Week 26, 2023 - Latin America

Newsletter
Visa, the credit card giant, is making a significant move in the fintech space with its acquisition of Brazilian startup Pismo for $1 billion. Pismo offers a cloud-native platform for payments infrastructure and core banking services, serving big-name customers including Citi, Itaú, and Revolut...
Published on
March 22, 2024

“Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.” - Carl G. Jung

MARKETS

June 30, End Of Day

TECH

Fundraising picks of the week

Bolivia, Mobi: Provides a range of sustainable electric transportation options, including E-mopeds, E-bikes, and E-scooters. What sets Mobi apart is that they manufacture their own fleet in Paraguay, which enables them to exercise greater control over the technology, reduce delivery time, and implement continuous improvements to their products. Get to know the case here.

Mexico, Kigüi: They incentivize final consumers in Latin America to choose and buy products close to their best before date at supermarkets, with the aim of reducing the 40% of food waste in the region. This initiative addresses the lack of incentives for consumers to buy food close to expiration and the resulting food waste costs falling on producers. Get to know the case here.

Dive deeper into other fundraising firms in LatAm here.

More in tech

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Brazil: Federal electoral court (TSE) has barred former President Jair Bolsonaro from holding public office until 2030 due to his conduct during last year's election. Bolsonaro was convicted for abuse of power and misuse of the media for spreading unfounded claims about Brazil's electronic voting system, marking a significant blow to his political career and removing him as a contender in the 2026 elections.

Uruguay: Is facing its worst drought in 74 years, leading to low water levels in reservoirs and tap water becoming undrinkable for many residents. Water shortages have sparked protests, with anger directed at agribusiness for diverting water from the Santa Lucia River, and the government has declared a water emergency and is distributing bottled water to vulnerable groups.

Ecuador: Conservation projects in the Galapagos Islands funded by blue bonds will be approved and managed by the independent non-profit Galapagos Life Fund (GLF) starting next year, according to Ecuador's Environment Minister. The GLF, composed of government and private sector members, will oversee the allocation of funds for projects in fishing, tourism, environmental education, and the management of the expanded Galapagos ocean reserve.

Argentina: Has made a $2.7 billion payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) using its existing stock of the IMF's reserve assets and Chinese currency, according to the government. The payment, made without using dollars, depleted Argentina's special-drawing rights (SDRs) and resulted in a sharp decrease in the country's foreign currency reserves, while negotiations between Argentina and the IMF continue to ease economic targets and accelerate disbursements from their program.

FURTHER READING

IMF reports of the week

Jamaica: Is highly exposed to various natural hazards and ranks 47th out of 191 countries in the 2023 Inform Risk index. The country faces damaging winds, rain, storm surges, and is expected to experience more heatwaves, irregular rainfalls, stronger tropical cyclones, and rising sea levels in the future, which will have significant impacts on its infrastructure, population, and economy, particularly in coastal areas.

Costa Rica: Despite global challenges, the recent growth has been strong, and inflation is decreasing. The improvement in external pressures has enabled the authorities to rebuild reserves, while fiscal consolidation efforts have enhanced debt sustainability and resulted in upgraded sovereign ratings.

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