Current Political Situation in Major Countries in North, Central, and South America (October 2026)

Scope of This Article

This article is based on information verified as of October 20, 2026. It covers the United States and Canada in North America, as well as Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile in Central and South America.

For each country, we will list the head of government, the main political party in power, upcoming milestones related to the head of government, and current political issues. To focus on summarizing the key points, we will keep explanations of the political systems to a minimum and devote most of the space to the political issues.

I primarily used information from government and legislative announcements. However, for many countries in Central and South America, I was unable to obtain data from government or electoral agency websites. Therefore, for those countries, I relied heavily on news articles. Whenever information comes from private sources, I indicate this within the text.

List

The following table was compiled independently based on sources verified in this article. The “Next Milestone” column lists only the dates confirmed by the sources. Part of the table is based on private-sector sources. Please refer to the sections on each country for source citations.

Common Background Across the Region: Relations with the United States

Before delving into the issues specific to each country, let’s first examine a situation common to many countries: their relations with the United States regarding trade and public safety.

The trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada (USMCA) is undergoing a review process. The Office of the United States Trade Representative is soliciting public comments in preparation for the joint review in 2027. The deadline for comments is January 12, 2027 (Source: Office of the United States Trade Representative).

On October 13, Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard explained that it had been agreed the agreement would remain in effect for the next 10 years and that it would be reviewed annually (Source: Mexican Ministry of Economy).

Trade tensions between the United States and Canada continue. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, on July 20, 2026, President Trump took action under Section 338 of the Tariff Act, alleging that Canada was unfairly treating U.S. exports of automobiles, alcoholic beverages, and dairy products. Furthermore, on September 8, the U.S. banned imports of certain Canadian products (Source: Office of the United States Trade Representative). The Office of the United States Trade Representative asserts that Canada has backed away from a trade agreement that was nearing completion and continues to engage in retaliatory measures (Source: Office of the United States Trade Representative).On the Canadian side, according to private media reports, Prime Minister Carney has argued that Canada needs to strengthen its economy and reduce its dependence on the United States (Source: ABC News; a private source).

In terms of public safety, according to private media reports, the United States is seeking the extradition of a Mexican politician suspected of having ties to drug cartels. Further details are provided in the section on Mexico.

North America

United States

Donald Trump is the 47th President of the United States (Source: The White House). According to a private encyclopedia, President Trump is a member of the Republican Party (Source: Britannica; a private source).

According to figures compiled by the House Press Office, the U.S. House of Representatives has 218 seats belonging to the Republican Party, 214 seats belonging to the U.S. Democratic Party (Democratic Party), 1 independent seat, and 2 vacancies (Source: U.S. House Press Office).Regarding the Senate, according to a private encyclopedia, prior to the midterm elections, the Republican Party held 53 seats and the U.S. Democratic Party held 45 seats; in addition, two independents typically vote with the U.S. Democratic Party (Source: Britannica; a private source).

According to federal government data, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the seats in the Senate are up for election in the midterm elections (Source: USAGov, the U.S. government’s official website). According to the Federal Election Commission’s calendar, Election Day is November 3, 2026 (Source: U.S. Federal Election Commission).

A situation in which the government’s budget would have run out before the election was avoided. According to a private media report on September 1, 2026, the House of Representatives passed a bill to extend the government’s budget deadline by a vote of 370 to 48. The budget is set to expire on December 11, a little over a month after the midterm elections (Source: CBS News; a private source). According to the same report, none of the annual budget bills have passed committee in the Senate (Source: CBS News; a private source).

The two parties have differing views on the key issues in the election.

At a press conference on September 15, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of the Republican Party cited border control, tax cuts for working families, and lower prescription drug prices as achievements of the Republican Party. He went on to criticize the U.S. Democratic Party for attempting to roll back those tax cuts (Source: Office of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives).

