AGP Executive Report

Energy & Power Reliability: Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali admitted GPL can’t promise zero outages, but called the current blackouts “unacceptable,” citing rising demand in the Demerara-Berbice system and an InterEnergy overhaul contract. Crypto Fraud & Cybersecurity: Peru’s Economy Ministry said its official X account was hacked to promote a fake token ($HYLO), urging the public to ignore the posts. Trade & Security: The U.S. and Colombia signed Barranquilla pacts on critical minerals supply-chain security and strategic civil nuclear cooperation. Inflation & FX Pass-Through: Colombia’s peso rally has helped, but Bancolombia-linked research says currency gains don’t cool inflation as much as expected. Regional Innovation & Demographics: The IDB warned Latin America and the Caribbean face low fertility and longer lives, reshaping labor, pensions, healthcare, and caregiving. Venture Capital: Medellín revives Smart Capital after a six-year hiatus, aiming to connect regional investors as 2026 startup funding rebounds. Drug Enforcement: Turkey seized about 350 kg of cocaine hidden in a bulker’s sea chest, with arrests tied to the operation. Cross-Border Business Services: Compass launched a global division to streamline international real estate referrals for U.S. clients.

Hydrogen Push in the Americas: Siltrax launched a commercialisation initiative across the US, Canada and Latin America, appointing Roberto Iriti as Commercial Director and planning demonstration units to build local operating data. Tourism Momentum: The Bahamas logged its strongest Jan–Jul stopover performance on record, up 4.3% to 1.31M visitors, with gains across multiple islands and markets. Food & Consumer Trends: A new forecast projects the global snack bar market rising from $21.9B to $32B in five years, driven by demand for convenient, lower-sugar, higher-protein options. AI Finance Funding: UAE-based Synapse Analytics raised $13M Series A led by Partech to expand agentic AI decisioning for regulated financial institutions. Trade Payments Expansion: XTransfer signed bank partnerships with CZ Bank and CIB to improve minor-currency collections and RMB conversion/withdrawals, including for Latin America. Energy + Jobs in Honduras: Texhong and Danasun broke ground on a $400M textile and solar complex in Choloma with 300MW of solar power and about 7,000 jobs. Border Wall Legal Fight: A Texas border wall segment near a wildlife refuge was paused after a lawsuit over alleged canal dumping, keeping the dispute in court. Immigration Policy Impact: A Salvadoran man left the US ahead of Temporary Protected Status expiration, despite a later extension announcement.

Immigration Policy: El Salvador’s TPS deadline has passed with no official extension yet, leaving Salvadorans in places like Aurora, Colorado facing possible deportation and community disruption. Security & State Capacity: Colombia’s Vice President unveiled five “major missions” for the “Miracle Homeland,” aiming to reshape the state, boost youth opportunities, and channel investment into AI and energy security. Oil & Energy Markets: Guyana’s president says oil revenues are rising as the Iran conflict reshapes crude prices, while insisting the country won’t rely on oil alone and will diversify. Payments & Financial Inclusion: The World Bank backed a $700mn push to help banks and fintechs in emerging markets access global card networks by reducing settlement risk, with focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. Tourism & Growth: Mexico ranked 4th globally for tourism’s direct GDP contribution and leisure spending, underscoring the sector’s job impact and the need for continued investment in infrastructure and connectivity. Regional Diplomacy: At the BRICS summit, India and partners emphasized “Greater BRICS” deliverables for the Global South, while Russia called for UN Security Council reform to expand representation for Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Business & Trade: K-Food is expanding in Guatemala as 43 Korean firms joined a major food expo, supported by government trade agencies to diversify export markets.

BRICS Summit Watch: China’s Xi pushed “Greater BRICS” with new plans spanning AI, trade and finance, including a BRICS AI Open Source Zone and a proposed service-trade forum—aimed at giving the bloc a bigger role for the Global South. Regional Security & Crime: Colombia’s far-right president has escalated the war on armed groups, with drones now reshaping combat along cocaine corridors and raising civilian trauma risks. Money Laundering via Tech: Mexico police found a suspected cartel-linked crypto mining farm in Puebla’s Sierra Norte, with hundreds of GPUs and heavy electricity use—another sign criminals are moving into more tech-heavy financial crime. Fintech & Remittances: Nubank launched in the U.S. and centered its expansion on stablecoins, unveiling Nu Global to cut cross-border transfer frictions for remittances across Latin America and beyond. Trade, Infrastructure & Connectivity: Philippines President Marcos met India’s RITES and ISRO during BRICS to explore railway projects and space-tech cooperation, potentially via consulting or PPPs. Sustainability & Food Systems: A Gulf aquaculture experiment is testing whether small-scale fish farming can be both ecologically sound and economically viable, as climate and overfishing pressure seafood supplies. Tourism & Culture: Jamaica’s Sandals used a travel-advisor golf tournament to sell the island experience directly to U.S. agents, betting on firsthand visits to drive bookings.

