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New Colombian President declares economic emergency, Petrobras confirms new hydrocarbons find, Colombia joins Shield of Americas, and YPF files $51 billion LNG joint- venture project under RIGI.

Las Améяicas Weekly Business Brief is a collection of the most important events from the past week as reported by select open-source media platforms and governments in the Améяicas.

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The Week’s Key Takeaways

Economics & Privatization: Colombia declared a constitutional economic emergency after the 7.4 quake, granting De la Espriella decree powers to modify taxes and spending against a nearly exhausted debt ceiling and up to $10bn in damage.
Energy & Minerals: Petrobras confirmed its first oil discovery on Brazil’s Equatorial Margin at the Morpho well in the Foz do Amazonas basin, extending the Guyana–Suriname trend into Brazilian waters.
Foreign Investments: Argentina’s YPF filed the $51bn Argentina LNG project with Eni and XRG under the RIGI regime, the largest submission to date.
Domestic Politics: Venezuela’s interim government released 131 more political prisoners, bringing the total freed to 1,046 since Maduro’s January capture as US-brokered transition talks advanced.
External Powers & Geopolitics: Colombia authorized joint US military operations and joined the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition as its 19th member, marking a decisive pro-Washington security realignment.

This Week’s Five

Economics & Privatization

◆ LEAD STORY OF THE WEEK

Colombia Declares Economic Emergency After 7.4 Quake, Pressuring COP and COLTES [High]

Following the 10 August magnitude-7.4 earthquake that killed roughly 281–285 people, injured about 3,700, left ~379 missing and destroyed more than 12,000 homes, President Abelardo de la Espriella invoked a constitutional economic emergency on 12 August, granting temporary authority to issue tax and spending decrees, modify taxes and create institutions—including a ‘Miracle Fund’—without congressional approval.

The USGS estimates losses could reach $10 billion against a debt ceiling De la Espriella himself described as nearly exhausted amid ‘the most complex fiscal situation in the country’s republican history.’ The quake struck the coffee-growing axis (Pereira, Armenia, Manizales) and Cali, damaging roads, seven suspended airports and aqueducts, threatening near-term export logistics and insurance exposure.

Las Améяicas · Weekly Brief 34