As US warships carrying cruise missiles and marines powered towards Venezuela's coastline this week, supporters of the South American country's president, Nicolas Maduro, warned a dastardly imperialist plot for an Iraq-style invasion was afoot. No one will lay their hands on this land! Maduro thundered, calling on patriots to help repel the supposed regime change operation by joining his Bolivarian militia.
Mexico's president condemned the order to use military force, stating that the entry of US troops into Mexico is "absolutely ruled out." This reaction reflects strong opposition to foreign military intervention.
Brazil has filed 4,819 patent applications in Latin American countries between 2002 and 2021, indicating its strong innovation ecosystem and regional leadership.
Transparencia Electoral has developed an interactive index detailing data protection laws during elections across 16 Latin American countries, highlighting crucial privacy concerns.
For all its maladies, for all its rightwing dictators and leftwing caudillos, for all its failings when it comes to democratic institutions, the region's democratic spirit is surprisingly vital.