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In December, Canning House launched our annual flagship report, the LatAm Outlook 2026, at Bloomberg.
The evening featured a presentation corresponding to each chapter of the publication, which is available to download here.
The evening started with the presentation of the global outlook from Michael Stott. He focused on the impact of President Trump, who has recently announced his National Security Strategy. That document, Stott explained, contained more ‘sticks than carrots’. If the USA wants to curry further favour in Latin America, it will need to offer rewards, especially in the face of an expanding Chinese presence.
The Political Outlook was delivered by Daniel Linsker. Across the region, we have seen dramatic shifts in government, and attention will focus on whether and where this trend continues. 2026 is a major year for Latin American elections, with Presidential contests in Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
Dr. Irene Mia discussed security in the region. Over the past year, armed violence has been dominated by criminal groups, with high levels of gang violence, although there are big variations from country-to-country. Furthermore, we have seen a rise in interstate tensions in the region.
The Social Outlook focused on how Latin Americans perceive the region in which they live. Citizens remain concerned about levels of crime and corruption, yet there is much to be optimistic about. Latin America retains a young population that is open to new technologies.
Bloomberg’s Adriana Dupita delivered the economic forecast for 2026. Globally, economic growth is expected to slow over the course of the next year, but Argentina and Mexico are likely to buck that trend. No countries in the region are currently at risk of an external economic crisis.
The Trade Outlook focused on the increasingly attractive nature of Latin American markets for British business through key agreements such as the CPTPP. In particular, sustainable infrastructure and finance will be key areas for trade in 2026.
Finally, the Environmental Outlook was given by David Purkey, who explained Latin America’s key role in the global energy transition. The decreasing cost of renewable energy will contribute to its continued prominence in the region. Latin America also enjoys vast reserves of critical minerals that will grow in importance as the energy transition gains momentum.
The evening was finished with a panel discussion amongst the contributors. Canning House extends its gratitude to all of the day’s speakers. The full Latam Outlook 2026 is available now.
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