Democracy and societyThe return of the iron fist? Colombia is not just electing a president. The country faces a choice between authoritarian repression and political integration By Oliver Üllenberg
Democracy and societyCircus of the macabre In the upcoming elections, Peru must choose between the left and the right. Yet the real winner remains a system that breeds corruption and chaos By Sandra Weiss
Foreign and security policyThe rise of the in-between In a polarised world, Europe and Latin America risk being sidelined unless they turn shared interests into concrete cooperation By Ingrid Ross, Sebastian Sperling
Democracy and societyCuba has its back against the wall As fuel runs dry in Havana, Trump’s blockade risks humanitarian disaster and a dangerous new normal By Bert Hoffmann
Democracy and societyCosta Rica is not an outlier, but a warning sign Yesterday’s election marks the start of an authoritarian transformation, legitimised by a democratic mandate By Daniel Mann
Democracy and societyDemocracy can’t be imported Intervention can force change at the top, but it cannot deliver democracy. In Venezuela, the decisive struggle is between internal power blocs By Anika Oettler, Stefan Peters, Jonas Wolff
Economy and ecologyStrength in partnership The EU–Mercosur deal is more than a trade agreement. It is a commitment to rules-based cooperation in an increasingly unstable world By Bernd Lange
Foreign and security policyThe show must go on The absence of the president and the first lady shows that Venezuela is not a one-man dictatorship and never has been By Anja Dargatz
Democracy and societyFear over vision José Antonio Kast sweeps to victory, riding a wave of frustration and deep distrust toward the ruling left By Cäcilie Schildberg
Foreign and security policyReturn of the gunboats Trump’s mix of military muscle and tariff pressure signals a bid to fold Latin America back into a compliant US ‘backyard’ By Herbert Wulf
Less hype, more power? In an age of AI anxiety, Europe’s obsession with rules may become a rare strategic advantage
The illusion of quick fixes Ukraine is back on the G7 agenda as US policy stumbles in Iran and Kyiv proves resilient
A moderate Trump? Trump’s pragmatism is purely tactical. His only goal is to win this year’s elections — posing a real threat to US democracy