South America 

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Latest news on South America and South American news, providing comprehensive coverage of Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Uruguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Guyana, Suriname and the Falkland Islands, from politics, elections and the economy to the Amazon, the Andes, Mercosur, mining and migration.

South America has twelve sovereign states and more than 430 million people, with Brazil the largest by area and population. The continent stretches from the Caribbean coast to Cape Horn, taking in the Amazon rainforest, the Andes, the Pampas and Patagonia. Major cities include Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Lima, Santiago and Caracas.

Politics and the economy drive much of the news. Elections, polarised politics and changes of government shape relations with the United States, China and Europe, as well as trade through Mercosur. Inflation, public debt, security and organised crime remain pressing challenges, while the migration of millions of Venezuelans has reshaped communities in Colombia, Peru, Chile and Brazil. Mining and energy matter too, from copper and iron ore to oil, gas and the lithium of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.

The Amazon is the continent's best-known environmental story. Deforestation, fires and drought worry scientists, who warn that parts of the rainforest could shift towards savannah if pressure continues. Indigenous peoples, including Quechua, Aymara and Guarani communities, are central to conservation and land rights debates. Culture is just as vivid, from Carnival and the Catholic Church to food, music, literature and archaeological sites such as Machu Picchu.

The Inca Empire, centred on Cusco, ruled much of the Andes until Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Independence movements led by figures such as Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin freed most of the continent in the early 19th century, with Brazil separating from Portugal in 1822. Military rule, debt crises and democratic transitions, along with disputes such as the Falkland Islands sovereignty claim, still colour the present. Wider Latin America ties remain close.

Staying informed about South America means following many countries, languages and fast-moving stories. Our NewsNow South America feed gathers the latest news on Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela and the rest of the continent, updated around the clock from reliable sources.