Mexico Latin America Newsletter 24 May 2023 It’s not (just) Ticketmaster’s fault A Mexican superstar’s concert tour proves no ticketing company’s tech is a match for fans and fraud. By Alex González Ormerod
Colombia Features 23 May 2023 When digital nomads come to town Cities from Canggu to Medellín are welcoming tech workers, but locals complain they’re being priced out. By Stephen Witt
Colombia Apps of the World 18 May 2023 Rappi: the app trying to do everything for everyone in Latin America This budding super-app will get you (almost) anything in minutes. By José Luis Peñarredonda
Mexico Innovation 18 May 2023 Mexico City has an earthquake alarm system. Millions trust an app more SkyAlert users turn their phones into personal quake monitors rather than rely on the government’s loudspeakers. By Daniela Dib
Brazil Access & Connectivity 17 May 2023 Online extremism linked to rise in school shootings in Brazil, researchers find After a rise in shootings, an all-woman group is advising the new Brazilian government on how to deal with radicalization online. By Nicole Froio and Matheus Andrade
Mexico Politics 12 May 2023 Desperate migrants are ordering Uber Eats through the U.S.-Mexico border wall Stranded between border walls, migrants risk losing contact with the outside world as they use up their phones’ data and battery life. By Yolanda Morales
Venezuela Access & Connectivity 11 May 2023 In Venezuela, crime victims turn to influencers to find justice To get the authorities’ attention, victims get help from influencers specialized in niches like corruption and pet justice. By Andrea Paola Hernández
Brazil Latin America Newsletter 10 May 2023 Becoming a tech powerhouse is harder than you think Rio’s gambit to become Latin America’s tech hub is analogous to Brazil and Latin America’s struggle. By Daniela Dib and Alex González Ormerod
Brazil Creators & Communities 10 May 2023 The capybara influencer revolt A wildlife influencer’s famous capybara was confiscated by Brazilian authorities. A mass movement ensued. By Matheus Andrade
Mexico 3 Minutes With 9 May 2023 The online repository that keeps the work of Mexico’s murdered journalists alive In the past two decades, over 150 journalists have been killed in the country. Defensores de la Democracia is building a living online archive to preserve their work. By Daniela Dib
Mexico Access & Connectivity 8 May 2023 How feminist groups in Mexico are aiding abortion seekers in the U.S. “Getting abortion pills into the U.S. is not as much of a challenge as being safe online,” say abortion companions. By Lorena Ríos and Daniela Dib
Argentina Latin America Newsletter 26 April 2023 MercadoLibre is a massive fish in a medium-sized pond The Argentine e-commerce company is no doubt beating the likes of Amazon in Latin America, but how comparable are the two? By Alex González Ormerod
Mexico Labor 24 April 2023 Self-checkout is putting elderly grocery baggers out of work in Mexico Volunteer packers at stores like Walmart say they’re receiving 50% fewer tips than before the pandemic. By Daniela Dib
Brazil Creators & Communities 20 April 2023 Illegal gold mining influencers are tearing up the Amazon Creators share tips on YouTube and TikTok to bring new miners into the fold and turn criminal behavior into moneymaking content. By Matheus Andrade and Andrew Deck
Cuba Access & Connectivity 17 April 2023 Technology is transforming the deadly voyage from Cuba to Florida From Havana to Key West on a surfboard and a cellphone. By Lidia Hernández-Tapia
Argentina Access & Connectivity 13 April 2023 You messaged your doctor on WhatsApp. Should that be billed? Medical practitioners in Latin America say WhatsApp can be a lifesaving tool — and a costly time sink. By Daniela Dib
Argentina Features 12 April 2023 The rise and fall of Argentina’s celebrity crypto pastor Generación Zoe promised investors massive returns thanks to market-predicting “robots” and a cryptocurrency backed by gold. It sounded too good to be true. By Facundo Iglesia
Mexico Latin America Newsletter 12 April 2023 Mexico botched the end of daylight savings Banal change combined with everyday tech can upend everything in unexpected ways. By Alex González Ormerod
