AGP Executive Report

Amazon Archaeology: A Nature study using LiDAR mapped hundreds of monumental earthworks in Brazil’s Acre, pointing to the Aquiry civilisation and a major precolonial Amazon hub. Immigration Shock in the Caribbean Diaspora: In South Florida, Haitians are pulling back after a federal judge said Temporary Protected Status for 300,000+ Haitians is over, leaving many in limbo. Food Systems & Finance: A new policy brief says 16 development banks directed about $13B to industrial animal agriculture (2020–2024), raising questions about whether climate and poverty goals match funding. Caribbean Tech for Disaster Response: Airbnb.org says it has used 1,000+ nights of emergency housing in Jamaica since 2020, and is expanding access with CDEMA. Public Health Infrastructure: Saint Lucia launched a National Cancer Registry with CARPHA, IARC and PAHO to improve surveillance and cancer planning. Regional Markets: The Caribbean Development Bank approved a $100,000 feasibility study for a single CARICOM regional stock exchange to boost cross-border investment. Health Threat: Mexico and Central America report a surge in flesh-eating screwworm cases, with human infections rising past 2,360. AI & Culture Rights: A Jamaica calypso panel debated whether AI-assisted songwriting should be allowed and who owns generative music.

Ancient DNA Breakthrough: Scientists reported smallpox (variola virus) DNA in 500-year-old Chilean mummies, strengthening the long-held link between European smallpox and devastating Americas outbreaks. Ecosystem Engineering: Leafcutter ants in Central and South America build underground “cities” with fungus farms and massive tunnel networks, reshaping soil and nutrient flows. Public Health & Wildlife: A new look at bird flu’s 2022 spread in Europe highlights how H5N1 can cause mass seabird deaths, including sandwich terns. Regional Industry Boost: Demerara Distillers broke ground on a US$10M expansion in St. Kitts, adding bottling, packaging, warehousing, and a heritage center for Eastern Caribbean markets. STEM Capacity Building: Jamaica’s SRC expanded its rural-focused STEM teacher training, with 83% of participants from rural schools. Tech & AI Governance: A weekly Americas tech roundup flags the Apple vs. OpenAI legal fight and U.S. data-center scrutiny in Texas amid AI growth. Climate Pressure on Food: The UN warned food prices rose in July due to heatwaves, El Niño impacts, and energy-linked supply disruptions.

Colombia Security Reset: Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in in Cali with a hard line on illegal armed groups, and the U.S. says it will back the new government with a $1 billion security assistance package tied to technology, coordinated operations, and expanded coca and interdiction efforts. Israel Economic Reconnect: Colombia’s new administration also announced a bilateral economic commission with Israel, pitching cooperation in trade, innovation, digital tech, and investment after Petro-era ties were severed. Environment Watch: Researchers mapped a vast network of shallow coastal lakes across southern Brazil and Uruguay as potential early-warning systems for climate change, pollution, and ecosystem collapse. Public Health & Wildlife: Honduras completed its first mammal inventory in nearly 30 years, confirming 227 native species and highlighting gaps in conservation data. Agritech/Industry: CNH reported lower profits despite steadier sales, citing pressured farm economics and weaker South America volumes. Space Debris Risk: A SpaceX lunar impact is being used to underscore growing space-junk hazards and the need for better monitoring.

Superbug Risk in Brazil: Scientists warn that Brazil’s commercial wild boars may carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with most sampled animals carrying multi-drug resistant E. coli. Copyright + AI: A U.S. court settlement against Anthropic highlights that training data must be legitimate and traceable, not just “legally acquired” in theory—an important warning for Latin American AI startups. Public Health in Mexico: Reports describe human cases of flesh-eating screwworms in Mexico topping 500, underscoring the need for faster detection and response. Caribbean Marine Education: MarineLab’s Caribbean Teacher Initiative wrapped a workshop week for educators, pushing hands-on marine ecology projects across island schools. Ecuador Fisheries Policy: Ecuador proposes merging its aquaculture and fisheries vice ministry into a larger economic entity, drawing skepticism from the fishing industry. Digital Payments in the Bahamas: Scotiabank finally enables Apple Pay in The Bahamas, a small but meaningful modernization for local banking. Firefighting Aviation (Canada): Coulson Aviation acquired 10 retired C-130 Hercules planes to convert into aerial firefighting tankers for B.C. wildfires. U.S.-Mexico Border Update: A new WOLA brief flags Big Bend wall activity, changes to legal aid for unaccompanied children, and continued deaths in ICE custody.

Space Watch: Scientists are scrambling to confirm a suspected SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket impact on the Moon, using telescope observations and waiting for new images to see if a fresh crater formed. Renewables in Focus: Colombia’s ANLA has granted an environmental license for two photovoltaic parks in Cesar—557.2 MWac total—aimed at expanding the clean energy mix. AI for Students: The U.S.–Latin America Day of Artificial Intelligence launches a video contest for high schoolers, with mentorship and cash prizes, plus a free virtual symposium. Energy Storage Push: GSL Energy unveiled a 125kW/418kWh liquid-cooled battery system for commercial and industrial storage deployments. Climate Signals: A new explainer breaks down how ENSO shifts in the Pacific can reshape rainfall and ocean heat, with knock-on effects for the region. Trade & Tech: China’s July goods trade grew, with high-tech exports like industrial robots and 3D printers surging—plus trade growth that includes Latin America. Fintech Angle (Colombia): A report argues Colombia’s fintech boom could help close the country’s credit and SME financing gap, if policy and access issues are addressed. Partners & Data (LatAm): Everpure named Craig Robertson to lead partner strategy across EMEA and Latin America, targeting growth tied to AI and data management.

Biometric Age-Check Challenge in Brazil: Brazil’s Supreme Court faces its first constitutional challenge to the country’s biometric age verification rule for child online safety, raising the question of whether face, fingerprint, voice or iris scans are proportionate. U.S.-China Huawei Tensions in Argentina: China accused the U.S. of visa threats tied to an Argentina electricity deal involving Huawei, as President Javier Milei tries to keep close ties with Washington while deepening economic links with Beijing. Neurodegeneration Research Boost: A new marmoset genome study maps Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s-related genes and resolves key immune regions, aiming to speed up primate-based disease research. Water Sustainability Science: Researchers mapped “aerial rivers” over South America—persistent sky moisture pathways that can shape rainfall and water supply. Public Health & Safety in the Region: A Santo Domingo seminar brought airport and port disaster-preparedness experts together to improve hurricane response and recovery coordination. Tech for Growth in Latin America: Colombia’s vice president-elect says his team will study El Salvador’s security and prison reforms, including AI and digital public services. Construction Resilience in Canada (with LATAM relevance): A Kelowna project is using fire-resistant magnesium cement and boards, highlighting materials that could matter for disaster-prone regions.

Space & Defense: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 upper stage reportedly crashed into the Moon at ~5,400 km/h, with scientists now hunting for the new crater using post-impact lunar photos. Secure Connectivity: Airbus and Thales will build SpainSat NG-III for encrypted, anti-jamming satellite communications, with coverage spanning the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Health & Research: A new analysis on the 26th AIDS Conference in Rio highlights a once-monthly HIV prevention pill concept (MK-8527/alimatravir), with Latin America trial sites but licensing gaps for some countries. Climate & Nature: A global assessment finds more than half of migratory bird species are declining, driven by habitat loss, hunting and collisions. Mobility & Cities: Bogotá’s cycling push targets gender parity by 2039, aiming to raise women’s share of trips from 28% in 2023. Business & Startups: Mexico’s Rintin raised $6.2M to digitize micro-merchant supply chains, linking small sellers to manufacturers and wholesalers. Energy & Industry: SAIC and GM extended their China JV to 2047, aiming for 30+ EV models by 2030.

EV Milestone: Nissan says a Qashqai e-Power drove 1,980 km on one tank across Colombia, setting a Guinness record for the longest extended-range EV run without refueling. Caribbean Connectivity: Liberty Networks (Flow) and Venezuela’s CANTV will build the Fenix submarine fiber link, connecting Curaçao to Venezuela and boosting capacity with lower latency. Auto Industry in LATAM: GM and SAIC extended their China joint venture to 2047, with GM planning to export Buick and Cadillac models—potentially reshaping supply for Latin American buyers. Health Tech Education: Excite Medical’s DRX9000 non-surgical spinal decompression platform topped 20,000 YouTube subscribers and 7.8M views, pushing conservative spine-care education. Public Health Policy: PAHO warns that AI-driven digital ads for breast-milk substitutes are undermining breastfeeding rates across Latin America and the Caribbean. Regional Youth Funding: OECS launched a youth small-grants program with UNICEF support, offering 14 grants of $5,000 across the Eastern Caribbean. Hurricane Outlook: Colorado State University cut its Atlantic forecast to 7 named systems and says major landfall odds are “well below-average,” while urging preparedness. ESG in Angola: Grand Lakes Veículos (VW) donated a bus to an Angolan football club as part of its ESG push.

AI Jobs Watch: A new World Bank report says high-income countries face the biggest exposure to AI-driven job displacement, with 14.2% of jobs highly amenable to automation versus 4.5% in low- and middle-income economies. Energy Storage in Chile: AES Andes has started commercial operations of the 146 MW/438 MWh Bolero battery storage project alongside its Bolero solar plant, adding flexibility for a more renewable grid. Brazil Biofuels Push: A Mubadala-backed Brazil venture is racing to commercialize macauba oil for sustainable aviation fuel, aiming for first output around 2030. Caribbean Power Crisis: Cuba’s grid failures are worsening, with prolonged blackouts tied to underinvestment, aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and sanctions. Space Tech Shock: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 upper-stage debris is reported to have crashed into the Moon at about 5,400 mph, with telescopes expected to track the impact. Regional Tech Diplomacy: Nigeria’s NTAC says it has deployed 10,000+ professionals to 40+ countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, boosting skills transfer and soft-power ties.

Lunar Science & Space Safety: A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is set to hit the Moon early Aug. 5 near the Einstein crater, with a plume that could be visible from parts of North and South America—scientists say it’s a rare chance to study impact physics and lunar soil, while lawyers warn about space-debris and “garbage dump” precedents. Caribbean Reef Protection: Florida researchers tested predatory bacteria against endangered Caribbean corals; about 57% of treated fragments showed no bleaching beyond the infection point, pointing to more targeted disease-fighting approaches. Regional Tech & Business: Central American and Dominican business leaders agreed to revive a shared agenda covering investment, education, AI and tech transformation, and monitoring U.S. trade relations. Enterprise AI Funding: HappyRobot raised $150M to expand AI agents for enterprise operations, touting strong customer retention as it scales. Critical Minerals Risk: Moody’s warns Latin America’s critical-minerals boom faces bottlenecks in processing, refining, regulation, and financing—threatening the region’s ability to capture more value. Health Tech Policy: Latin America’s access to HIV prevention shots and broader digital health progress face funding pressure, while age-assurance rules for online harms keep evolving globally.

Air Cargo Watch: IATA reports global air freight up 8.5% year-on-year in June, led by high-value tech shipments; Latin America and the Caribbean rose 3.5% while Africa saw capacity shrink 7.1%, a sign of uneven logistics pressure. Renewables & Storage: Advantage Renewables is buying three early-stage Michigan BESS projects, aiming to boost grid reliability and help integrate renewables. AI Infrastructure Push: Naver and Naver Cloud met Brazil and Chile data-center operators to expand AI cloud and GPU services in Latin America. Energy Transition Funding: IRENA opened a funding call for renewable projects across Central America and the Caribbean, including solar, wind, green hydrogen and even sargassum-linked energy. Hydropower Safety Tech: CESI completed an upgrade to Itaipu Dam monitoring with new MEMS inclinometric sensors and deeper extensometers, feeding real-time digital platforms. Health & Food Tech: A study flags possible false “avocado oil only” claims on some products, while a smallpox-DNA breakthrough from Chilean mummies adds to Americas disease history research. Regional Tech Adoption: A LatAm fleet digitalisation roundup highlights AI/telematics momentum, with Brazil, Mexico and others leading deployments.

AI Career Guidance: Peru’s new AI career coach, Eligiendo Mi Camino, is being used to help students move from school to work with more than generic information, aiming to fix “patchy” career counseling. Education Outcomes in the Caribbean: Barbados is funding education at nearly 5% of GDP, but a new look at results flags major gaps in math proficiency and exam pass rates. Space Science: SpaceX’s abandoned rocket stage is set to crash into the Moon this week, creating a dust plume scientists and stargazers can track. Energy Tech Leadership: Hitachi Energy reshuffles Americas leadership, naming Andy Goggin to steer growth across the U.S. grid and Latin America electrification push. Digital Entertainment: Garena confirms Palworld Online for mobile, with Krafton also building a separate adaptation—two publishers racing for the same player base. Public Health & Policy: A legal debate in the U.S. is testing whether AI chatbot outputs count as protected speech, with new proposals likely to reshape regulation. Mobility in Central America: Southwest announces a new Austin–San José, Costa Rica nonstop route starting March 2027.

