Vaccine-stymieing variants. Gamma and Lambda already have a strong presence in Latin America. Delta could soon follow. As Latin America faces ongoing coronavirus outbreaks, read our explainer covering Covid variants in the region, why it’s so challenging to track them, and how they threaten the progress of vaccine rollouts.

Check Latin America’s vaccination progress in our tracker.

Happy anniversary. July 1 marked a year since the USMCA went into effect, though the pandemic slowed some aspects of its implementation. “We’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to seeing how dispute resolution mechanisms will get tested, says COA’s Steve Liston in this Insider Q&A.

Learn about COA’s Trade Advisory Group.

THEY SAID WHAT?

• Mexico decriminalizes recreational marijiana, but penalties remain.
• Former FinMin Cardenas on "Colombia's triple crisis."
• International court hands down precedent-setting ruling in favor of trans rights in Honduran case.

• Colombia loosens Covid restrictions even as deaths climb.
• Excess death counts show Mexico's toll may be up to 60 percent higher than the confirmed tally.
• How a toxic chemical that is “the same as drinking bleach” got touted as a miracle cure in South America.
• Washington missed its June 30 deadline to distribute 80 million vaccine doses worldwide, but this week pledged to send shots to Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru.