Paraguay Keeps Testing China

Last week, Paraguay’s President, Santiago Peña, visited Taiwan with more than 50 private-sector companies, making it the largest Paraguayan business group to visit the island. This was Peña’s third trip there since his 2023 election.

Paraguay and Taiwan signed seven agreements spanning AI, cybersecurity, technology, finance, justice, trade, and space via the Artemis Accords. The AI deal is promising, as Asunción aims to combine Taiwan’s semiconductor know-how with hydroelectric power from Itaipú and Yacyretá.

Beijing accused Paraguayan leaders of being “pawns” of Taiwanese separatism and urged Asunción to “stand on the right side of history.” There is also domestic pressure, as Paraguayan beef and soy producers want access to China’s market. Paraguay is the only South American country that still recognizes Taiwan, and one of only 12 in the world.

This relationship has existed since 1957, but under Peña, it has become more than a diplomatic gesture and is now a key part of Paraguay’s foreign policy.

Hondurasgate, the Conspiracy That Sounds Too Perfect

First, just to be clear: we are not the outlet they’re supposedly funding.

Now seriously. “Hondurasgate” refers to 37 leaked audio files published by Hondurasgate.ch and Diario Red América Latina, which is run by former Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias. The recordings allegedly show former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was recently pardoned by Trump after a U.S. drug trafficking conviction, working with people close to Honduras’ current government and international right-wing groups.

The alleged plan: create a fake Latin American news site in the U.S. to gather intelligence against left-wing governments in Mexico, Colombia, and Honduras. The recordings mention Nasry Asfura, Javier Milei, Roger Stone, Israeli-linked groups, and people close to Netanyahu. The funding is said to include $350,000 from Milei and $150,000 from Honduran public funds.

This situation is serious enough to warrant investigation. However, I am skeptical of anything promoted by Pablo Iglesias without independent verification. His views on Latin America have always been driven by political agendas. Anyone unsure of this, revisit his relationship with Chavismo.

Even so, the story seems almost too perfect: Milei, Trump, Netanyahu, Honduras, fake media, drug trafficking, anti-left operations. It feels straight out of Pax Historia, an AI-powered Risk-like game I’m lately obsessed with.

Mexico’s Mothers Are Still Searching

On Mother’s Day, hundreds marched in Mexico City’s Fourteenth Marcha de la Dignidad Nacional, organized by Movimiento por Nuestros Desaparecidos en México, which unites over 90 collectives from 26 states.

The march began at the Monumento a la Madre and continued down Paseo de la Reforma toward the Ángel de la Independencia, carrying posters and shirts with the faces of their missing children. As Mexico prepares to host the World Cup, the families are asking how the country can celebrate while more than 133,000 people are still missing.

The number is horrifying. Since 2007, authorities have found nearly 5,700 hidden graves nationwide. Collectives demand a real national search plan and concrete action after years of unfulfilled promises.

Mexican governments change, parties change, presidents change, and disappearances continue. This is a structural failure of the Mexican state, and families are right to protest for it.

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👋 Meet Felipe Torres Gianvittorio

Felipe Torres Gianvittorio is a Venezuelan-Spanish journalist and editor of LatAm Explained. He helps international readers understand Latin America’s politics, conflicts, and culture, drawing on his experiences in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina.

He is part of the LATAM Network of Young Journalists and currently studies the Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Journalism, Media and Globalization at Aarhus University and Charles University in Prague. His research focuses on the role of media under authoritarian regimes.

For non-Argentines, Manuel Adorni may look like just another government official: President Javier Milei’s spokesman turned chief of staff, the man who appears in press conferences and defends the president. But that misses the point, because Adorni, in fact, is a clear example of how Milei’s political movement came together.

Adorni was active in the anti-Kirchnerist media scene that supported Argentina’s libertarian movement before it gained power. As he became known on TV, radio, and especially on X, his dry, ironic style made him popular among Peronism critics.

I remember this from my time living in Argentina. If you followed politics, Adorni’s comments were unavoidable. He posted about economics and, much like Milei, turned people’s genuine outrage into a recognizable brand, especially about corruption. That’s why this scandal is so damaging.

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This is the first issue of LatAm Explained I’ve written in a couple of weeks. I ended up taking an unplanned break and traveled to Perugia for the International Journalism Festival. There, I attended some great panels and met and reconnected with wonderful people. I also managed to take a few days off, so thank you for sticking around.

After these conversations, I decided to change how I run this newsletter. You’re used to a longer Monday issue with a main news analysis, three news recaps, and a cultural recommendation. The experts I met there suggested that posting more often would help us grow, so now each section will be its own issue: main pieces on Monday, recaps on Wednesday, and the cultural pieces on Friday.

More importantly, to grow on this platform, I was advised to activate paid subscriptions. The explanation is simple: Substack’s algorithm promotes them because that’s how they make money. But don’t worry: if you were subscribed to LatAm Explained before this week, you’ll always get it for free. Thanks for your support from the beginning.

I wanted to share these updates before diving into the news. Now, let’s get started.

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