AGP Executive Report

Haiti Humanitarian Push: After a visit to violence-torn Haiti, U.S. Rep. Ami Bera urged Washington to restore Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, citing widespread insecurity, displacement, hunger, and failing services. Chile Governance: President José Antonio Kast submitted constitutional reforms that would let the executive declare a new, more routine “state of emergency,” reshaping Chile’s anti-organized-crime and emergency powers. Venezuela Health Modernization: Delcy Rodríguez marked the 20th anniversary of Caracas’ Dr. Gilberto Rodríguez Ochoa Children’s Cardiology Hospital, backing 2026 plans to modernize equipment and expand pediatric cardiac care. Disaster Response: Colombia’s earthquake affected about 282,000 people, with IOM launching a $30M flash appeal as homes and infrastructure are assessed; Peru’s 6.7 quake in the southern Andes left at least two injured and damaged homes, health centers, and schools. Energy & Investment: Venezuela signed major oil deals in Houston with Hunt Oil and SLB, aiming to expand crude production and reservoir studies under reopened foreign investment rules. Regional Capacity: Jamaica will invest US$50M over 18 months to upgrade rural water and infrastructure, including new systems and repairs.

El Niño Response: The U.S. plans to send the hospital ship USNS Comfort to Peru, expected to arrive off the northern coast in February 2027, as Washington and Lima coordinate equipment and expertise to prepare for worsening El Niño impacts. Climate Warning: Scientists say El Niño is intensifying fast, with sea-surface temperatures about 2.7°C above average and models pointing to a “very strong” event that could drive major hunger risks across Central and South America and the Caribbean. Public Health & Media: Caribbean leaders urged broadcasters not to let AI replace editorial judgment, warning about misinformation and shrinking ad revenue. Animal Welfare: Florida’s Orange County Sheriff’s Office found no criminal act behind dozens of sloth deaths tied to the failed “Sloth World” attraction, highlighting regulatory and care gaps. Energy & Daily Life: Venezuela’s power crisis is worsening, with longer, unpredictable outages blamed partly on El Niño-linked drought and heat. Trade & Diplomacy: China’s Xiamen is boosting links with Africa and Latin America, with trade up sharply in 2026’s first half. Health & Pharma: Knight Therapeutics launched WYNZORA in Canada for psoriasis, expanding its pan-American drug platform.

El Niño & Hurricanes: A new Atlantic forecast trims expected storm counts but still flags higher-than-usual risk for the northern/eastern Gulf Coast and the Carolinas as a “super El Niño” threat grows. Disaster Response: The U.S. will send a military hospital ship to Peru’s Pacific coast in February 2027 to help with El Niño impacts. Earthquake Politics: Colombia’s government faces backlash over delays and politicized aid after a 7.4 quake, with critics saying bureaucracy slowed some foreign rescue teams. Haiti Elections Prep: Japan and the OAS signed a $3M deal to expand Haiti’s biometric ID system, issuing 350,000 cards and updating the electoral registry ahead of elections. Health & Tech: Telefónica is rolling out IoT and real-time tracking for Negratín’s energy construction projects in rural Colombia. Environment & Coasts: Record sargassum is choking Miami Beach, while researchers explore turning seaweed into a resource. Education & Research: Two Colombian universities placed in the Shanghai ARWU top 1,000, boosting the country’s research visibility.

Ethanol Blend Backlash in Brazil: Social media is inflamed by the forced rollout of E20, with drivers reporting worse fuel economy and fears of long-term damage; the debate hinges on whether the real culprit is the blend itself or fuel contamination, after conflicting claims from industry testing and a withdrawn warning about chlorine contamination. Geothermal Collaboration Push: A new geothermal “frontier” knowledge-sharing platform aims to connect researchers, testing infrastructure, policymakers, and investors to speed next-generation geothermal—especially higher-enthalpy projects—by mapping capabilities and research gaps. Peru Used-Clothing Smuggling Route: A study says Chile is the main entry point for used clothing into South America, with much of it smuggled into Peru via land borders and then redistributed through wholesalers and digital platforms, fueling environmental pollution and an “international criminal chain” involving fraud and corruption. Medical Tech Market Signals: Multiple releases project continued growth across neurology and urology devices (from neural implants to nephrostomy and monitoring tools), alongside diagnostics and non-invasive care—mostly driven by rising chronic disease and demand for faster, less invasive treatment. Corporate Moves in Rare Earths & AI Inspections: American Rare Earths appoints Nick Lissolo as Chief Commercial Officer to drive Nasdaq and U.S. investor relations, while Project Aidra’s AI inspection platform is adopted by Servus to cut facility assessment reporting from weeks to about a day.

