Your Daily Latin America Briefing

IMF Cuts Latin America Growth to 2.3% — How This May Impact Diaspora Families

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reaffirmed its lowered 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean at 2.3%, a figure that masks steeper cuts for major economies like Brazil, revised down to 2.2%, and Argentina, slashed from 3.5% to 2.1%. Bolivia is notably the only South American economy projected to contract in 2026, at -3.0%. This decelerating growth is expected to tighten job markets and diminish remittance purchasing power for immigrant communities in the United States.

  LatintimesAljazeeraAP News

• UPDATE: Brazil's presidential election is heading to a runoff on October 25, after neither Senator Flávio Bolsonaro nor incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured an outright majority in the first round. Bolsonaro garnered 47% of the vote to Lula's 45%, with the right-wing and the Bolsonaro family making significant advances in legislative elections.

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• UPDATE: The death toll from Hurricane Simon and the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel has risen to six across Mexico's Pacific coast as of Tuesday, October 13. Five fatalities occurred in Ensenada, Baja California, due to flooding from Rachel's remnants, while one person died in Guerrero from Hurricane Simon. Simon, which had weakened, was again nearing major hurricane strength on Tuesday night.

  Washington PostTelesurenglishKhou

• An Interpol-led "Operation Madre Tierra VIII" conducted in June and July across nine Latin American and Caribbean countries resulted in 233 arrests and the recovery of over 1,000 animals. Investigators uncovered "industrial-scale" illegal timber and wildlife trafficking networks, with many products destined for European and Asian markets.

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• In a concerning public health development, Cuba's growing illegal gold mining industry in the eastern part of the country is reportedly triggering a mercury poisoning alert. Doctors are observing cases of acute kidney failure, neurological disorders, and suspected mercury poisoning among young adults driven to gold extraction by economic desperation.

  Latintimes