Hakeem Jeffries, the U.S. Democratic Party Minority Leader, stated on a television program on September 28 that the cost of living is too high. He went on to point out that President Trump and the Republican Party had promised to lower the cost of living on their first day in office. He also stated that the U.S. Democratic Party is committed to working to lower the cost of living (Source: Office of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries).

Canada

The Prime Minister of Canada is Mark Carney. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Carney spoke with President Trump on October 11 (Source: Office of the Prime Minister of Canada). Private media reports identify Carney as the Prime Minister of the Liberal Party of Canada (Source: ABC News; a private source).

According to this article’s tally of the list of seats held by each political party in each province, as published by the Canadian House of Commons, the Liberal Party of Canada holds the most seats in the House of Commons (Source: Canadian House of Commons).

According to the Canadian Electoral Administration Bureau, the last general election was held on April 28, 2025 (Source: Canadian Electoral Administration Bureau). The date of the next general election is set by law. Canada’s Election Act stipulates that a general election must be held on the third Monday in October of the fourth year following the voting day of the previous general election (Source: Department of Justice Canada’s Statutes Database). However, the same provision also states that this does not affect the Governor General’s authority to dissolve Parliament (Source: Department of Justice Canada’s Statutes Database).

The major event right now is the referendum held on October 19 in the western province of Alberta. This referendum did not address independence itself, but rather asked whether to begin the process toward future secession. According to private media reports, preliminary results based on just over 1 million votes counted showed that approximately 77% supported remaining part of Canada, while about 23% supported initiating procedures leading to secession (Source: Al Jazeera; a private source). These figures are not official results.

According to private media reports, Prime Minister Carney appeared at a rally in Calgary, Alberta, on October 15, ahead of the vote. There, the prime minister stated that there are those outside the country who are trying to divide Canada and make it their own, and he urged people not to begin the secession process (Source: ABC News. This is from a private source).

According to private media reports, the Premier of Alberta stated that he voted against independence. He went on to explain that the referendum was held to resolve the long-standing issue of the province's division (Source: Al Jazeera; a private media source).

Those seeking secession intend to continue their campaign. According to the same report, a leader of a pro-secession group told reporters that they would continue their campaign for independence regardless of the vote’s outcome (Source: Al Jazeera; a private news source).

In terms of foreign relations, trade disputes with the United States continue. As mentioned earlier, in September, the United States banned imports of certain Canadian products (Source: Office of the United States Trade Representative).

Latin America

Mexico

Claudia Sheinbaum is the president of Mexico. According to private media reports, the president is a member of Morena, the ruling party (Source: The Globe and Mail; a private media source).

The next major election will be held in 2027. According to private media reports, the election process began on September 10. In the election on June 6, 2027, voters will elect the 500 members of the lower house of Mexico’s Federal Congress, as well as the governors of 17 states, among other officials (Source: Expansión; a private news source).

One of the major issues at stake right now is law enforcement cooperation with the United States. According to a May 2026 media report, the United States had requested the extradition of eight politicians and government officials suspected of having ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel. Among them were Rubén Rocha Moya, governor of Sinaloa, and a senator from Morena (Source: The Globe and Mail; a private news source).

According to the same report, at that time, President Sheinbaum had refused to extradite the politician, citing a lack of due process. The president also pointed out that the United States had not complied with 269 extradition requests Mexico had made to the United States (Source: The Globe and Mail; a private-sector source).

According to a private news report on September 17, Mexican authorities stated that U.S. prosecutors have not presented evidence to justify the governor’s arrest (Source: Mexico News Daily. This is a private news source).

The opposition National Action Party (Partido Acción Nacional) is criticizing the government. According to a private media report in August 2026, the leader of the National Action Party pointed out that there are still extradition requests pending against Mr. Rocha Moya and criticized Morena for protecting criminals within its own party (Source: Zeta Tijuana. A private media source).

According to private media reports, Morena’s party leader has stated that there is no room for corruption within the party, while also expressing the view that some of the allegations are intended to undermine Mexico’s sovereignty (Source: Newsmax. This is a private source).