Diaspora Diplomacy: Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko are visiting Paraguay to mark 90 years of Japanese immigration and strengthen ties with the roughly 10,000-strong Japanese-descended community. Regional Rights Pressure: Latin American and Caribbean governments are meeting in Montevideo for a UN population conference as Amnesty warns of a rollback of women’s and girls’ protections, urging full implementation of the Montevideo Consensus. Climate & Health: Hawaiʻi health officials reported a new travel-related dengue case on Oʻahu, while St. Kitts and Nevis rolled out 250 ceiling fans to cool government primary classrooms amid rising heat. Ocean & Environment: A U.S. legal challenge targets plans to auction seabed areas around American Samoa for deep-sea mining, with plaintiffs arguing habitat and endangered-species protections weren’t properly addressed. Blue Economy Jobs: Trinidad and Tobago launched a Blue Economy Youth Empowerment Project to train hundreds of young people for fisheries, aquaculture and maritime work. Disaster Response: Shakira visited Colombia’s quake-hit Chocó to announce relief and school reconstruction efforts with her foundation.

Colombia Earthquake Fallout: Colombia’s government is facing backlash after a 7.4 quake, with reports that housing minister Jaime Beltrán was seen relaxing on a Caribbean beach while thousands remain homeless, and criticism also targets earlier aid optics like handing out soccer balls in Buenaventura. Disaster Response & Diplomacy: The UAE highlighted its long-running humanitarian role, citing rapid earthquake relief efforts across Colombia and Venezuela. Climate & Food Risks: Forecasters warn a strengthening El Niño could become “very strong” in 2026-27, raising heat and rainfall disruption risks that could hit tropical crops, including cocoa. Water & Coastal Health: Miami-Dade is battling worsening sargassum beach washups, removing thousands of tons and trying to protect sea turtle nests during cleanup. Renewables Finance (Argentina): FinDev Canada and Germany’s DEG backed MSU Green Energy’s expanded green bond, supporting solar and battery storage projects in Argentina. Cybersecurity (Latin America link): Nigeria’s Digital Encode launched DEPAS AI to counter AI-driven cybercrime, with Latin America cited among affected regions.

Climate & Agriculture: Venezuela’s CONFEAGRO says its “Let’s Go with Sorghum” push is expanding sorghum planting in drought-hit Guárico and aims to eventually restore far more area nationwide, positioning the crop as a heat- and water-stress alternative to corn. Animal Health & Trade: U.S. senators urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to restore funding to protect U.S. livestock from New World Screwworm, warning the pest is already confirmed in dozens of U.S. cases and could hit Texas cattle alone at massive cost. Public Health & Water Security: Trinidad and Tobago faces worsening water-supply strain as rainfall patterns shift and droughts intensify, with experts calling for long-term resilience planning. Governance & Civil Society: Jamaica’s proposed Non-Profit Organisations Act is under debate as experts say it must meet anti–money laundering standards without choking civic space. Energy Transition: Chile’s Verano Energy selected Sungrow for a 152 MW / 606 MWh battery storage system for the Observatorio solar-plus-storage project. Health Research: A new study finds men’s higher tuberculosis rates are driven more by higher infection risk than by faster progression after infection. Disaster & Weather: Hurricane Lala’s record-shattering Pacific impacts and a hostile Atlantic linked to El Niño are reshaping near-term storm expectations.

Measles Alert: Barbados urged to tighten defenses as the Americas face their worst measles outbreak in over two decades, with PAHO calling for stronger vaccination drives and surveillance. Public Health: New Jersey confirmed its first Zika case since 2020, stressing it was travel-associated and keeping local risk “extremely low.” Climate & Food Risks: El Niño is forecast to raise heat, drought and cyclone risks across the region, with warnings for Latin America’s crops and water supplies. Disaster Response: Colombia’s earthquake recovery faces scrutiny as rescue teams race to find survivors and the death toll climbs. Energy Infrastructure: Brazil’s Belo Monte UHVDC Phase II project is hailed as a “green artery” for transmitting clean power from the Amazon to the southeast. Health Research: Trials report survival gains for MET-driven EGFR-mutated lung cancer using TAGRISSO plus savolitinib. Trade & Ports: Turkey’s Yilport deal to modernize El Salvador’s Acajutla and La Union ports signals deeper logistics investment into Latin America.