BRICS Diplomacy: The New Delhi Declaration at the BRICS summit calls for UN Security Council reform, condemns unilateral tariffs and sanctions, and pushes a bigger Global South role—while carefully sidestepping direct attacks on the U.S. U.S.-Latin America Security: Marco Rubio wrapped up a South America tour by pushing Peru’s entry into the “Shield of the Americas,” framed as a counter-drug and influence-rebuilding effort. UN Reform Push: Putin urged expanded UN Security Council representation for Asia, Africa and Latin America, echoing Modi’s “can’t be delayed” reform line. Latin America Education: Argentina’s PISA results show a steep math slump, with most students below minimum proficiency—raising pressure on education policy. SME Financing in Panama: CAF and Banco Nacional agreed on a $500M financing line to back SMEs, with half aimed at rural and agro-industrial producers. Regional Risk & Resilience: Earthquakes hit Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with no tsunami threat, while El Niño concerns loom over food security across Latin America. Culture & Community: Fiesta Hispana in Kansas City keeps free entry despite funding cuts, and Aruba Fashion Week spotlights local talent ahead of its November run.

US-LatAm Security Reset: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s South America tour (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) is pushing closer joint action against drug cartels, with Colombia already in the “Shield of the Americas” and Peru and Ecuador deepening cooperation. Ecuador Anti-Drug Crackdown: Ecuador’s Noboa aligns fully with Washington’s hardline stance, warning cartels will “eat these countries alive” unless confronted. Colombia Coca Spraying Returns: Colombia will test aerial spraying of coca crops again after a 2015 halt, using a different herbicide and reigniting safety and effectiveness debates. Argentina Defense Deal: The US approved a possible $140M sale of four Black Hawk helicopters to Argentina to bolster border security and counter transnational crime. Brazil Election Shock: Brazil’s Flavio Bolsonaro faces a corruption and money-laundering probe tied to alleged financing of a biopic about his father. Mexico Crypto Crime: Police uncovered a cartel-linked crypto mining operation in Puebla, highlighting new financial-crime tactics. Meta Misinformation Shift: Meta’s Oversight Board urged the company not to replace professional fact-checking with Community Notes in Latin America. BRICS Watch: The 18th BRICS summit opened in New Delhi with Xi Jinping’s first India visit since 2019, while Latin America’s presence is set to be watched for trade and security signals.

Defense & Security: The U.S. State Department approved a potential $140M sale of four refurbished UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters to Argentina, aimed at border security, transnational crime and disaster response. Regional Security: Peru is set to join the U.S.-backed “Shield of the Americas” as Marco Rubio wraps a South America tour, while Peruvians protest the security pact. Counterterrorism: The Trump administration expanded its foreign terrorist list in Latin America by designating Ecuador’s Los Tiguerones gang. Energy & Climate: Chile’s Sonnedix secured $1.3B in refinancing to speed up solar, wind and battery storage projects. Business & Industry: GM plans to assemble three electrified models in Brazil within a year, but production is outsourced to a local partner using semi-knocked-down vehicles from China. Sports Governance: France withdrew support for FIFA chief Gianni Infantino ahead of the March 2027 election, joining other European federations. Weather & Power: A super El Niño winter is reshaping South American solar output, with sunnier north and cloudier south conditions. Renewables & Mobility: Paraguay’s EV push leans on its largely hydro-based power to cut fuel imports and attract investment. Tech & IP: Univar Solutions Mexico signed a distribution deal with LANXESS for lubricant and metalworking additives.

US-LatAm Security: Peru is set to join the U.S.-led “Shield of the Americas” coalition after talks with Marco Rubio, aiming to boost joint action against transnational crime. Terror Designations: The Trump administration expanded its “foreign terrorist organizations” list to 21 groups across Latin America and the Caribbean, adding an Ecuadorian organization and raising pressure for local crackdowns. Immigration Uncertainty: Salvadoran TPS holders face scrambling at work as the U.S. delays a decision on whether protections will be extended, leaving employers unsure about payroll legality. Fintech Expansion: Nubank officially launches in the U.S. with a digital savings account, credit card, remittances, and a stablecoin-based “Nu Global” account, using a Lead Bank partnership to start. Aviation & Trade: BOC Aviation will lease 12 Airbus A320neos to Avianca, while Peru’s security push and broader regional moves underscore how policy is shaping business risk. Digital Economy: A new IDB/World Bank/WTO report says digitally delivered services exports in Latin America and the Caribbean hit $87.7B in 2024, with big growth potential ahead. Argentina Inflation: Argentina’s monthly inflation slowed to 1.7% in August, giving Milei a fresh win as price inertia remains. Retail Returns: Mango is returning to Argentina after 23 years, opening its first Buenos Aires store in October.

