The Latin American Pulse · Monday, June 22, 2026 · The 60-second read
The bottom line
Colombia swung right. Voters narrowly chose the combative pro-business lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella over the leftist Iván Cepeda, ending four years of Gustavo Petro’s government and confirming a regional tilt toward the market-friendly right.
Bolivia reached for the army. President Rodrigo Paz declared a 90-day state of emergency and sent troops to clear road blockades, a stark bet that visible force can steady a cracking economy and a restless street.
Cuba bowed to reality. Havana approved its biggest economic overhaul since the revolution, an admission that the old model can no longer keep the lights on as blackouts and shortages deepen.