Earthquake Response & Trade: Colombia’s newly elected President Abelardo de la Espriella asked U.S. President Donald Trump to temporarily suspend high tariffs to ease business pain after the 7.4 quake killed at least 289 people, with the U.S. already pledging $26.5 million in emergency aid. Disaster Accountability: A viral incident from Medellín shows an executive allegedly threatening staff not to evacuate during the quake, drawing condemnation from occupational health specialists and unions. Climate & Fisheries: NASA flagged a drop in phytoplankton in the eastern Pacific tied to El Niño, warning of knock-on effects for marine life and fishing; NOAA says El Niño has a 97% chance to persist into early 2027. HIV Funding Pressure: At AIDS 2026 in Rio, leaders pushed “innovation without access is injustice” as global funding gaps threaten progress against HIV/AIDS. Gender in Chile: Chile’s cabinet fell to 36.4% women after reshuffles, with critics saying progress is being weakened. Biodiversity & Heritage: LiDAR research in Brazil’s Acre suggests the Aquiry civilization supported far larger populations than previously thought, with thousands of ceremonial earthworks.

Climate Outlook: El Niño and La Niña forecasts are shaping expectations for wetter and stormier conditions in parts of the U.S., while other regions face drought risk, with NOAA and climate institutes warning Latin America’s food and trade networks could feel the impact. Water Stress: Puerto Rico has started rotating 48-hour water shutoffs for about 180,000 properties as the Carraízo reservoir nears depletion, underscoring how drought and aging infrastructure collide. Biodiversity & Conservation: Florida sea turtle nesting hit record levels, but experts warn recent U.S. moves to weaken the Endangered Species Act could slow recovery. Health & Policy: New UK guidance could limit automatic PSA testing for men over 50 without symptoms, a reminder of how screening rules can shift outcomes. Regional Development: OECS unveiled a regional child policy and strategic plan for 2026–2032 with UNICEF support, aiming to protect children across the subregion. Energy & Investment: Peter Thiel bought a 1% stake in Argentina’s Vista Energy tied to the Vaca Muerta shale boom, while Argentina’s EV market share continues to climb as Chinese brands expand. Environment & Community: In Guatemala, rural Indigenous communities are tackling plastic waste and health risks through locally led cleanups and research-backed workshops.

Haiti Stability Push: An OAS-led high-level delegation headed by Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin is set to visit Haiti Aug. 16-19 with CARICOM, PAHO, the World Bank, IDB and others to back governance, elections, humanitarian needs and longer-term development. Bolivia Security Crackdown: In La Paz, President Rodrigo Paz’s government used a 90-day state of exception after weeks of protests, with rights monitors alleging excessive force and links to extremist groups. El Niño Watch: NASA and WMO say El Niño is already shifting Pacific conditions and is likely to become very strong by late 2026, raising risks for rainfall, fisheries and food supplies across Latin America. Colombia Earthquake Response: Rescue teams reported possible signs of life under rubble in Pereira and Cali as the 7.4 quake death toll climbed, while search efforts extended into the weekend. Panama-Darien Crime Fight: Panama says it is targeting an illicit gold-mining network tied to Clan del Golfo, after operations captured dozens near the Mangle River. Health Systems Upgrade (Caribbean): St. Kitts and Nevis deployed a National Digital Health Information System at JNF General Hospital to modernize records and patient-centered care. Food Security Alarm: JPMorgan warns the next global food crisis may be forming, with “Five Ws” (war, weather, warehousing, water, waste) and a potentially historic El Niño keeping inflation pressure into 2027. Venezuela Gold Dispute: Venezuela’s government and opposition say they’re working to recover about $4bn in gold bullion held in the Bank of England for reconstruction and sanctions relief. Mexico Sargassum Surge: Mexico is racing to clear record sargassum levels along the Caribbean coast, with Quintana Roo already collecting over 105,000 tons this year.

Colombia Earthquake Response: Colombia’s 7.4 quake death toll has climbed past 270, with hundreds injured and dozens still missing, as authorities face fresh scrutiny after declining foreign rescue offers. Disaster Preparedness Debate: Seismologists stress that short-term earthquake prediction isn’t reliable, even as the tragedy revives calls for better warning systems. Human Impact on the Ground: A Bermudian doctor helping set up a clinic in Ibague described the shaking as lasting less than a minute but feeling endless, highlighting the anxiety that follows aftershocks. Eastern Caribbean Social Policy: The OECS, with UNICEF support, launched a regional child policy and strategic plan for 2026–2032 aimed at protecting children through a whole-of-the-child approach. Education Digital Push: The OECS Skills and Innovation Project (SKIP) marked a milestone toward a regional post-secondary education tech ecosystem, including a virtual campus and education management system. Caribbean Water Crisis: Puerto Rico’s drought has triggered rationing amid aging infrastructure, while experts argue rainwater harvesting could have reduced the impact. Caribbean Court of Justice: The CCJ president rejected “panel fixing” claims amid reported internal tensions, defending the court’s independence.

