Vanessa Buschschlüter

At least 23 people, including two children, were killed and five injured when a minibus and a lorry collided head-on on the BR-373 highway in Paraná, southern Brazil. The minibus was reportedly carrying patients and relatives to medical appointments, and the lorry driver was among those killed. Authorities are investigating the cause, while the highway was closed for nearly seven hours for forensic examination. The crash highlights Brazil's continuing road-safety problem, with more than 34,000 traffic deaths recorded in 2023.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed Petrobras's discovery of oil about 175km off the Amazon coast, calling it a potential passport to the country's future. The field's size and commercial viability remain unknown, while conservationists warn that an oil spill could damage biodiverse reefs, wetlands and coastal wildlife. Lula defended the exploration as an issue of national sovereignty and argued that oil revenues could help finance Brazil's transition to renewable energy, despite his stated commitment to phasing out fossil fuels. The discovery has also raised hopes of jobs and economic growth in Oiapoque, while creating a political challenge ahead of Brazil's presidential election.

Daniela Largo, 32, was rescued alive from beneath a collapsed building in Pereira 36 hours after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia. Firefighters and national emergency teams spent 10 hours digging two tunnels through concrete slabs, supplying her with oxygen before freeing her. The quake has killed at least 265 people, left 496 missing and caused extensive damage, with Pereira and Cali among the worst-hit cities. Rescue operations continue as dozens remain trapped or missing, while authorities impose security measures to protect emergency workers.

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia's Chocó department on 10 August 2026, killing at least 132 people and injuring more than 480. Pereira, Cali, Manizales and surrounding areas suffered extensive damage, including collapsed buildings, damaged airports and more than 1,500 affected homes, while rescue teams searched for people believed trapped under the rubble. President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster emergency, and the United States, European Union and El Salvador offered assistance. The earthquake was felt across much of Colombia and in neighboring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.

Colombian security forces killed Hernando Forero Mosquera, known as “El ruso” and suspected of leading the dissident rebel faction Frente 28, along with five other alleged armed-group members. Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella praised the operation and pledged a forceful campaign against narco-trafficking and illegal armed groups, contrasting it with former President Gustavo Petro’s failed “total peace” negotiations. The crackdown followed bomb attacks in Cauca and Cesar, while the United States announced plans for $1bn in security assistance and Colombia’s inclusion in the Shield of the Americas alliance.

Nicaragua's government-controlled National Assembly is considering legislation that would bar opposition parties from participating in elections, with a vote expected in early August. The proposal follows President Daniel Ortega's declaration that the opposition should no longer be allowed to seek power. UN rights chief Volker Türk and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the move, while Assembly leader Gustavo Porras defended efforts to prevent the opposition from gaining a foothold. The plans follow years of arrests, exile and disqualification of opponents, a disputed 2021 election, and constitutional reforms that strengthened Ortega's hold on power and made his wife, Rosario Murillo, co-president. Exiled opposition figures say the measures could turn Nicaragua into a one-party state.

Gunmen disguised as police officers killed David Macías, a regional leader of the Los Choneros gang and brother of drug lord Adolfo “Fito” Macías, during an attack on a rented home in Olón on Ecuador’s coast. The attackers escaped and no arrests have been made. Authorities link the killing to ongoing internal and external power struggles among criminal groups. The incident follows recent arrests of key Los Choneros figures, including Adolfo’s extradition to the United States and the detention of another brother, Javier, in Colombia, further destabilizing the gang.

Mexico plans to file criminal complaints in the US over the deaths of 17 Mexican nationals linked to ICE custody and operations, following the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. Mexican officials, directed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, aim to treat these deaths as criminal cases and also pursue civil actions against companies managing detention centres. The incident has prompted protests and calls from Democratic lawmakers for an independent investigation, as they question ICE’s use of deadly force and highlight previous similar cases.

Mexico plans to file criminal complaints in the United States over the deaths of Mexican nationals in ICE custody and during arrest operations, following the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. The government, directed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, seeks criminal investigations into the deaths of 14 Mexicans in detention and three others killed during enforcement activities, and intends to pursue civil cases against companies operating US detention centers. The shooting of Salgado has prompted protests and calls from US lawmakers for an independent inquiry, while the Department of Homeland Security maintains the incident was an act of self‑defence.

Rescue teams from Venezuela and six other countries freed Hernán Gil eight days after two major earthquakes caused a shopping center in Catia La Mar to collapse. Gil survived under 140 tons of rubble, protected by a small concrete shelter, and remained responsive as teams provided water and medical support through small openings. Repeated collapses hampered access tunnels, making the operation one of the most technically difficult faced by responders. International rescue workers described Gil as stable, cooperative and in surprisingly good condition despite the circumstances, underscoring both the scale of the disaster and the extraordinary difficulty of locating survivors.