In 2025, presidential elections were held in Honduras, Bolivia, and Chile, and in each of these countries, the right wing won the elections. In February, in Costa Rica, the conservative candidate Laura Fernandez won the first round of elections with 48.8% of the vote. She had been chosen to succeed outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves of the party Social Democratic Progress (PSD or PPSD, centre-right).  A second round will not be held since Fernandez obtained more than 40% of th

On January 5, 2026, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez assumed the presidency of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela following the capture and extradition by the U.S, three days earlier, of President Nicolas Maduro. Until then, Donald Trump had supported Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader. However, after Maduro's capture, the US president publicly declared his support for the new chavista President.

In his latest album, “Debí tirar más fotos" (DTMF), Puerto Rican reggaetonero (reggaeton singer) Bad Bunny denounced American colonialism as well as the mass tourism that the island has been experiencing for several years. This is not the first time that Benito denounces the living conditions and the difficult political situation of the island through his music. 

On Saturday, January 17, 2025, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, signed the free trade agreement between the European Union and MERCOSUR in Asunción, Paraguay. This agreement is the result of more than 20 years of discussions between the two institutions and now must be ratified by the European Parliament to come into effect. 

According to the Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2025 of ECLAC, Latin America's growth rate moderated to 2.4% in 2025, and experts forecast 2.3% of growth in 2026. ECLAC states that Latin America’s growth is insufficient to combat poverty and inequality in the region.

In the last weeks, the media has mentioned the return to the Monroe Doctrine in Latin America due to the current tensions between President Donald Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as well as the American bombing of Venezuelan ships in the Caribbean. In several press articles, journalists even mention a “Donroe Doctrine” (The New York Times, 2025).