa Outperformed Milei in Argentina

The “minister of inflation” saw his popularity rise in part thanks to the pope.

From left: Venezuelan opposition delegate Gerardo Blyde; Barbadian Foreign Minister Jerome Walcott; Dag Nylander, the director of the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution; Mexican diplomat Efraín Guadarrama; and Venezuelan National Assembly leader Jorge Rodríguez pose for a photo during the signing of an agreement between the Venezuelan government and opposition at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Oct. 17.
From left: Venezuelan opposition delegate Gerardo Blyde; Barbadian Foreign Minister Jerome Walcott; Dag Nylander, the director of the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution; Mexican diplomat Efraín Guadarrama; and Venezuelan National Assembly leader Jorge Rodríguez pose for a photo during the signing of an agreement between the Venezuelan government and opposition at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Oct. 17.

A Breakthrough Deal for Venezuela

Washington agrees to lift sanctions on Caracas in exchange for a pledge of free elections.

A man opposing the government of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo faces the police during a demonstration to demand his resignation in Lima, on November 5, 2022.
A man opposing the government of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo faces the police during a demonstration to demand his resignation in Lima, on November 5, 2022.

Latin America’s Tradition of Protest Is Under Threat

Peru's security forces killed dozens of protesters—and potentially the region's political culture along with them.

People take part in a rally to show their support for Palestinians and opposition to Israel’s military operations in Gaza in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 10.
People take part in a rally to show their support for Palestinians and opposition to Israel’s military operations in Gaza in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 10.

Why Chile’s Response to the Israel-Hamas War Stands Out

The country is home to the largest Palestinian diaspora outside of the Middle East.

Load 10 More Articles
Loading graphics