Colombia

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Haiti

Mexico

United States

Venezuela

Military & Security

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military struck two alleged drug vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Oct. 21 and 22, killing several alleged drug smugglers, Reuters reported on Oct. 22.

U.S., Latin America: U.S. Military Strikes Against Drug Traffickers Expand to Pacific Ocean

Economics

Politics

Mexican federal deputies approved the government's proposal to reform the country's rights protection law, aiming to reduce the number of protracted legal proceedings through the use of multiple legal injunctions, La Jornada reported on Oct. 14. 

Mexico: Congress Approves Rights Protection Law Reform, Curbing Dispute Resolution System

The United States cancelled the visas of at least 50 Mexican politicians and government officials over alleged links to cartels, Reuters reported on Oct. 14.

Mexico, U.S.: Washington Revokes Mexican Politicians' Visas Amid Escalating Anti-Drug Efforts

China

Mexican lawmakers will pause until late November discussions around President Claudia Sheinbaum's proposal to impose up to 50% tariffs on 1,400 imported goods from China and other Asian countries with which Mexico does not have a free trade agreement, Bloomberg reported Oct. 9.  

Mexico: Congress Pauses Discussions on Tariffs Targeting Chinese Goods

The United States and Mexico announced a partnership to fight cross-border arms trafficking, Reuters reported Sept. 28.

U.S., Mexico: U.S. and Mexico Announce Anti-Arms Smuggling Partnership 

China has launched an investigation to determine if the import taxes Mexico plans to impose on goods from countries with which it does not have free trade agreements constitute a trade and investment barrier, El Pais reported on Sept. 25. 

China, Mexico: China Launches Investigation Into Mexico's Import Tax Plan

Singapore

Switzerland

Ireland

India

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Sept. 25 that effective Oct. 1, the United States would impose a 50% tariff on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture, a 25% tariff on heavy-duty trucks, and a 100% tariff on branded or patented pharmaceutical products, unless the company is building a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in the United States. 

U.S.: National Security Tariffs on Some Pharmaceuticals, Certain Home Furniture and Trucks

Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will hold a one-on-one meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and another meeting with Mexican business leaders during a two-day visit to Mexico City, Global News reported on Sept. 18.

Canada, Mexico: Ottawa and Mexico City Seek To Boost Trade and Align Positions Ahead of USMCA Renegotiation

Assessments

France

Portugal

Spain

Italy

An anti-tourism protest in June in Barcelona, Spain. Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

Social Issues

Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

The Causes and Implications of the Rise in Anti-Tourism Sentiment

North Korea

Ukraine

Russia

Helicopters fly in the sky during a rehearsal for a military parade Aug. 24 in Beijing.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: An SCO Summit, Rubio Closes Security Deals With Mexico and Ecuador

Columns

On Security

DEA New York special agent in charge speaks to the press in New York City on Feb. 28, 2025, after the former leader of a brutal Mexican cartel, Rafael Caro Quintero, described by the White House as the world's ''most evil'' drug boss, pleaded not guilty to narcotics charges in New York.

Despite the political and diplomatic risks, Trump is more likely than not to launch some direct operations against Mexican cartels before he leaves office, potentially ranging from light and sporadic U.S. drone strikes to more extensive ground operations.

The Outlook for Trump's 'War' on Mexican Cartels

Cambodia

Japan

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Europe

A Cambodian soldier stands on a truck with a rocket launcher in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand, on July 25, 2025. 

Global Trade

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. Tariff Deadline Passes, Thai-Cambodian Border Tensions Persist

Argentina

Belize

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

Costa Rica

Cuba

El Salvador

Guatemala

Guyana

Honduras

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Suriname

Uruguay

(L-R) Colombian Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina attend a plenary session of the China-CELAC ministerial meeting at the Great Hall of the People on May 13, 2025, in Beijing, China. 

Latin America and the Caribbean will welcome China's increased engagement, but strong ties to the West and China's economic slowdown will limit Beijing's influence in the region.

Despite Stronger Trade Ties, China's Influence in Latin America Will Remain Limited

Poland

Ukrainian, U.S. and Russian delegates meet for peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 16, 2025. 

