🌎 Bolivia flips right

Welcome back! I'm thrilled you opened this. This week brought seismic shifts across our world—from Bolivia's first right-wing president in 20 years to OpenAI dropping $25 billion on Argentina.

These are the stories shaping the Global South that won't lead mainstream headlines, but they should. Last week, so many of you replied with thoughts on Madagascar and Peru. Keep them coming—your perspectives make this community richer. And if this briefing adds value to your week, forward it to someone who'd appreciate it. They can sign up here.

Let's get you informed.

Warm wishes,

Deepa

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Bolivia Shifts Right After Two Decades of Socialist Rule: Centre-right senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira won Bolivia's presidential runoff with 54.5% of the vote, ending nearly 20 years of leftist Movimiento al Socialismo (Mas) party dominance. Why it matters: The political reorientation could significantly alter Bolivia's domestic and international policies, including its approach to drug cultivation and relations with the US. (More)

Zimbabwe's Ruling Party Moves to Extend President's Term: Zimbabwe's governing ZANU-PF party endorsed a plan to amend the Constitution, potentially extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term by two years to 2030. The bottom line: This development raises significant concerns about democratic processes and political stability in Southern Africa. (More)

Trump Confirms CIA Operations in Venezuela Amid Escalating Tensions: President Trump confirmed authorizing secret CIA operations in Venezuela, aiming to remove President Nicolás Maduro, citing drug trafficking and prison releases. Why it matters: This marks a significant escalation of US interventionist policy in Latin America, raising concerns about sovereignty, international law, and potential regional instability. (More)

Argentina's Peso Under Extreme Pressure: Amid US Intervention and Devaluation Fears Argentina's Central Bank sold $45.5 million to defend the peso, which has lost 8.48% against the dollar since September 8, despite a $20 billion US currency swap. (More)

Ghana Cedi Stages Dramatic October Rebound, Erasing Q3 Losses: The Ghana Cedi has appreciated 37% year-to-date, with a 16% gain in October alone, reversing all Q3 losses. (More)

Cuban Informal Dollar Soars to Record Highs, Forecast to Exceed 500 CUP: The informal dollar in Cuba surged to 472 Cuban pesos (CUP), with the euro at 525 CUP, marking new record highs. (More)

Open-Access Model Reshapes African Connectivity: CSquared builds open-access networks across six African markets that multiple telecom operators share, slashing deployment costs and targeting internet prices at just 2% of average salaries. By 2030, the company aims to keep African internet traffic on the continent instead of routing through Europe.(More)

OpenAI Commits $25 Billion to Argentina for Latin America's First AI "Stargate": OpenAI plans to invest up to $25 billion in Argentina to build a 500-megawatt AI computing facility in Patagonia, marking its first "Stargate" project in Latin America. (More)

US Justice Department Seizes $15 Billion in Bitcoin from Non-Custodial Wallets: The US Justice Department seized approximately 127,271 Bitcoin, valued at $15 billion, from non-custodial wallets linked to a Cambodian crime group, marking the largest crypto seizure in history. (More)

Guinea Secures Inaugural B+ Sovereign Rating, Signaling Investment Readiness: Standard & Poor's has assigned Guinea an inaugural "B+ with stable outlook" sovereign rating, reflecting strong economic fundamentals driven by the Simandou mining project. (More)

Egypt Launches Major Airport Privatization and Expansion Drive: Egypt is undertaking a comprehensive strategy to develop its civil aviation sector, including a $3.5 billion expansion of Cairo International Airport and offering 11 regional airports for international private sector management. (More)

Bolivia Advances $2 Billion Lithium Industrialization with Chinese and Russian Firms: Bolivia is moving forward with over $2 billion in foreign direct investment from Chinese and Russian companies to industrialize its lithium sector, aiming to produce 14,000-35,000 tons of lithium carbonate annually. (More)

