U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas (D, California), chairman of BOLD PAC, the Hispanic Caucus' political action committee, is on course to raising $10 million to help elect candidates. "Last year, six additional Latinos – all backed by BOLD PAC and all Democrats – joined the U.S. House." BOLD PAC also supported U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D, Nevada), the first Latina elected to that chamber. – NBC News, December 1, 2017
"Facing mounting evidence that Puerto Rico has vastly undercounted the number of people who died because of Hurricane Maria, Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselió ordered (December 19) that every death on the island since the calamitous storm be reviewed." While the official count is 64, a New York Times analysis based on data from the vital statistics bureau estimated the deaths to be more than 1,000. – The New York Times, December 19, 2017
The draw for the 2018 World Cup sorted the field of 32 countries into eight, first-round groups, including seven from Latin America. Among them are Brazil, which has won five World Cups, as well as Argentina and Uruguay, who have each captured two championships. – The New York Times, December 2, 2017
"Coco," an animated Disney film which follows a Mexican boy into the underworld, was number one at the box office and globally surged to a total gross of $280 million. In Mexico, it became the first movie to cross one billion pesos. – The New York Times, December 4, 2017
"Chileans (December 17) gave former President Sebastián Piñera a new term in office, rejecting his opponent's call to build on the social and economic changes set in motion by the incumbent Michelle Bachelet," The New York Times reported December 18. "Piñera's victory marks the latest shift to the right in a region that until recently was largely governed by leftist leaders who rose to power promising to build more egalitarian societies."
"A judge in Argentina says he is seeking the arrest of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner over accusations she took part in a political cover-up. Ms. Fernández, who governed for eight years from December 2007, is now a senator and as such enjoys parliamentary immunity." For her to be arrested, the Senate would have to lift that immunity with a two-thirds majority vote. – BBC News, December 7, 2017