Santiago covered in snow for the first time in 70 years

In May 2024, Santiago, Chile experienced an unusual snowfall that marked the coldest month in over 70 years, highlighting the region's extreme weather patterns. This event was soon overshadowed by a severe drought affecting the Amazon rainforest, which began cracking the basins of the Negro River in Brazil, leading to accessible riverbanks in Colombia. The year was fraught with disasters as the Atlantic hurricane season unleashed 11 tropical storms, surpassing the typical average, wreaking havoc across the Caribbean and the southern United States. The storms included Beryl, which became the first Category 4 hurricane recorded in June, causing devastation on Carriacou, Grenada, while later storms like Helene and Milton resulted in unprecedented rainfall during the wet season. Latin America also witnessed significant political changes as Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as Mexico's first female president, while Nicolás Maduro secured reelection amid allegations of electoral fraud. Javier Milei, Argentina's president, faced widespread protests due to harsh budget cuts, while Daniel Noboa concluded his year dealing with a severe energy crisis. In addition to these challenges, violence persisted in Haiti and Mexico, characterized by tragic events and high mortality rates. Yet not all was bleak, as communities came together in moments of joy; in Port-au-Prince, a young girl found delight in skipping rope at a refugee school, and in Puerto San Julián, Argentina, crowds gathered to witness a solar eclipse. Indigenous women in Ecuador created a new ball game, reflecting resilience and cultural richness in the face of adversity. 2024 stood as a testament to both the power of nature and the resilience of the human spirit, as the region battled intense natural disasters while navigating political upheaval and social unrest.