In Havana, people lined the streets to honor Cubans killed in the US raid in Venezuela. The Venezuelan government has begun releasing political prisoners, though the number freed remains undisclosed. The BBC's Will Grant is examining the close ties between the two nations, which have long shared political and economic bonds.
Shakira performed a free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night. The show began around 11 p.m., more than an hour behind schedule. It was part of her 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran' world tour.
I arrived here when I was 18 years old, dreaming about singing for you. And now look at this. Life is magical.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere estimated the crowd at approximately 2 million people, and multiple reports described it as the largest audience of her career. According to tour promoters, the 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran' World Tour officially started on 11 February 2025 in Rio, but the Copacabana show was a separate, record-breaking event.
Lady Gaga performed a free concert on the same beach the previous year. That event drew about 2.1 million people, according to city officials. Rio City Hall has said such free concerts are part of a strategy to stimulate economic activity during off-peak periods.
Us women, every time we fall we get up a little wiser.
Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere defended the investment, stating, 'For us, parties are serious business. Because parties generate jobs, income, development, and identity for the city.' He added that the financial return would be 40 times greater than the city's outlay. A study by Rio City Hall and Riotur projected the concert would inject around 777 million reais (about £114 million) into the local economy.
Security was heavy, with approximately 8,000 police officers deployed, according to multiple reports. Reports said a crew member died while helping assemble stage structures, though details about their identity and circumstances remain unknown. Crowds began gathering Saturday morning, and vendors sold items such as sweet corn, snacks, water, caipirinhas, and even toilet paper and deodorant, according to local media.
For us, parties are serious business. Because parties generate jobs, income, development, and identity for the city.
Taking the stage, Shakira reflected, 'I arrived here when I was 18 years old, dreaming about singing for you. And now look at this. Life is magical.' She then launched into a set of her greatest hits, including 'Hips Don't Lie,' 'La Tortura,' and 'La Bicicleta.' She closed the night with 'BZRP Music Sessions #53/66.'
Shakira's custom-made outfits by Etro added to the visual spectacle, as noted by multiple reports. Witnesses said she waved a Brazilian flag mid-show, and the concert concluded with a fireworks display that lit up the Rio skyline. Attendees reported that skywriting drones spelled out 'I love you Brazil' in Portuguese overhead.
Our investment in this show will give us a financial return 40 times greater.
According to www.nbcnews.com, ethnomusicologist Felipe Maia said the performance represents the pinnacle of Shakira's decades-long bond with Brazilian audiences. Maia noted that she first visited Brazil in the 1990s and built a strong connection, aided by the cultural similarities between her native Colombia and Brazil. He described the Copacabana show as the crowning achievement of that relationship.
Shakira delivered a message of female empowerment, telling the crowd, 'Us women, every time we fall we get up a little wiser.' Concertgoer Hellem Souza da Silva told www.nbcnews.com that performances like Shakira's reinforce Brazil's place within Latin America, countering the idea that 'America' refers only to the United States.
The She-Wolf made history in Rio.
Mayor Cavaliere celebrated on social media, posting, 'The She-Wolf made history in Rio.' Fan Erica Monteiro, a 38-year-old accountant, told www.nbcnews.com that she has listened to Shakira since childhood and views the singer as a symbol of Latino strength. Monteiro expressed a shared sentiment of resilience, saying that despite being treated as inferior, Latinos possess far greater strength.
A new website now allows journalists to securely upload their work so it can be published if something happens to them. The initiative comes amid ongoing threats to press freedom worldwide. BBC News-World reported a warning from an anonymous speaker, who said that killing journalists is an extremely dangerous and counterproductive business.
crowns the relationship she has had with Brazil for a very long time.
In El Salvador, a mass trial for 486 alleged gang members has commenced, part of the government's crackdown on criminal groups. Footage released by the attorney general's office shows large groups of prisoners attending the hearing via video link from prison. It remains unclear whether the trial is directly linked to the country's state of emergency. Meanwhile, Mexico's defence ministry reported that drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as 'El Mencho,' was killed during a security operation, though independent verification has not been confirmed.
In Mexico, authorities are expanding Benito Juárez International Airport to handle increased traffic for the 2026 World Cup. Separately, the city of Guadalajara has been gripped by a wave of violence, leaving residents fearful. In a stark contrast, millions in Mexico City participated in an earthquake drill, with approximately 8.2 million people evacuating in an average of 1 minute 52 seconds.
we're treated as if we were inferior but in fact we have much more strength.
Cubans continue to face severe electricity shortages, a crisis that has been partly attributed to US sanctions. In the Galápagos Islands, conservationists released 158 juvenile giant tortoises onto Floreana island, a positive step for the species' recovery. In the South Atlantic, scientists observed a rare phantom jellyfish, a deep-sea creature whose sightings are extremely uncommon.
are making it clear that Brazil, Puerto Rico, Colombia and other countries are part of Latin America. And that America is not the United States.
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