Latin America & Caribbean

Ecuador’s authoritarian drift under President Noboa has accelerated in recent months, with the country’s largest opposition party barred from upcoming local elections. At the same time, the US has deepened security cooperation with Ecuador, including conducting joint operations, despite ongoing human rights abuses linked to Noboa’s militarized security strategy.

President Trump’s endorsement of Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo De la Espriella is more than an unusual intervention in a foreign election. It raises the prospect of a close alliance between two leaders who favor militarized approaches to security and governance, with potentially far-reaching consequences for Colombia’s peace process, social progress, and political future.

Bolivia is facing growing unrest as fuel shortages, rising prices, and economic uncertainty spread across the country. With reports of a possible IMF loan, many Bolivians fear a return to the austerity policies of the past, including subsidy cuts and other measures that could further increase the cost of living.

Peruvians will head to the polls on June 7 for a high-stakes presidential runoff between far-right candidate Keiko Fujimori and left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez. With polls showing a tight race, concerns over electoral integrity, and memories of years of political instability still fresh, the vote could have significant implications for Peru’s political future.

Colombians vote this Sunday in the first round of their 2026 presidential election, choosing a successor to leftist President Gustavo Petro. Frontrunner Senator Iván Cepeda faces right-wing rivals Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia in what is widely seen as a referendum on Colombia’s first-ever left-wing presidency. Read on for a full breakdown of the candidates, key issues, and election concerns — with live updates from CEPR observers on the ground.

Sanctions and frozen funds hang in the balance as US-Iran peace talks continue, while Cuba runs out of fuel amid tightening sanctions and growing threats of military action.

A new CEPR report finds that Colombia experienced major social gains under President Gustavo Petro — including sharp reductions in poverty and unemployment — driven by rising real wages, expanded social spending, and increased investment in historically neglected regions. The report also examines how restrictive monetary policy and fiscal constraints weighed on private investment and shaped the country’s broader economic trajectory.

The report finds that sanctions played a larger role in Venezuela’s economic collapse than some recent research claims.

This report on Honduras’s 2025 general elections, based on the observations of CEPR’s electoral mission to Tegucigalpa, finds no evidence in the available data to support claims of fraud. However, the elections were marked by a broader crisis of confidence, driven by partisan institutional gridlock, US interference, logistical issues, technical deficiencies, disputes over the results, and an incomplete recount process.

The US unleashes “Operation Economic Fury” and blockade against Iran as sanctions on Venezuela are eased and Democrats push back on Trump threats of military action against Cuba.