As mentioned earlier, the review of the North American trade agreement is ongoing. Speaking to reporters in the Chamber of Deputies on October 13, Economy Minister Ebral stated that the review is the issue about which he receives the most questions (Source: Mexican Ministry of Economy).

Brazil

The President of Brazil is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a member of the Brazilian Workers' Party (Source: Congresso em Foco, a private news source).

In the first round of the presidential election held in October, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Brazilian Liberal Party (Partido Liberal) outperformed President Lula. The two will face off in a runoff election on October 25 (Source: Congresso em Foco, a private news source).

According to private media reports, based on the tally by the Superior Electoral Court, Flávio Bolsonaro received approximately 47% of the valid votes, while President Lula received approximately 45%. Since neither candidate received more than half of the valid votes, a runoff election will be held (Source: MercoPress; a private news source).

According to private media reports, these results contradicted many of the opinion polls released just before the election. Those polls had shown President Lula in the lead (Source: Congresso em Foco, a private news source).

In Brazil, on the day of the first round of voting, state governors, all seats in the lower house of the Brazilian Federal Congress, and two-thirds of the seats in the upper house of the Brazilian Federal Congress were also elected (Source: MercoPress; a private news source).

Ahead of the runoff election, the two camps have differing positions.

After the first round of voting, Flávio Bolsonaro stated that Brazil is seeking change and declared that the era of the Brazilian Workers' Party is over. He has promised to grant a pardon to his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. The former president is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup. He has also promised to bring Brazil into a U.S.-backed security alliance (Source: MercoPress, a private news source).

According to private media reports, Flávio Bolsonaro is advocating for a constitutional amendment that would abolish presidential reelection and extend the term of office (Source: O Povo. This is a private source).

After the first round of voting, President Lula stated that he was confident he would win in the first round, but added that the runoff election would be the real test (Source: MercoPress. This is a private source).According to private media reports, the Lula campaign is focusing its efforts on winning over the 33.4 million voters who did not cast ballots in the first round (Source: O Povo. This is a private source).

Private media reports suggest that the approximately 8% of the vote received by other candidates, combined with the high number of people who did not vote, will determine the outcome of the runoff election (Source: Melco Press; a private news source).

Colombia

The president of Colombia is Abelardo de la Espriella. He leads the political movement known as “Defenders of the Homeland.”According to private media reports, in the runoff election on June 21, he received 49.66% of the vote, surpassing Iván Cepeda of the Historic Pact (Pacto Histórico), who received 48.70%.Sepeda had the support of former President Gustavo Petro. His term will run from 2026 to 2030 (Source: Blu Radio, a private news source).

According to private media reports, President De La Esprieja was inaugurated in Cali on August 7, 2026 (Source: Meja. This is a private source).

The main item on the current session’s agenda is the 2027 budget bill. According to private media reports, the Senate passed the budget bill on October 19 by a vote of 57 to 1. The “Historic Pact” caucus left the chamber before the final vote. The House of Representatives still had to vote, and Congress’s session was set to end at midnight on October 20 (Source: Infobae; a private news source). This article has not verified the outcome of the House vote.

The government has also proposed a constitutional amendment to reform its relationship with Parliament. According to private media reports, this proposal, submitted to Parliament by the Minister of the Interior, aims to eliminate behind-the-scenes deals between the government and lawmakers in which budget allocations are made in exchange for lawmakers’ support. While lawmakers will be permitted to propose local investment projects, they will be required to register them publicly (Source: Purso. A private news source).

Opponents of the government are also taking action. According to a private news report dated October 15, 2026, large-scale anti-government marches took place the previous day in cities such as Bogotá and Cali. Mr. Cepeda, who led the marches, criticized the government for trampling on the minimum wage and attempting to dismantle agrarian reform (Source: La Hornaada, a private news source).