Argentina What’s in a meme 7 April 2023 Two trophies, one meme How the World Cup and the Golden Globes united Argentina through a single viral image. By Juan José Relmucao and Alex González Ormerod
Argentina Access & Connectivity 6 April 2023 Teaching inmates in Argentina to make video games in prison “Gaming studios need employees, and the formerly incarcerated need a place to work once they’re released.” By Lucía Cholakian Herrera
Brazil 3 Minutes With 4 April 2023 Brazil is the first stop in the Latin American electric motorcycle market Vammo, an electric mobility company for delivery workers, chose to launch in the country because 85% of its electric grid runs on renewable energy. By Daniela Dib
Mexico EV Revolution 3 April 2023 Mexico’s $100-billion auto parts industry is reinventing itself for the EV era Behind the excitement around electrification, Mexican manufacturers are figuring out what their own transition will look like. By Lorena Ríos
Mexico Money 30 March 2023 Mexicans say some police officers are taking bribes with mobile payment services Victims of extortion say reimbursements are extremely difficult since apps and banks say they handed over their cards voluntarily. By Daniela Dib
Colombia Latin America Newsletter 29 March 2023 How Latin American tech rebuilds after SVB Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse may awaken a spirit of self-sufficiency in Latin America. By Alex González Ormerod
Colombia Labor 28 March 2023 DIY motorbikes are lifesavers for delivery drivers — and a nightmare for everyone else These makeshift motorbikes pollute 100 times more than cars and are poisoning cities across Latin America. By José Luis Peñarredonda
Haiti Money 27 March 2023 Tech was supposed to revolutionize aid in Haiti. Then reality set in Electronic payments were no match for devastated roads and corruption. By Jess DiPierro Obert and Andre Paultre
Brazil 3 Minutes With 21 March 2023 A snapshot into quick commerce’s decline (and potential revival) E-grocer Jokr places all bets on Brazil for survival, in the wake of similar crises at Getir and Gopuff. By Daniela Dib
Ecuador EV Revolution 21 March 2023 What happens when you subsidize EVs but not charging stations “On the one hand, it’s great to spend less on gasoline. But where do I charge my car?” By Carolina Loza León
Mexico Fast Fashion Frenzy 20 March 2023 This fascist clothing company hopes you’ll tweet about how offensive it is “Make Mexico Great Again”: A flop on Facebook, the brand is going viral on Twitter. By Daniela Dib
ChinaIndiaMexicoMoroccoSingapore Global Tech Downturn 15 March 2023 How the global startup economy is reacting to SVB’s crash Entrepreneurs and investors in India, Mexico, Morocco, Singapore, and China are worried about the fallout of the crisis on the funding and regulatory environment. By Nilesh Christopher, David I. Adeleke, Ee Ming Toh, Daniela Dib, José Luis Peñarredonda and Viola Zhou
Mexico Latin America Newsletter 15 March 2023 Rappi’s latest service: publicity stunts The Colombian super-app’s latest partnership shows what hides behind its long list of services. By Daniela Dib
Mexico Global Tech Downturn 14 March 2023 Investors told Latin American startups to bank with SVB. Then it collapsed Why founders from emerging markets were advised to seek safety at Silicon Valley Bank. By Daniela Dib and José Luis Peñarredonda
Mexico Access & Connectivity 9 March 2023 Migrants must overcome a new barrier at the border: The U.S. government’s terrible app By making migrants navigate its 2.5-star app, the U.S. inadvertently benefits criminals and the tech-savvy. By Daniela Dib and Ann Louise Deslandes
Argentina Creators & Communities 2 March 2023 The momfluencers helping hundreds of pregnant Russian women move to Argentina Every day, 30 pregnant Russian migrants arrive in Buenos Aires. Many were convinced to do so by influencers. By Facundo Iglesia and Lucía Cholakian Herrera
Mexico Latin America Newsletter 1 March 2023 Tesla’s Mexico announcement reveals a very Latin American weakness The region’s unquestioning fondness for all things “modern” may actually be a hindrance to its development. By Alex González Ormerod
Brazil Creators & Communities 1 March 2023 Tinder robberies have men in Brazil on high alert After a spate of violent crimes, men are questioning if their dating app matches seem a bit too eager. By Matheus Andrade and Nicole Froio