LatAm Expat & Nomad Daily Guide for Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Your Tuesday LatAm guide: Hurricane Trudy ends offshore, Colombia's visa deadline, Brazil's runoff and today's exchange rates.
Brazil
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Lula Campaign Says Meta Defies Court Order
Lula's campaign told Brazil's electoral court Meta is not obeying its order to treat both runoff campaigns equally; Meta denies bias.
US Visa Limits Brazilians to 3 Date Changes
Since 29 September, Brazil's US visa system allows only three interview cancellations or reschedulings per appointment. After that, the date is locked.
Namibia Court Voids Antibiotic Rejection
Namibia's High Court set aside the medicines regulator's rejection of 140,000 antibiotic vials on 15 October after a settlement, with no order on costs.
Mozambique Ends Minibus Fuel Subsidy
Mozambique has ended three months of fuel aid for Maputo's minibuses. Operators want higher fares from 1 November, and talks with the government continue.
M-Pesa Business Payments Up to US$3.85 Free
Safaricom made M-Pesa payments of up to US$3.85 to business tills free in August. A separate Pochi offer for small sellers runs to 31 October 2026.
OPEC Fund Eyes Uganda Railway Loan Approval
OPEC Fund staff began appraising a €150 million loan (US$168 million) for Uganda's railway on 19 October, targeting board approval by 30 November.
Ethiopia May Gain Voice in IMF Quota Reform
The IMF is exploring a new quota formula that could raise Ethiopia's share. Developing-country group G-24 wants the poorest members protected.
Alcatrazes Archipelago Reborn Ten Years After Becoming a Conservation Unit on Brazil's Coast
The Alcatrazes Archipelago is showing clear signs of environmental recovery ten years after a decree signed in 2016 by then-Brazilian President Michel Temer (MDB) transformed the region on the northern coast of S�o Paulo, in the country's Southeast, into a federal conservation unit. Leia mais (10/19/2026 - 18h23)
Political War on Social Media Fuels Deliberately Set Fires in the Amazon, Brazilian Environmental Agency Says
Ibama (Brazilian Institute of the Environment) President Jair Schmitt says accusations traded on social media over responsibility for fighting fires in the Amazon are inciting people to set fire to the forest for ideological reasons. Leia mais (10/19/2026 - 18h19)
Amazonas Police Arrest 11 People Suspected of Involvement in Fires
The Amazonas Military Police arrested 11 people on suspicion of involvement in fires in the state. The arrests took place on Saturday (17) in the municipality of Autazes (267 km from Manaus), according to Governor Roberto Cidade (Uni�o). Leia mais (10/19/2026 - 12h44)
Number of Juvenile Offenders in Detention Falls by Half in Ten Years in Brazil
The number of adolescents held in closed juvenile detention facilities has fallen by more than half over the past ten years in Brazil. The debate over lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 gained momentum last week, with the Lula (PT) administration publicly embracing the idea on the eve of the…
In Tense Debate, Lula Defends Economic Legacy, While Fl�vio Cites Debt and Corruption
In the first presidential debate of the runoff, President Luiz In�cio Lula da Silva (PT) defended his economic legacy, while Senator Fl�vio Bolsonaro (PL) spoke about rising food prices and debt. Leia mais (10/19/2026 - 09h28)
Datafolha: Fl�vio Bolsonaro Has 51% and Lula 49% of Valid Votes, a Technical Tie
Ten days before the runoff, Fl�vio Bolsonaro (PL) has 51% of valid votes, compared with 49% for Lula (PT), according to Datafolha. The result is a technical tie, within the two-percentage-point margin of error. Last week, the senator had 52% and the PT candidate 48%. In total votes, Fl�vio has 47% and Lula 45%…
Australia's BRE Pays $1 for Rare Earth Assets Worth $12 Million, and Brazilians Take Case to Court
Australian mining company Brazilian Rare Earths (BRE) is facing a multimillion-dollar legal dispute with the former owners of rare earth mining rights in Bahia, in northeastern Brazil. They accuse the company of using a contractual clause to buy back, for one Australian dollar, 4 million shares that were worth R$61.6…
Brazilian Senate Approves Constitutional Amendment Ending 6x1 Work Schedule, Giving Lula a Victory 11 Days Before Election
The Senate approved on Wednesday (14), in two rounds of voting, the proposed constitutional amendment (PEC) ending the 6x1 work schedule, an important victory for the Lula (PT) administration 11 days before the election. The proposal received 75 votes in favor in both rounds, and only Hamilton Mour�o…