Argentina

The region is not abandoning the dollar, but it is increasingly refusing to rely on it alone. Argentina keeps a yuan credit line, Brazil is building direct payment channels with China, and Cuba and Venezuela are hunting for workarounds. How does it all work? What do the numbers show? And how is Washington responding?

The Dollar Stays, but Not Alone

In 2026, Latin America became more than a raw-materials region. It is now a place where oil, sun, wind and critical minerals converge. Who is building, who is selling, and who is buying? Let's break it down by country and by player.

The Big Picture

The region is growing slowly, and inflation is diverging across countries: Colombia and Argentina are fighting rising prices, Brazil has broken through the ceiling of its target range, and Mexico is staying within its band. What do the latest data from the IMF and central banks show? Which currencies are under pressure? And where is the region headed?

The Big Picture

Prices in Argentina have risen in dollar terms for remote workers, even though inflation in pesos has slowed. Is it realistic to get by on 1,400 dollars? How much does a comfortable life in Buenos Aires cost? And where is it cheaper to settle? Let's start with the exchange rate, because everything else depends on it.

The Exchange Rate and Inflation: Why the Country Got More Expensive

Visa rules for Russians in Brazil and Argentina stayed the same in 2026. They changed for Americans and for foreigners in Argentina who want to stay. What rules apply now? What changed in practice? And why have visas become part of big-power politics? Let's take it step by step.

Brazil: Visa-Free Entry for Russians and a Visa Dispute with the US

Lithium in Latin America is controlled not by corporations but by the rules of the game in three countries. Chile is steering toward the state, Argentina is courting investors, and Bolivia has still not started production. Who is actually pumping the brine? Whose money is behind the projects? And where does Russia fit in?

Three Countries, Three Models

If you're tracking where global supply chains for food, metals, and rare earth resources are heading, the next few months in Brazil concern you directly: Latin America's largest economy is waging simultaneous diplomatic battles with two key continental neighbors, and this is not a coincidence but a logical consequence of its own weight.

A conflict that has been building for years

While Washington continues to believe that the world still revolves around the dollar and the Pentagon, Moscow is methodically building an alternative architecture of influence — and Latin America has become one of the key points of this realignment.

Formal Neutrality, Real Alternative

Russia's soft power in Latin America remains predominantly a formal instrument of foreign policy: despite the region's geographic remoteness, Moscow views it as a strategically significant direction, yet real efforts to promote the Russian language, culture, and diaspora engagement noticeably lag behind the declared ambitions.

Why a Distant Region Matters to Moscow

Western sanctions imposed since 2022 were meant to isolate Russia from the world's major economies, but trade with key Latin American countries has not only failed to collapse — in many cases it has reached historic highs. Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico have each demonstrated distinct models of adapting to sanctions pressure, yet the overall trend has been the same: growth rather than a reduction in ties with Russia.

Brazil: A Record Partner Despite the Forecasts