According to the same report, the government had announced that it would submit a counterterrorism bill to Congress 24 hours before the march (Source: La Hornaada; a private news source). According to another report, the government issued a decree establishing guidelines for the response of security forces at protest sites (Source: Pulso; a private news source).

Argentina

The President of Argentina is Javier Milei, a member of La Libertad Avanza. According to a December 2025 news report, President Milei took office on December 10, 2023. The same report states that the president had entered the second half of his term around that time."La Libertad Avanza" won the October 2025 legislative elections but does not hold a majority in Congress (Source: La Nación (Paraguay). This is a private source).

The main item on the current session’s agenda is the 2027 budget proposal. According to private media reports, the chair of the House Budget Committee indicated that the committee will finalize its report on October 28 and plans to bring it before the full House in mid-November. November 18 is considered the most likely date for the plenary session (Source: Parlamentario; a private news source).

According to the same report, the committee chair explained that deliberations would be suspended from November 2 through 6 because several lawmakers had been invited to attend the U.S. election. He also noted that the period from November 9 through 13 would coincide with the Pope’s visit (Source: Parlamentario. This is a private news source).

The ruling and opposition parties have differing views on the budget proposal.

According to private media reports, the leader of the opposition “Union for the Homeland (Unión por la Patria)” caucus in the House of Representatives called for a revision of the budget bill to increase funding for universities. He stated that the funding would come from cuts to government-funded expenditure items (Source: Parlamentario. A private news source).

According to another private news report, a senior government official in charge of finance explained that the expenditure item was a reserve set aside to prepare for unexpected events that might occur during the year (Source: MDZ; a private news source).

According to the same report, opposition lawmakers demanded that the Minister of Economy appear before the committee (Source: MDZ, a private news source).

Chile

The President of Chile is José Antonio Kast. According to private sources, President Kast is a member of the Republican Party of Chile (Source: CIDOB; a private source).

According to a private news report dated March 11, 2026, Mr. Kast won the election held in December of the previous year and was sworn into office in parliament. His term is four years (Source: Blue News; a private news source).

The main item on the current Congress’s agenda is the 2027 budget proposal. According to private media reports, President Castro presented the budget proposal in a nationwide televised address. Government spending will increase by 1.5% compared to 2026. The public safety budget will increase by 9.1% to 7 trillion pesos. According to this report dated October 1, 2026, the budget proposal was submitted to Congress on Wednesday of the same week. Congress will deliberate on the budget proposal within 60 days (Source: Infobae; a private news source).

Regarding public safety policy, the government’s proposal failed to gain support in Congress. According to private media reports, the government withdrew its public safety reform proposal—which included several constitutional amendments—from Congress. The proposal included a mechanism allowing a state of emergency to be maintained for up to 240 days without congressional approval. The government had faced opposition from lawmakers in both the ruling and opposition parties (Source: Infobae. A private news source).

According to the same report, the Minister of the Interior stated that the government supports a separate bill drafted by senators. The bill stipulates that the president may declare a 30-day state of emergency, after which congressional approval is required (Source: Infobae; a private news source).

On October 19, the government submitted a bill to Congress to reform the National Human Rights Institute (Instituto Nacional de Derechos Humanos). According to private media reports, this bill would strip the Institute of its authority to file criminal complaints and reduce the number of members on the Institute’s governing council from 11 to 5 (Source: BioBio Chile; a private media source).

The government and the opposition have differing views on the matter. According to private media reports, the government explains that the reform is intended to strengthen the institute’s role as a body that provides expert advice. On the other hand, the opposition warns that this reform will weaken protections for victims (Source: El Clarín (Chile). This is a private source).

Summary of Key Issues by Country

Finally, I will list the issues discussed in this article by country. The information in the table is based on the sources cited in the sections on each country.

