The Rio Times

Paraguay's Senate received a citizen bill with about 50,000 signatures on 21 October that would jail adults for gender content aimed at children.

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Bolivia's interior minister says he asked US partners on 20 October to help build two elite police units in Santa Cruz and Beni.

Honduras police drug case: a judge holds two DAET agents on aggravated trafficking charges, a third is wanted, hearing set for 26 October.

The EU plans to let Brazilian chicken and honey back after a ban that began on 3 September, but keeps beef out.

Ecuador spent US$1.254 billion from January to August subsidising imported fuels, 66% more than in 2025, central bank data show.

Brazil's central bank is studying income-linked limits on unsecured loans as household debt reaches 49.9% of income, news reports said on 20 October.

Dominican mango exports to the US should resume with the 2027 harvest in mid February, the agriculture minister says, if US inspectors approve.

Three funds holding US$272 million of Braskem America Finance's 2041 bonds asked a New York court on 21 October for an involuntary Chapter 11 case.

El Salvador's Assembly passed a tax amnesty with 60 votes on 21 October, waiving interest and surcharges on debts due through 30 September.

Your Thursday LatAm guide: Tropical Storm Vance off Mexico, Brazil's runoff, Colombia's visa cut-off and today's exchange rates.

Palmeiras beat Fluminense on penalties to reach the Libertadores final.

Your São Paulo daily brief for Thursday 22 October 2026: showery weather, Sala São Paulo concerts, the Ibovespa, Selic at 13.75% and where to work or eat.

Rio de Janeiro today: showers and 23°C, a free guitar concert in Centro, Flamengo at the Maracanã and samba in Lapa for Thursday 22 October 2026.

Latin America's Pulse: Brazil's runoff fight dominates the mood as Lula's camp asks to annul Flávio's ticket and the Mexican peso slides.

Wall Street rose on Wednesday as the S&P 500 gained 0.58% to 7,757, gold held near US$4,126 and the 10-year yield stayed above 5%.

LatAm opens after Brazil stocks fell 0.9% while Chile and Colombia rose.

Brazil's Selic stays at 13.75% with no rate meeting this week.

Palmeiras won the shootout 5-3 against Fluminense on Wednesday and reach the Copa Libertadores final on 28 November in Montevideo.

BRAZIL · ELECTIONS Published Wednesday, 21 October 2026, 11:03 p.m.

Brazil's federal prosecutors sued Meta on 21 October over what they call arbitrary account bans before the 25 October runoff.

Atlético Mineiro lost 2-0 at Montevideo City Torque but won 3-2 on aggregate and will face Boca Juniors in the Copa Sudamericana final.

The wheat fund WEAT fell 1.95% to US$23.09 on 21 October, its third daily drop, while the corn fund rose 0.67% and the soybean fund slipped 0.37%.

Brazil’s CSN fell 5.17% to US$1.10 and Ternium 1.29% on 21 October; Gerdau was flat and the SLX global steel fund dipped 0.05% to US$103.36.

Zinc miners split on 21 October: Nexa Resources fell 1.71% to US$12.10 while Buenaventura gained 0.66% to US$30.44.

Vale, Brazil’s biggest iron-ore miner, fell 2.46% to US$12.70 on 21 October and Rio Tinto lost 1.41%.

The lithium and battery fund LIT fell 1.66% to US$63.20 on 21 October.

The US copper fund CPER fell 0.53% to US$39.54 on 21 October and Southern Copper lost 2.11%.

Colombia’s COLCAP rose 1.07% to 2,560.37 on 21 October, the second best of five Latin American markets we track.

Argentine shares rose on 21 October, led by Galicia (+4.3%) and Telecom Argentina (over +5%).

Cuba's foreign ministry says it has no troops in Ukraine and reports 49 people accused of mercenarism since 2023.

Brazil's president cancelled a TV Record interview on 21 October to rest a hoarse voice, two days before the Globo runoff debate.

Calypsonian Brother Valentino, born in Grenada and known as The People’s Calypsonian, has died aged 85, tributes from TUCO and the culture ministry say.

Brazil's government may buy up to US$17.9 billion of overdue personal debts at a 90% discount, with an auction planned for November or December.

A Brazil Supreme Court justice denied free interstate buses for the 25 October runoff and gave the electoral court 48 hours to report on border routes.

Uganda launched a five-year, US$454 million data plan on 20 October.

Ghanaian officials say their country's share of Burkina Faso's fuel supply has risen from about 15% to 40%, but no volume data has been published.

Morocco's cabinet adopted its 2027 budget bill on Tuesday, while Le360 reports a plan to cut income tax for most salaried workers from January.

China's ambassador to Tanzania says two-way trade will pass Sh31 trillion (about US$12 billion) this year, a rise of about 4% on 2025.

South Africa's Treasury flagged 4,323 high-risk state payroll records in its February Budget, and verification is under way.

Estudiantes announced a sports court ruling clearing defender Marcos Rojo for Thursday’s Libertadores semi-final at Flamengo, 8:30 p.m.

Amnesty International alleges that Kenyan police and unidentified agents abducted and tortured protesters, claims that remain unconfirmed.

Anac says the average Brazilian domestic fare slipped 0.5% to about US$149 in September, even as jet fuel cost 54.4% more than a year ago.

Mexico's pension regulator gave Afore XXI Banorte 9.4 million accounts holding more than US$6.5 billion that workers have not yet claimed, for six years.

BCI and Scotiabank have asked Chilean courts to declare MKR, the country's second-largest bicycle importer, bankrupt after it stopped paying creditors.

EPM transfers to Medellín are set to fall to about COP 1.5 trillion (US$476 million) in 2027, nearly half of 2026, as Afinia losses and El Niño bite.

The new Hites finance chief is Cristóbal Covarrubias of Cocha, named on 21 October 2026 by the Chilean department-store chain to replace Luis Enrique Fischer.

UN human rights experts asked Meta on 21 October to explain whether its systems curbed one side in Brazil’s runoff, four days before the vote.

Peru's state oil firm says two Ecuador supply contracts could save it up to US$180 million a year in crude and freight costs for its Talara refinery.

More than 100 legal experts told Brazil’s electoral court that blocking big WhatsApp channels before the 25 October runoff would change the race.