Colombia Election Security: Colombia heads to the polls Sunday with an unprecedented deployment of 246,000 security personnel and alerts across 386 municipalities as political violence fears rise ahead of the May 31 presidential vote. Military Tech Escalation: In the same tense run-up, Colombia’s army is testing explosive-drone tactics to match guerrillas’ use of homemade drones. Caribbean Banking Deal: Butterfield is set to buy a majority stake in CIBC Caribbean in a landmark US$1.8 billion transaction, with no immediate operational changes promised. Brazil-U.S. Crime Clash: Brazil rejects the U.S. designation of major Brazilian drug gangs as terrorist groups, warning it could undermine sovereignty and cooperation. Brazil-Suriname Trade Push: Lula and Suriname’s president agreed to expand a limited trade relationship, with talks aimed at new sectors beyond today’s mostly Brazilian exports. World Cup Betting Boom: A betting expert says World Cup wagering could top $50 billion, driven by expanded teams and more player-prop “bet builder” formats. Puerto Rico Cruise Surge: Puerto Rico logged record winter cruise numbers, with passenger movement up about 43% year-on-year in Old San Juan. Panama Emeralds Provenance: Researchers confirmed Panama’s green stones came from Colombian emerald sources via ancient trade routes.