Reference Information

• Party Breakdown | House Press Gallery
  https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown
• Congressional elections and midterm elections | USAGov
  https://www.usa.gov/midterm-elections
• President Donald J. Trump | The White House
  https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/donald-j-trump/
• Leader Jeffries on Squawk Box | Congressman Hakeem Jeffries
  https://jeffries.house.gov/2026/09/28/leader-jeffries-on-squawk-box-people-are-drowning-in-this-failed-republican-economy/
• Speaker Johnson: Republicans Have Delivered a Secure Border, Safe Streets, More Affordable Prescription Drugs, and Common Sense
  https://www.speaker.gov/2026/09/15/speaker-johnson-republicans-have-delivered-a-secure-border-safe-streets-more-affordable-prescription-drugs-and-common-sense/
• 2026 Congressional Primary Dates | Federal Election Commission
  https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/2026pdates.pdf
• 2026 U.S. midterm elections | Britannica
  https://www.britannica.com/event/2026-US-midterm-elections
• Congress passes funding bill to avoid October shutdown, pushing fight past midterms - CBS News
  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-vote-government-shutdown-funding-bill/
• USTR Seeks Public Comment on the 2027 Joint Review of USMCA
  https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2026/october/ustr-seeks-public-comment-2027-joint-review-usmca
• Ambassador Greer Issues Statement on President Trump’s Response to Canada’s Continued Retaliation Against the United States
  https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2026/september/ambassador-greer-issues-statement-president-trumps-response-canadas-continued-retaliation-against
• Prime Minister Carney speaks with President of the United States Donald J. Trump | Prime Minister of Canada
  https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/readouts/2026/10/11/prime-minister-carney-speaks-president-united-states-donald-j-trump
• Party Standings in the House of Commons - House of Commons of Canada
  https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/party-standings
• Voter Turnout at Federal Elections and Referendums – Elections Canada
  https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=ele&dir=turn&document=index&lang=e
• Donald Trump | Britannica
  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Donald-Trump
• Canada Elections Act, section 56.1
  https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/section-56.1.html
• Alberta voters reject separation from Canada, early results show | Al Jazeera
  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/20/alberta-voters-reject-separation-from-canada-early-results-show
• Prime Minister Mark Carney says US is trying to break Canada as Alberta votes on separation path - ABC News
  https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/prime-minister-mark-carney-us-break-canada-alberta-137300440
• Atención a medios del secretario de Economía, Marcelo Ebrard, en la Cámara de Diputados | Secretaría de Economía
  https://www.gob.mx/se/prensa/atencion-a-medios-del-secretario-de-economia-marcelo-ebrard-en-la-camara-de-diputados?idiom=es
• El INE inicia formalmente las elecciones 2027 | Expansión Política
  https://politica.expansion.mx/mexico/2026/09/10/ine-elecciones-2027-inicia-proceso-electoral
• Sheinbaum draws red line on handing over politicians accused of cartel ties to U.S. - The Globe and Mail
  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-mexico-claudia-sheinbaum-cartel-us-trump/
• Facing Trump cartel pressure, Sheinbaum turns to US drug use | Mexico News Daily
  https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/sheinbaum-trump-pressure-mexican-cartels-us-drug-use/
• PAN desconoce gobierno de Sinaloa tras reincorporación de Rocha Moya - Semanario ZETA
  https://zetatijuana.com/2026/08/pan-desconoce-gobierno-de-sinaloa-tras-reincorporacion-de-rocha-moya/
• Mexico's Sheinbaum Toughens Tone on US Cartel Fight
