Friday Reading List - 30 October 2026
Friday Reading List - 30 October 2026
Decades ago, science fiction warned us that humans can’t help but subtly adapt our language use over time to the coded preferences of AI natural language models. For example: “Tea, Earl Grey, hot.”
Good morning from Vienna, VA.
This week’s articles and newsletters
World Politics Review - How Brazil’s Lula Pulled Off a Stunning Upset
Monday - Flavio and Delcy have a bad day
Tuesday - Mapping the region’s ideological landscape - Four years later, have a map.
Thursday - Flavio Bolsonaro’s plane connects to scandals in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and the US - Warning: lots of names and details ahead.
I publish a free newsletter every Tuesday and a list of links every Friday. Paid subscribers also receive a Wednesday newsletter on US policy in Latin America and a Thursday deep dive on regional politics.
Thanks to everyone who subscribes and supports this newsletter. It’s $9 per month or $90 per year for individuals and $350 per year for institutions.
Reading List
Council on Foreign Relations - What Is the Future of American Strategy in the Western Hemisphere? - Five essays
New York Times - U.S. Pressures Mexico to Deliver a Security Win Ahead of Midterm Elections
Reuters - Head of Mexico’s Electoral Authority Resigns Amid Corruption Allegations
Mexico Political Economist - How Morena’s Supermajority Ends
The Guardian - Flávio Bolsonaro’s Defeat Is a Major Blow to Trump and His Orange Wave
Bloomberg - Lula’s Winning Political Instincts Raise Brazil’s Financial Risk
Bloomberg - Brazil Exposed the Deficiencies of Prediction Markets - I think the key thesis of this article is at least partially wrong, but there is some good data within.
Wall Street Journal - How Bolsonaro Fled Brazil: Decoys, a Private Jet and a Friend in the White House
Brazilian Report - PDF President - Great coverage all campaign from this site. I’m a subscriber.
Bloomberg - Private Jet Firm Used by Bolsonaro Had Sparked Scandal for Milei
Bloomberg - Lula Forced Into Tricky Top Court Reform by Unrestrained Judge
InSight Crime - Gangs, Fintechs, and the Amazon: The Crime Agenda Awaiting Lula’s Fourth Term
Amado Mundo - A fuga de Flávio Bolsonaro e o atalho a Tarcísio de Freitas
Atlantic Council - What Lula’s Comeback Win Means for Brazil and Beyond
Responsible Statecraft - Despite Trump’s ‘Shield’ Right-Wing Govts Line Up to Congratulate Lula
New York Times - Under U.S. Watch, Venezuela Grapples With Tensions Over Democracy
New York Times - Venezuelan Opposition Leader’s Return Tests Limits of U.S. Sway
Wall Street Journal - Venezuela’s Shrimp King Wanted His $700 Million Firm Back. Now He’s in Jail.
Caracas Chronicles - The Child Miners of Venezuela
La Silla Vacía - El gerente de campaña endeudado que prestó $767 millones a De la Espriella
Bloomberg - Bolivia’s Economic Shock Therapy Cheers Investors, Angers Voters
Reuters - As Criminal Networks Spread in Latin America, Quito Is New Battleground
InSight Crime - From Criminal Federation to Gang Wars: Rasquiña’s Legacy
Washington Post - Peru’s Fujimori Becomes Latest Latin American Leader to Visit Notorious Salvadoran Prison CECOT
El Mostrador - Enade: Kast y Quiroz juegan de local, sacan aplausos y les pasan la pelota a los empresarios
Americas Quarterly - What Argentina Needs to Fulfill Its AI Ambitions
Atlantic Council - Rethinking political risk in Argentina: Why the next election may matter less than investors think - I like the contrarian take that suggests Argentina’s economy (at least the foreign investment in energy and mining part of the economy) may do well even if Milei loses and the Peronists win.
ContraCorriente - Centroamérica: constituciones rotas, guerras narrativas y un periodismo que no apaga la luz
InSight Crime - Highwaymen: How Cargo Theft Gangs Operate in Costa Rica
Foreign Policy - China Takes Its Lawfare to Sea
Reuters - Bukele’s Gang Offensive Goes Abroad as El Salvador Rushes Troops to Haiti
Miami Herald - El Salvador Continues to Deploy Soldiers, Equipment to Haiti as Gangs Threaten Violence
WarFronts - El Salvador Has Invaded Haiti. Here’s What You Need to Know.
CNN - Haiti Hired US Mercenaries to Fight Its Gangs. Here’s How It’s Going
Haitian Times - Haiti Postpones Elections Until July 2027, Continuing Decade-Long Delay Without Vote
The Atlantic - The Collapse of Cuba
14ymedio - El régimen cubano pierde 35 apoyos en la ONU respecto a 2025
Bloomberg - Hundreds of Stock Funds Wiped Out in Latin America Market Collapse
Amazon Underworld - Crime Presence in the Amazon 2026
Thanks for reading
Even if I disagree on how exactly everything is categorized, I really like this map. Source is here. Be sure to visit the source.
Have a good weekend!
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