During the week of June 12-18, 2026, Mexico etched its name in World Cup history by becoming the first team to punch a ticket to the tournament’s knockout round, defeating South Korea by a score of 1-0. Adding a bit of charm to the celebration, a duck named Merlín has been embraced as the squad’s beloved team mascot.
On the political front in South America, Peru’s presidential runoff election results are slowly trickling in. Conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori currently holds the lead over progressive challenger Roberto Sánchez as vote counting continues.
Neighboring Colombia is also bracing for a high-stakes presidential runoff of its own. The deeply divided nation is preparing to head to the polls in a tight contest pitting a progressive against a conservative outsider for the country’s top office.
The photo gallery highlighting these events was put together by photo editor Anita Baca, who is based in Mexico City.