Chinese Brands’ Push in LatAm: Euromonitor says China-to-Latin America exports neared $300B in 2025 (+7% y/y), with brands moving from shipping goods to investing in local manufacturing and supply chains across a 650M+ consumer market. Aviation Demand in Panama: Copa Holdings reported August traffic up 16.8% for both capacity and revenue passenger miles, with load factor steady at 88.3%. Commodities Pressure: HSBC warns a “super-squeeze” is keeping commodity prices elevated, citing war and El Niño disruptions plus demand from AI and electrification. Energy Storage in Mexico: Olade says Mexico has 192 MW of battery storage operating (as of Aug 2026) and plans call for 2,216 MW by 2030. Security Funding for Ecuador: US Sec. of State Marco Rubio says Washington will seek $45M more for Ecuador’s anti-drug security push and designated the gang Los Tiguerones as foreign terrorist. Colombia Earthquake Rebuild: One month after a major quake, reconstruction is estimated at 30T pesos (about 1.5% of GDP), with a “Marshall Plan” approach to attract investment. Corporate Moves: Univar Solutions will distribute LANXESS lubricant and metalworking additives in Mexico; Tecnoglass declared a $0.15/share Q3 dividend.

U.S.-Mexico Trade Friction: Trump again questioned the value of trading with Mexico, but U.S. data shows massive two-way goods flows and deep supply-chain integration, with USMCA renewal still unresolved. Venezuela Minerals Push: After the U.S. oil deal, Washington is exploring ways to involve U.S. firms in Venezuela’s gold and critical minerals, aiming to reduce Chinese/Russian influence. El Salvador TPS Deadline: About 200,000 Salvadorans face uncertainty as Temporary Protected Status expires, with protections potentially extended automatically if DHS takes no action. Venezuela Earthquake Aftershocks: Venezuelans in the U.S. are still dealing with the June earthquakes’ fallout, balancing loss and recovery with policy-driven uncertainty. BRICS Summit Focus: India’s BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi spotlights Global South voice, UN reform, and food/energy security priorities. Cyber Risk Watch: Check Point reports rising cyberattacks in Latin America and warns generative AI is increasing data-leak exposure. Energy/Ag Markets: China’s soybean imports are set to rise, with Brazil gaining an edge due to tariffs on U.S. soybeans; corn prices slip on early harvest pressure.

U.S.-Colombia reset: Secretary of State Marco Rubio kicked off a three-country Latin America tour in Colombia, signaling faster trade deals with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and signing MoUs on critical minerals and civilian nuclear energy as Washington looks to tighten security cooperation and counter China’s growing influence. Digital finance push: Visa and the IFC launched a risk-sharing initiative to expand digital payments and financial inclusion, with an initial focus on 14 Latin America and Caribbean countries. Payments for gaming: ProntoPaga will highlight its LatAm payments infrastructure at the SBC Summit Lisbon, aiming to simplify cross-market launches for online gaming and sports betting. Security tech in the spotlight: A new report warns drones are becoming a go-to weapon for organized crime across Latin America, with governments struggling to keep up. Argentina-Falklands escalation: Argentina moved to expand sanctions and filed a criminal complaint tied to Falklands oil exploration, keeping tensions with the UK in focus. Business services expansion: FTI Consulting appointed Luis Roman to strengthen construction disputes and forensics capabilities serving LatAm projects.

Food & Weather Shock: The UN FAO says global food prices rose in August to the highest level since late 2022, driven by extreme heat/drought, war-linked logistics disruptions, and fears of a severe El Niño—pushing grain to three-year highs and sugar to a one-year peak. US–Colombia Trade & Security: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio kicked off a Colombia-Ecuador-Peru tour, aiming to wrap “good, solid” trade deals while expanding security cooperation; Colombia’s new president met Rubio in Barranquilla and Colombia joined the “Shield of the Americas” anti-drug alliance. Venezuela Minerals Push: The Trump administration is seeking greater access to Venezuela’s critical minerals (including gold), with possible new executive action and talks with companies to draw U.S. investment beyond oil. Argentina Energy Investment: YPF says it plans USD 154.1B in investments under Argentina’s RIGI through 2040, adding two new projects to expand LNG capacity. Digital Trade Growth: An IDB/WTO/World Bank report finds digitally delivered services exports in Latin America and the Caribbean nearly quintupled since 2005 to about USD 87.7B in 2024, highlighting policy needs to scale connectivity and competitiveness. Regional Infrastructure & Ports: Dominican President Abinader stressed port modernization as a growth engine, citing new and expanding facilities and thousands of projected jobs.