The Weekly Rundown: Ukraine-Russia Talks, Mexico's First-Ever Judicial Elections

Snapshots

A U.S. courthouse facade with columns in lower Manhattan, New York.

The court ruling nullifies most -- though not all -- of the Trump administration's tariffs, giving U.S. trading partners temporary breathing room in negotiations while the White House searches for alternative trade measures.

The White House's Tariff Ambitions Bend -- But Do Not Break -- Under the Weight of a Court Ruling

Members of the National Association of Magistrates and District Judges hold a massive Mexican flag during a protest in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sept. 11, 2024, after Mexico's Senate approved controversial judicial reforms. 

The likely strong performance of candidates aligned with the ruling Morena party will undermine checks and balances and create regulatory uncertainty for businesses over the long term.

What's at Stake in Mexico's First-Ever Judicial Elections

Trucks travel by the U.S.-Mexico border after crossing the border into the United States at Otay Mesa, California, on April 2, 2025. 

Although U.S. tariffs will hurt Mexico's economy in the short term, they may eventually grant Mexico a competitive advantage over countries that face even higher duties.

The Buffers That Will Help Mexico Navigate Tariff Turbulence

Media

Iran

Israel

Australia

Philippines

Forecast Webcast

U.S.-Iran Relations

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2025 Second-Quarter Forecast.

2025 Second-Quarter Forecast Webcast

Vietnam

United Kingdom

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs as U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick holds a chart during an event in the Rose Garden entitled ''Make America Wealthy Again'' at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 2, 2025. 

Trump's sweeping new tariffs will slow both U.S. and global economic growth, with lower-income Americans and emerging markets like Vietnam being hit hardest.

The U.S. Launches the Largest Trade War in Modern History

On Geopolitics

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office on March 7, 2025, after announcing that tariffs could be imposed on Canadian dairy and lumber products within days. 

The expanding scope of Trump's trade wars, coupled with the whiplash of tariffs being enacted and then suspended, begs the question: what is driving this strategy and what, if anything, will constrain it?

Trump's Emerging Trade Doctrine

Mexico is defined by dramatic geographic features that have shaped the country's politics. Forming the southern portion of North America, Mexico borders the tropical Central American isthmus, a broad band that defines Mexico's northern border with the United States. To the east and west, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental dominate the Pacific and the Caribbean coasts, forming highlands that cradle of the modern heart of Mexico. The desolate Baja California peninsula shields approaches from the western sea. To the east, the tropical limestone outcropping named the Yucatán peninsula dominates entry from the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico's central valley, which includes Mexico City and the adjacent Veracruz region, form Mexico's core.     To control Mexico City is to control Mexico, and the greatest conventional threats to Mexico City have traditionally come from the deepwater Port city of Veracruz. Since the 16th century, Spain, France and the United States &mdash; not to mention numerous mutinous factions of the Mexican military &mdash; have used Veracruz to threaten and even conquer what is now Mexico City. Mexico's mountains and frontier territories are traditional hotbeds of unrest. From the rebels of Chihuahua to the drug kingpins of Tierra Caliente and Sinaloa, the historical and ongoing challenge for Mexico is to subdue and incorporate far-flung, geographically-isolated communities. The modern expression of this struggle can be seen in today's war with drug trafficking organizations, but it is a pattern that has been repeated throughout history and has been shaped by Mexico's physical geography. 

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., Latin America: U.S. Military Strikes Against Drug Traffickers Expand to Pacific Ocean

Mexico: Congress Approves Rights Protection Law Reform, Curbing Dispute Resolution System

Mexico, U.S.: Washington Revokes Mexican Politicians' Visas Amid Escalating Anti-Drug Efforts

Mexico: Congress Pauses Discussions on Tariffs Targeting Chinese Goods

U.S., Mexico: U.S. and Mexico Announce Anti-Arms Smuggling Partnership

China, Mexico: China Launches Investigation Into Mexico's Import Tax Plan

U.S.: National Security Tariffs on Some Pharmaceuticals, Certain Home Furniture and Trucks

Canada, Mexico: Ottawa and Mexico City Seek To Boost Trade and Align Positions Ahead of USMCA Renegotiation

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