Americas: Border closures, travel restrictions, deportations amid COVID-19 in Latin America Sectors: all Key Risks: business and economic risks; travel disruption; FoP Latin American countries will continue to heighten measures to try to control the spread of COVID-19. Border closures, deportations of tourists refusing to quarantine, banning large public events, suspension of flights, banning foreigners and […]
Americas: Argentine farmers launch commercial strike to protest export tax hike Sectors: agriculture; all Key Risks: business risks; strikes; transport disruption; protests In Argentina, farmers launched a four-day commercial strike on 9 March which could also lead to disruptive protests on the country’s main roads. On 5 March the Rural Confederations of Argentina (CRA) announced […]
Americas: Mexico’s Pemex posts US$18.3bln loss in 2019, financial challenges to persist Sectors: all; oil & gas Key Risks: non-payment; recession; credit rating downgrade In Mexico, on 27 January state-owned oil firm Pemex announced a US$18.3bln net loss in 2019, almost double the losses reported in 2018 and its worst annual performance not primarily due to external […]
Americas: Guyana to hold long-delayed snap general elections on 2 March Sectors: all; oil & gas Key Risks: political stability; contract frustration; policy continuity; civil unrest In Guyana, long-delayed snap general elections will take place on 2 March following a December 2018 vote of no confidence against President David Granger’s government. The vote will be […]
Americas: Electoral tensions to rise in the Dominican Republic as municipal vote suspended Sectors: all Key Risks: political instability; civil unrest In the Dominican Republic, electoral tensions are set to rise following the suspension of the 16 February municipal elections due to a glitch in the electronic voting system. Electoral authorities suspended the vote four […]
Americas: Tensions spike in El Salvador over President Bukele’s plan to tackle crime Sectors: all Key Risks: civil unrest; constitutional crisis In El Salvador, on 7 February President Nayib Bukele gave the Legislative Assembly (LA) a one-week ultimatum to approve the government’s plan to tackle crime, which included a US$109m multilateral loan to equip the security […]
Americas: First votes in US Democratic nomination contest set to begin in Iowa state Sectors: all Key Risks: policy continuity In the US, Democratic Party voters in the state of Iowa are scheduled to take part in their caucus on 3 February. The event will mark the first step in choosing the Democratic nominee which […]
Americas: Argentina to speed up debt restructuring talks Sectors: all Key Risks: sovereign default; policy continuity In Argentina, the Economy Minister is expected to meet IMF and US Treasury officials in the US as negotiations to restructure around US$100bln in sovereign debt continue. President Alberto Fernandez recently stated that the country needs a ‘relatively quick’ […]
Americas: Peru’s 26 January legislative elections aimed at ending months of political turmoil Sectors: all Key Risks: political stability; policy continuity In Peru, legislative elections will take place on 26 January after nearly four months of political turmoil following President Martin Vizcarra’s decision to dissolve the opposition-controlled unicameral Congress on 30 September. On 14 January […]
Americas: Brazil’s Vale secures US$3bln syndicated loan despite looming criminal charges Sectors: mining Key Risks: business risks; criminal charges; fines In Brazil, on 8 January mining giant Vale secured a five-year US$3bln syndicated revolving credit facility with the participation of 16 banks led by Citi, Credit Agricole, MUFG and SMBC. The company stated that the […]
Americas: Bolivia’s general election rerun to be held on 3 May Sectors: all Key Risks: political stability; policy continuity; violent unrest In Bolivia, the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has set 3 May as the date for a presidential and parliamentary election rerun. Former president Evo Morales’s left-wing Movement for Socialism (MAS) party will reportedly announce […]
Americas: Venezuela’s Maduro asks Brazil to hand over five suspects for raid against military post Sectors: all Key Risks: bilateral and diplomatic tensions In Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro’s government asked Brazil to hand over five military ‘deserters’ who are suspected of participating in a raid targeting a military outpost in Bolivar state, which left one soldier dead on 22 […]