Venezuela Minerals Push: The Trump administration is reportedly seeking deeper U.S. access to Venezuela’s critical minerals, including gold, with options like an executive order and talks with companies—expanding beyond oil. Argentina-Falklands Legal Clash: Argentina says it will file criminal charges against Navitas Petroleum and executives over drilling in the Falklands, escalating Milei’s sovereignty push. Ecuador Violence Displacement: Reuters reports gang fighting in Ecuador has driven more than 300,000 people from their homes, with residents in Guayaquil describing bullets hitting rooftops and homes being stripped or used to hide victims. Colombia Business Move: Regenerative Medical Technology Group’s Cellgenic division has started local commercial arrangements in Colombia, including physician and provider relationship-building, while noting regulatory steps remain. Copper Supply Watch: U.S. imports of DRC copper cathode hit a July record, with tariff fears and supply shifts keeping copper prices near highs. Labor Tension in Hospitality: Hilton workers in Trinidad are raising severance clarity concerns after a town hall with management. Tech Deal: SalesCloser and Tendril signed a collaboration to blend autonomous AI sales agents with human-assisted outbound dialing.

Commodities Watch: Cocoa prices keep climbing for a sixth straight month as El Niño-linked weather risks and West Africa harvest worries fade, while broader ag markets rise on geopolitical grain-shipment fears, with wheat up sharply and sugar jumping on higher oil-linked ethanol demand. Inflation Update: Colombia’s August inflation ticked up to 0.39% for the month, lifting annual inflation to 6.24%, keeping pressure on the central bank’s 3% target as the new De la Espriella government faces fiscal strain. Oil & Energy: China’s crude demand appears to have snapped back, pushing Shanghai prices above $100 and tightening competition for supplies across Latin America; meanwhile, Eni is expanding in Uruguay with stakes in offshore OFF-5 and OFF-6, and GeoPark is betting big on Venezuela’s Bare heavy-oil block under a long-term PDVSA contract. Politics & Markets: UBS says Brazil’s October runoff is “extremely close,” with Bolsonaro and Lula statistically tied, a key swing for rates, inflation, and fiscal expectations. US-LatAm Diplomacy: Secretary of State Marco Rubio kicks off a three-country South America tour to deepen cooperation on narcoterrorism and trade with Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Aviation Safety: An Amazon cargo jet crash at Miami killed five and left investigators scrambling as the airport resumed operations at reduced capacity.

Diplomacy & Security: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio kicks off a Sept. 8-10 South America tour to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, aiming to deepen security pacts against organized crime and expand trade and investment, while coordinating U.S. disaster-relief support after a recent earthquake in Colombia. AI Infrastructure: Reuters reports hyperscalers and energy developers are courting mega data-center projects in Argentina’s Patagonia, betting on cool temperatures, renewables and shale gas; initial deals are targeted for later this year. Climate Risk to Food & Power: The UN warns a “supersized” El Niño could persist into Feb. 2027, raising the odds of floods, drought and extreme heat across Latin America and beyond, with knock-on effects for commodities like cocoa and coffee and for hydropower and other energy sources. Energy & Capital Flows in Paraguay: A new study using Central Bank of Paraguay and FLAR data says foreign direct investment is broadening beyond finance, led by real estate, trade, transport and telecoms. Tech for Payments: SQRIL says it’s expanding scan-and-pay QR payments for banks and neobanks across Asia, Africa and Latin America, enabling cross-border payouts in local fiat.

Panama Infrastructure Push: Tocumen International Airport will invest $306.75M in two projects—$208.75M to expand Terminal 2 (South Pier) and $98M to modernize runways, taxiways and platforms—aiming to boost capacity and strengthen Panama’s role as a Latin America air hub. Cross-Border Payments: The ECB and Banco Central do Brasil are exploring a link between Europe’s TIPS and Brazil’s Pix to enable faster real-time payments across the Atlantic, with a possible pilot as soon as 2028. Mexico Politics & Elections: Morena leaders are urging internal unity ahead of 2027 midterms, targeting governorships, local congresses and mayoralties across 30 entities. Colombia Energy Shift: Colombia is moving to reverse its fracking ban and eye about $4B in new oil investment as a new political cycle opens the door for fossil-fuel expansion. Venezuela Oil Tensions: US Energy Secretary Chris Wright denied the Trump administration is “stealing” Venezuela’s oil, framing the deal as a partnership that increases royalties and taxes for Caracas. Regional Minerals Race: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru signed a South American lithium alliance to position the region as a reliable supplier for the energy transition amid US-China competition. Business & Culture: A Colombian plantain-focused restaurant operator opened a second Utah location, betting on a Latin staple to stand out in the US food market.