A 29 January ruling by Panama’s supreme court (CSJ) striking down a concession for two ports on the Panama Canal owned by Hong Kong-headquartered CK Hutchison Holdings (CKH) via its subsidiary Panama Ports Company (PPC) is widely considered a victory for the US, which has sought to curb Chinese influence in the region.

When Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva returned to the presidency of Brazil in early 2023, he promised to end the predatory environmental practices promoted by his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023), particularly in the Amazon rainforest.