Southern Cone & Brazil Archives - Americas Quarterly

President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasília on February 26

Why Lula Is Struggling

Brazil’s October election now looks like a coin-flip, writes AQ’s editor-in-chief.

Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Feb. 3

Uruguay’s Orsi Confronts Economic Headwinds and Shifting Geopolitics

One year into his term, President Yamandú Orsi has made moderate gains in security and trade diversification amid new foreign policy pressures and a slowing economy.

Protesters demonstrate outside the National Congress in Buenos Aires on Feb. 19 as the Chamber of Deputies debates a controversial labor reform bill proposed by President Javier Milei's administration

Argentina’s Polarization Threatens Milei’s Pro-Market Agenda

Despite entrenched opposition, the administration hopes Congress will approve key reforms and the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.

People take photos of an iceberg near the coast of Spert Island in Antarctica in December 2025.

South American Antarctica: The Final Frontier of Hemispheric Security

The future of the “White Continent” might be in question as great powers reactivate their spheres of influence, an expert writes.

Chilean President-elect José Antonio Kast, during a ceremony to announce cabinet members in Santiago, Chile on Jan. 20

Kast’s Cabinet Set to Confront Distinctly Political Challenges

Chile’s president-elect has rolled out a pro-business cast of ministers, tasked with finding political solutions, an expert writes.

Agrosmart founders Thales Nicoleti, Mariana Vasconcelos and Raphael Pizzi

The Next Generation of Agtech in Brazil

Brazilian tech startup Agrosmart seeks to reshape Latin America’s agriculture.

Guyana: A 2026 Snapshot

AQ tracks key indicators and political and economic trends to watch in 2026.

Chile: A 2026 Snapshot

AQ tracks key indicators and political and economic trends to watch in 2026.

Brazil: A 2026 Snapshot

AQ tracks key indicators and political and economic trends to watch in 2026.

Argentina: A 2026 Snapshot

AQ tracks key indicators and political and economic trends to watch in 2026.

Left: Headdress by the Boe people of the Brazilian Amazon, on view at the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac. Right: Pablo Amaringo, "El baile de los Puca-bufeos," 2009, on view at Americas Society.

Two Museum Exhibitions Reframe Amazon Civilizations

In Paris and New York, curators present a new kaleidoscope of art from a critical region.

Suriname’s President Prepares for an Oil Boom

Jennifer Geerlings-Simons promises a novel blueprint for a delicate opportunity.

President-elect José Antonio Kast waves a Chilean flag during an election night rally in Santiago on Dec. 14, 2025.

REACTION: What José Antonio Kast’s Victory Means for Chile

The right-wing former legislator won the presidency with a commanding 58% in the December 14 runoff.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on October 26, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Trump is in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, and will next travel to Japan, en route to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Can Brazil and the U.S. Reach a Deal on Rare Earths?

As Washington seeks to loosen China’s grip on high-tech and defense supply chains, Brasília holds a strategic play.

Uruguay's President Yamandú Orsi gestures upon arrival at the Murillo Square for the inauguration ceremony of Bolivia's president-elect Rodrigo Paz in La Paz on November 8, 2025. (Photo by AIZAR RALDES / AFP) (Photo by AIZAR RALDES/AFP via Getty Images)

Uruguay’s Answer to Bukele Takes Shape

President Yamandú Orsi aims to show how the left can fight crime while upholding civil liberties.