LatAm Expat & Nomad Daily Guide for Sunday, October 4, 2026

On Sunday, October 4, 2026, Brazil held its election, with only Brazilian citizens eligible to vote. Foreign residents could only observe the process. Voters selected a president, governors, the 513-seat Chamber of Deputies, and two-thirds of the Senate. Voting took place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brasília time, with results announced at 5 p.m. Brasília time (20:00 UTC), 4 p.m. US Eastern time, and 9 p.m. London and Lisbon time.

Peru enforced a 48-hour dry law, restricting alcohol sales from 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, through 8 a.m. on Monday, October 5. The law aimed to ensure fair voting conditions. Public gatherings near polling places were prohibited from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the election day.

Mexico's Pacific coast received updates on Hurricane Rachel, which weakened to Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm moved west, approximately 430 kilometers south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas on Saturday evening. While it did not pose a threat of landfall in Mexico, it brought waves up to 4 meters along the coast of Baja California Sur and heavy showers to various Mexican states.

Beach conditions remained dangerous even when the storm was offshore. Residents were advised to consult the SMN bulletin before engaging in swimming or boating activities.

Meanwhile, major currencies saw fluctuations in their exchange rates throughout the week. The Brazilian real (R$) strengthened slightly to 5.2238 per US dollar on Friday, October 4, from 5.2079 on Thursday. The Mexican peso (MXN) depreciated to 18.1903 per US dollar, while the Chilean peso (CLP) strengthened to 983.84 per US dollar.

In Colombia, the official representative rate (TRM) decreased from 3,307.73 to 3,273.49 per US dollar. Argentina reported multiple rates, including the official sell rate at 1,490 per US dollar and the blue market rate at 1,540 per US dollar.