  https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/mexicos-sheinbaum-toughens-tone-us-151242065.html
• Flávio e Lula vão ao segundo turno da eleição presidencial | Congresso em Foco
  https://www.congressoemfoco.com.br/noticia/122884/flavio-e-lula-vao-ao-segundo-turno-da-eleicao-presidencial
• Flávio Bolsonaro edges Lula in the first round; both head to an October 25 runoff — MercoPress
  https://en.mercopress.com/2026/10/05/flavio-bolsonaro-edges-lula-in-the-first-round-both-head-to-an-october-25-runoff
• Lula e Flávio entram em nova fase da disputa | O POVO
  https://mais.opovo.com.br/jornal/farol/2026/10/11/lula-e-flavio-entram-em-nova-fase-da-disputa.html
• Abelardo De La Espriella, nuevo presidente de Colombia | Blu Radio
  https://www.bluradio.com/nacion/elecciones/abelardo-de-la-espriella-nuevo-presidente-de-colombia-so35
• Colombia Swears In Abelardo De La Espriella as President, Opening a New Political Chapter | Межа
  https://mezha.net/eng/bukvy/3d2fbb47_colombia_swears_in/
• Presupuesto de 2027 por $635 billones pasó en el Senado y enfrenta su última prueba en la Cámara - Infobae
  https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2026/10/20/presupuesto-de-2027-por-635-billones-paso-en-el-senado-y-enfrenta-su-ultima-prueba-en-la-camara/
• Reforma política en Colombia: proyecto de Abelardo de la Espriella busca erradicar la “mermelada” | Pulzo
  https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/reforma-politica-en-colombia-proyecto-de-abelardo-de-la-espriella-busca-erradicar-la-mermelada-PP5331136A
• Repudian miles de colombianos a De la Espriella y defienden reformas sociales | La Jornada
  https://www.jornada.com.mx/2026/10/15/mundo/024n1mun?partner=rss
• Milei inicia segunda mitad del mandato con más poder en el Congreso y reformas en juego | La Nación
  https://www.lanacion.com.py/mundo/2025/12/10/milei-inicia-segunda-mitad-del-mandato-con-mas-poder-en-el-congreso-y-reformas-en-juego/
• Presupuesto 2027: Diputados inició el debate y el oficialismo busca dictaminar a fines de octubre | Parlamentario
  https://www.parlamentario.com/2026/10/13/arranco-el-debate-del-presupuesto-2027-en-diputados-y-el-oficialismo-confirmo-cuando-quiere-dictaminar-y-sesionar/
• Presupuesto 2027: La Libertad Avanza quiere dictamen en octubre y deja la sesión para fines de noviembre | MDZ
  https://www.mdzol.com/politica/2026/10/13/presupuesto-2027-la-libertad-avanza-quiere-dictamen-en-octubre-y-deja-la-sesion-para-fines-de-noviem-1987922.html
• José Antonio Kast Rist | CIDOB
  https://www.cidob.org/biografias_lideres_politicos/america_del_sur/chile/jose_antonio_kast_rist
• Right-wing politician Kast takes office as Chile's president | blue News
  https://www.bluewin.ch/en/news/international/right-wing-politician-kast-takes-office-as-chiles-president-li.3139609
• José Antonio Kast presentó la Ley de Presupuestos 2027 con un aumento en el gasto público - Infobae
  https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2026/10/01/jose-antonio-kast-presento-la-ley-de-presupuestos-2027-con-un-aumento-en-el-gasto-publico/
• El Gobierno de Chile retiró del Congreso su proyecto de reforma de seguridad tras recibir escaso respaldo político - Infobae
  https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2026/10/08/el-gobierno-de-chile-retiro-del-congreso-su-proyecto-de-reforma-de-seguridad-tras-recibir-escaso-respaldo-politico/
• Gobierno presenta reforma al INDH: le quita facultad de querellarse y baja Consejo de 11 a 5 miembros | BioBioChile
  https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/chile/2026/10/19/gobierno-presenta-reforma-al-indh-le-quita-facultad-de-querellarse-y-baja-consejo-de-11-a-5-miembros.shtml
• Kast presenta proyecto que le resta facultades al INDH | El Clarín de Chile
  https://www.elclarin.cl/2026/10/20/kast-presenta-reforma-que-quita-al-indh-la-facultad-de-querellarse/

This article was written by AI from public records and non-governmental sources, and translated automatically.

• Budget Proposal
• Election
• Politics in Central and South America
• Politics in North America