Madagascar's Constitutional Court Appoints Military Leader as Interim Head: Madagascar's High Constitutional Court (HCC) appointed Colonel Michaël Randrianirina as interim head of state after President Andry Rajoelina's alleged abandonment of power. The decision mandates a presidential election within 30 to 60 days. (More)

Nigeria Launches N28 Billion Meter Procurement: Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved N28 billion for electricity distribution companies to procure and install meters for unmetered Band A and B customers, with procurement processes to begin within 10 days of October 6, 2025.(More)

Paraguay Seeks 18,000 Electronic Voting Machines: Paraguay's Superior Electoral Justice Tribunal has issued a public tender for the lease of 18,000 electronic voting machines, with a budget of US$30 million and bids due by November 3, 2025. (More)

Bahrain Invites Partners for 150MW Solar Plant: Bahrain has launched a tender for private sector partners to develop its first solar power plant, a 150-megawatt facility near Bilaj Al Jazayer. (More)

Saudi Arabia Abolishes Kafala System: Saudi Arabia has ended its decades-old Kafala labor sponsorship system, a landmark reform expected to benefit approximately 13 million migrant workers. This change allows workers to switch jobs and leave the country without employer consent. (More)

US Exempts Current H-1B Holders, F-1 Students from New $100K Fee: The Trump administration clarified that the new $100,000 H-1B visa fee will not apply to current H-1B visa holders, those applying for extensions, or F-1 students transitioning to H-1B status within the U.S. (More)

UK Raises English Proficiency and Salary Requirements for Skilled Worker Visas: Starting January 8, 2026, migrants applying for UK Skilled Worker, Scale-up, and High-Potential Individual visas must demonstrate A-level standard English (B2 level) and meet a higher minimum salary of £41,700. Be smart: These new rules aim to reduce net migration by up to 100,000 people annually, making it significantly harder for many to qualify for UK work visas. (More)

Cultural Ties Protect Latinx Adults from Trauma's Impact: For Latinx emerging adults in the US who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, strong cultural ties and supportive relationships are crucial protective factors. Fostering community and cultural identity is key to building resilience. (More)

🎧 CutureCon Uncut podcast Season 2: The podcast hosted by Imani Ellis (founder of CultureCon) bottles the unfiltered energy of the must-attend conference for Black creatives. (More)

📚 Sanya by Oyindamola Olugbile:This award-winning debut novel from 2022 by Nigerian author Oyindamola Olugbile has been in the news lately after winning the 2025 NLNG Nigeria Prize. The book reimagines the story of the Yoruba god Sango through a female protagonist. (More)

📺 Happy Birthday by Sara Gohar: This Egyptian film, an Oscar contender, is a deeply moving drama about child labor, told through the eyes of a young girl working in a wealthy household. (More)

Ken Saro-Wiwa's Legacy Lives On: Thirty years after his execution, the life and sacrifice of Nigerian activist Ken Saro-Wiwa continue to illuminate the global struggle against corporate impunity and environmental devastation. (More)

Morocco's Elite System Blocks Youth Entrepreneurs: A critical analysis reveals how Morocco's entrenched "rentier state" system stifles youth entrepreneurship and perpetuates inequality, urging systemic reforms to transform privilege into widespread opportunity. (More)

China’s Deleted Posts: A unique archive of deleted content from Chinese social media offers a rare glimpse into the state's evolving censorship priorities, exposing sensitive topics and the ongoing struggle for digital freedom. (More)

Child's Emotional Goodbye to AI Robot Goes Viral: A six-year-old girl in China shared a tearful goodbye with her damaged AI learning robot, "Sister Xiao Zhi," whose human-like voice responded with comforting words. The poignant video, showing the deep bond between child and machine, quickly garnered nearly 6 million likes and sparked global conversations about human-AI connections. (More)

Mystery Lingers Four Years After Death of Jamaica's Cult Pastor: Four years after his reported death, the mystery surrounding controversial cult Pastor Kevin Smith, leader of Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries, continues to captivate Jamaica. With no funeral or burial, many loyal followers still believe their self-proclaimed 'His Excellency' will resurrect. (More)