Ancient DNA Breakthrough: Scientists report the first molecular confirmation of smallpox in early colonial South America after analyzing naturally mummified bodies from northern Chile, adding a new layer to how the disease spread after European contact. Portable Diagnostics: Israel’s RevDx is showcased as a fast, one-finger-prick blood test that can deliver a complete blood count in about 30 seconds, aiming to cut lab bottlenecks and staffing strain. Health Tech in the Region: UNAIDS and partners say global HIV new infections hit 1.2 million in 2025, with funding pressure—highlighting risks for progress in countries including Brazil. Energy Storage & Solar: Renewco Power wins planning permission for a 31.5 MW solar plus BESS project in the UK, a reminder of how storage is becoming central to clean power buildouts. Biodiversity Alarm: Research warns some South American harlequin frogs are losing their toxic skin defenses, raising concerns for conservation and reintroduction efforts. EV Trade Politics: Chinese EV brands are surging in Argentina under Milei’s tariff-free import quota, even as US officials push for reduced Chinese influence. AI Sales Tools: Wayy.ai raises $2M pre-seed to launch an AI “co-founder” that automates sales outreach for solopreneurs. Space Watch: Astronomers worldwide will track a SpaceX rocket stage crashing into the Moon’s daylight side, turning a disposal event into a live science target. Regional Resilience: CARICOM leaders stress building systems they can control—food, energy, transport, healthcare and AI—to withstand external shocks.

Space & Materials Science: Ecuadorian researchers are testing how “hypergravity” (up to 20g) changes cement paste hardening and microstructure, using ESA’s Large Diameter Centrifuge at ESTEC to build more resilient materials for Moon and other planetary infrastructure. AI Governance: A new World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO) is framed as a more inclusive, development-focused global AI governance platform, with China also pushing UN-led cooperation after Shanghai’s AI conference. Space Safety: A discarded SpaceX rocket upper stage is set to hit the Moon at about 5,400 mph, creating a new crater and underscoring growing space-debris risks. Amazon Forensics: Brazilian scientists used stable isotope “atomic fingerprints” from 800 trees across 63 Amazon sites to help rule out most illegal timber shipments, giving police a harder-to-fake method. Environment & Health: Australia’s H5N1 bird flu is escalating fast, with mass tern deaths at Seal Bay and new detections raising extinction-level breeding failure fears for endangered sea lions. Regional Tech & Business: Paraguay Tech Week 2026 spotlights the local innovation ecosystem, while a Philippines-led push at ASEAN talks targets digital integration, cross-border payments, cybersecurity, and AI rules. Latin America Politics: Brazil’s Lula, 80, says he’s “in great shape” as he launches his fourth-term bid, with campaign pressure from the US looming.

Colombia-Israel Tech & Security Reset: Incoming president Abelardo de la Espriella plans to restore full ties with Israel, including lifting visa rules and seeking Israeli drones and AI to tackle narcotics, organized crime, and armed groups. Cyber & Smart-City Partnerships: Trinidad and Tobago and Israel are discussing cybersecurity and smart-city projects, with talks also covering agriculture, healthcare, and climate resilience. Global Hiring Shift: HR leaders are moving from tech-only employer-of-record tools toward an advisory-first approach to reduce compliance and misclassification risks in cross-border hiring. El Niño Pressure on the Region: NOAA warns a very strong El Niño could form by late 2026, raising stakes for Latin America’s weather, crops, and supply chains. Caribbean Sargassum Crisis: Seaweed is blanketing Caribbean and Gulf coasts; researchers say 2026 could be among the worst years, with tourism-hit cleanup costs rising. Smallpox’s Colonial Trail: Ancient DNA from Chilean mummies strengthens the case that European colonization brought smallpox to the Americas. FIFA Governance Shock: UEFA and CONCACAF say they’ve lost confidence in Gianni Infantino after his World Cup commercial-rights sell-off plan was dropped. Brazil Data Center Push: TikTok/ByteDance is building a major data center in Ceará, betting on Brazil’s power supply and AI-driven compute demand.

Education Policy: UNESCO and UNESCO IIEP held a Santiago seminar on “Planning Education in Contexts of Declining Demand,” warning Latin America’s falling birth rates will cut school-age numbers by millions and force major changes in teacher planning, school infrastructure, and public spending. School Safety: UNESCO also showcased its work on positive school climates and violence prevention at an event with Chile’s Municipality of Santiago, including discussion of the Protected Schools Bill. Public Health & Food: WHO chief Tedros accused ultra-processed food giants of using lawsuits to block obesity protections, citing hundreds of legal challenges that delay action. Climate Science: UN and scientists warn a strengthening El Niño is “adding fuel to a planet already on fire,” with extreme heat, drought, and heavy rain risks extending into 2027. Marine Impact: Seaweed sargassum is smothering Caribbean and Gulf coastlines, with researchers reporting unusual local growth that threatens tourism and marine life. Sports Governance: UEFA and CONCACAF said they’ve lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino after FIFA scrapped a $4.2B World Cup commercial-rights sell-off. Caribbean History & Reparations: Emancipation Day coverage highlights calls to confront slavery’s legacy, including the fact that Britain compensated slave owners but not the enslaved. Tech/Media: YouTube educator Hank Green apologized for relying too heavily on AI in research, saying he’ll slow output.