The Latest Breaking News from Michael Shifter

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - By ransacking government buildings in their fervent opposition to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil's January 8 rioters may have strengthened his hand, at least temporarily, analysts say.

Brasília (AFP) - Brazil's democracy has withstood a vicious initial assault by die-hard backers of vanquished far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro who on Sunday sacked the symbolic seats of a government since recently in leftist hands.

WASHINGTON — For four years, Juan Guaido has embodied the audacious gamble by the U.S. government to unseat Venezuela's autocratic leader and restore democracy to a once-prosperous, oil-rich nation mired in political and economic chaos.

Havana (AFP) - Five years after it was closed due to mysterious "sonic attacks" on diplomatic staff, the US consulate in Havana on Wednesday resumed full immigrant visa services for Cubans.

The polls were close, but left-wing Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emerged triumphant in Brazil’s presidential election in the early hours of Monday, winning by less than two percent against Jair Bosonaro.

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazil entered the final stretch of a deeply polarized presidential race Monday after an inconclusive first voting round put far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in an unexpectedly strong position.

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - After an inconclusive first round of presidential elections, Brazilians woke up Monday to another month of uncertainty in a deeply polarized political environment and with renewed fears of unrest.

In the run-up to this week's Summit of the Americas, President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador rebuffed attempts by U.S. officials to set up a phone call with Secretary of State Antony Blinken

WASHINGTON — As the high-profile Summit of the Americas got under way Monday in Los Angeles, with presidents and prime ministers from throughout the Western Hemisphere expected to attend, confusion continued to surround the agenda, what President Joe Biden hopes to achieve and whether U.S.-Latin American relations will be better…

Bogota (AFP) - The surprise electoral surge of a man dubbed Colombia's Donald Trump could scupper the left's hopes of a historic takeover of the presidency in a race now between two anti-establishment candidates, analysts say. 

Bogota (AFP) - Colombians go to the polls Sunday in a deeply polarized election that could see a leftist -- and ex-guerrilla -- become president for the first time in the history of the violence- and inequality-plagued country.