Kidney Transplant Hope in Puerto Rico: A Puerto Rican veteran received a call for a kidney transplant in May 2026, only for the donor organ to be deemed non-viable on the way to Iowa—another reminder of how fragile access to life-saving care can be. Tropics Watch: Southwest Florida’s storm risk eased as the Hurricane Center downgraded development chances for two Atlantic disturbances to “code yellow,” though monitoring continues. Cuba at 100: Cuba marked Fidel Castro’s centennial with top leadership attending events and reaffirming revolutionary legacy. Cuba Sanctions Pressure: UN-linked reporting says sanctions “chill” is blocking aid flows to Cuba, keeping the country under strain. Caribbean Climate Resilience: OECS and New Zealand wrapped a climate-resilience school project in Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, strengthening disaster-ready education. Sargassum Crisis in Mexico: Mexico’s Caribbean coast is clearing record sargassum volumes—over 105,000 tons so far this year—with another difficult season possible. El Niño Forecast: NOAA says El Niño is likely to become a historic event, with knock-on effects for hurricane patterns and regional flood risk. Colombia Cartel Crackdown: Colombia is joining the U.S.-backed “Shield of the Americas” anti-cartel coalition, signaling deeper military cooperation. Nubank Growth: Brazil’s Nubank reported first-ever quarterly income above $1 billion, pushing expansion plans including a U.S. bank.

USMCA Trade Talks: Mexico is pressing the U.S. for a discount on a 25% auto tariff and more flexibility on steel duties as negotiations enter a tighter, sector-by-sector phase. Disaster Response & Gender Risks: After Venezuela’s double earthquakes, advocates warn that lack of gender-disaggregated data is leaving women and girls exposed, including gaps in maternal health and sexual and reproductive care. Climate Shock for the Amazon: Reports say El Niño could peak during the Amazon’s most vulnerable dry months, raising drought and fire risks that could ripple into food and climate stability. Regional Environment Diplomacy: Belize is hosting CCAD’s 75th Council of Ministers, coordinating Central American climate and environmental priorities under its CCAD pro tempore chairmanship. Food Safety & Health Debate: A Mexico-linked cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to contaminated lettuce is back in focus, while commentary continues on the health tradeoffs of artificial sweeteners. Earthquake Aftermath: Colombia’s quake recovery remains urgent as search efforts continue and casualties climb.

El Niño Watch: NOAA says El Niño is strengthening fast, with a 69% chance it becomes the strongest since 1950—raising flood and drought risks across the region, including warnings about when rains hit, not just how much. Caribbean Governance & Finance: CARICOM education ministers meet in Guyana to focus on skills, assessments and teacher development, while the CDB and World Bank review Grenada projects to improve delivery on water, health, education and climate resilience. Cuba at 100: Cuba marks Fidel Castro’s centenary amid a deepening squeeze, with supporters highlighting his legacy and critics pointing to the crisis. Argentina Immigration & Health: Argentina ends free routine care for non-resident foreigners in public hospitals and expands measures targeting migrants who incite hate. U.S. Navy Strain: Reports of worsening conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln—food, sanitation and mental health—spark lawmakers’ demands for accountability as the ship heads toward the Middle East. Mexico Cruise Costs: Mexico doubles a “no-resident duty” cruise fee for foreigners, with further increases planned.

El Niño Watch: Latin America is bracing for what experts call a potentially record-strong El Niño, with heavier rain likely in the south but higher drought risk in the north—raising alarms for crops, energy and trade routes as the pattern strengthens from September. Disaster Response: Colombia’s deadly 7.4 earthquake has killed at least 265 people, with nearly 500 missing; international search teams are working alongside local authorities as the new president declares a national emergency and deploys security to prevent looting. AI Governance: A Sensedia–Squadra–MIT Sloan study finds 74% of companies face unexpected AI costs and governance risks, shifting the focus from pilots to scaling with better data access and risk controls. Caribbean Connectivity: CAN’T0 says telecom growth across the Caribbean needs more regional integration, harmonized rules and sustained investment to keep up with digital demand. Cuba at 100: Cuba marks Fidel Castro’s centenary amid a worsening economic squeeze tied to U.S. pressure, with supporters highlighting internationalism while critics point to the system behind today’s crisis. Marine Conservation: Bahamas non-profits can apply for up to $50,000 in marine grants after training in grant writing and monitoring.