Dealflow.la #81 – Ualá 🇦🇷 Raises $66M to Expand Digital Banking, Ecuador 🇪🇨 Partners with Blackwater, & Trump 🇺🇸 Stirs Panama Canal Tensions.

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Funding

3VO 🇵🇦 raised a $200K venture round with funding from a strategic investor 🇺🇸 to develop a Web3-powered digital community ecosystem designed to enhance user engagement and scalability. The company's platform integrates AI-driven automation with token creation, content monetization, marketplaces, and multi-chain wallets, enabling businesses and organizations to build decentralized online communities while promoting privacy, collaboration, and global impact.

Ualá 🇦🇷 increased its Series E round by $66 million with funding from 🇺🇸🇲🇽 to expand its digital banking application designed to improve financial accessibility. The company's platform integrates with traditional payment networks, allowing users to transfer money on demand and make purchases safely without cash.

Acquisition News

• Volaris Group 🇨🇦 acquired Nydus Systems 🇧🇷, a developer of a payroll and human resources management platform for small-to-medium-sized businesses in Brazil, to expand its portfolio in the HR and payroll software sector while ensuring compliance with Brazil’s LGPD regulations and union standards.

• Fretefy 🇧🇷 acquired Pathfind 🇧🇷, a developer of route optimization technology for logistics operations, to enhance its logistics platform with data-driven route optimization, improving efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing productivity for shippers, carriers, and drivers.

Startup & VC News

• Prefeitura de São Caetano do Sul 🇧🇷 announced the launch of a new Startup Acceleration Program to boost local innovation and support emerging companies at all development stages to strengthen its innovation ecosystem. The six‐month program—set to kick off with an event at the Municipal Technological Park on March 25, 2025—will offer free training, specialized mentorship, strategic connections, and increased visibility for startups. The initiative is carried out via the Sedeti (Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico, Trabalho, Turismo, Tecnologia e Inovação) and features strategic partnerships with Bossa Invest, Sebrae, Nvidia, Instituto Mauá, and USCS. This program is expected to accelerate entrepreneurial growth and reinforce São Caetano’s role as a regional innovation hub. (São Caetano Digital)

Sociopolitical News

🇦🇷 Argentina

• IMF set to evaluate a nearly $20 billion loan to support Argentina's economic stabilization. The proposed four-year extended fund facility is pivotal for replenishing Argentina’s central bank reserves and easing capital controls, marking a crucial step in the nation’s broader reform efforts. (Cenital) (Bloomberg)

• The Argentine government has suspended Telecom’s planned acquisition of Telefónica to prevent excessive market concentration. This preventive action, prompted by the Competition Defense Commission's recommendation and communicated by the presidential office, underscores the state's commitment to maintaining competitive balance in the telecommunications sector. (Página12)

🇧🇷 Brazil

• Brazil’s government is overhauling its income tax system to boost fiscal fairness and spur economic growth. The reform will raise the tax exemption threshold from 2,824 to 5,000 reais per month—freeing up an estimated 10 million additional taxpayers—and target dividend payouts from firms taxed well below average by imposing a minimum 10% tax on high-income earners. This balanced approach aims to offset revenue losses while reducing inequality and broadening the taxpayer base. (Mattos Filho)(Reuters)(Demarest)

• Brazil’s National Congress approves a R$343 billion budget for agriculture, underscoring a major governmental commitment to boosting the sector. The sizable allocation is aimed at driving investments, enhancing rural development, and strengthening both food security and export competitiveness. (Canal Rural)

🇨🇱 Chile

• Chilean prosecutors have opened an investigation into the leaking of Princess Leonor of Spain's private photos taken inside a Punta Arenas mall. The probe was launched after the Spanish Royal House filed a complaint alleging violation of data protection laws. (Huffington Post)

• Valparaíso’s export surge of 23.9% underscores its growing economic dynamism and the critical impact of sectoral shifts on regional prosperity. This increase was driven by a standout 172.8% jump in the silvoagropecuario sector and strong fruit export gains, while mining—dominated by copper and iron—remained robust, reinforcing key trade links with China and Brazil. (En Cancha)

🇨🇴 Colombia

• Bank of America warns that Colombia's escalating fiscal deficit and revenue shortfalls could undermine economic stability. The analysis, based on discussions with local experts and policymakers, reveals that fiscal mismanagement—highlighted by a significant increase in the deficit relative to GDP and a notable drop in tax revenue—poses serious risks to exchange rates, inflation, and overall growth. (Valora Analitik)

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

• Costa Rica’s president leads a protest demanding the resignation of the Attorney General amid escalating concerns over alleged corruption and judicial interference. The demonstration in San José, attended by hundreds, highlights deepening political polarization and public discontent with government actions. (El País) (Columbia)

• Global governance for artificial intelligence takes a historic step as the UN launches a process to create a worldwide regulatory framework. The initiative, with Costa Rica and Spain as key co-facilitators, aims to harmonize global efforts to harness AI’s benefits while mitigating its risks. (El País)

🇩🇴 Dominican Republic

• The Dominican Government has allocated a $5.1 million subsidy to stabilize prices of five essential fuels, protecting consumers from international market volatility. The initiative will maintain fuel prices unchanged for the week of March 22–28, 2025, thereby ensuring economic predictability and easing household financial pressures. (Presidencia de la República Dominicana) (Diario Libre)

🇪🇨 Ecuador

• Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa forges a controversial alliance with Blackwater mercenaries to reinforce national security amid surging violence. The move is intended to enhance the capabilities of military and police forces against narcoterrorism and illegal fishing, while critics warn it could set a dangerous precedent regarding the use of private military actors in domestic affairs. (El País)

🇸🇻 El Salvador

• El Salvador secures a $500 million loan from the IDB to strengthen its fiscal position and implement structural reforms mandated by its IMF deal. The funding is intended to boost tax revenue, reduce public debt, rebuild international reserves, and enhance financial governance, supporting the government's broader economic stabilization efforts. (Reuters)

🇬🇹 Guatemala

• Guatemalan indigenous leaders are demanding the full repeal of the mandatory insurance policy, arguing that it harms their communities and undermines traditional practices. Local indigenous authorities contend that the policy places an undue economic burden on their people while eroding cultural autonomy, sparking protests and calls for urgent reform. (Prensa Libre)

🇭🇳 Honduras

• Honduras’ government is increasingly relying on external debt to finance its public spending. The government secured $4,538 million in external borrowing during 2022–2024—nearly double the amount from the previous triennium—while internal debt fell significantly, raising concerns about long-term fiscal sustainability. (El Heraldo)

🇲🇽 Mexico

• Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum rejects recession forecasts, asserting that her government’s robust plan will neutralize the impact of U.S. tariff threats. She emphasized that measures under “Plan México” and proactive negotiations with U.S. officials will safeguard economic growth, despite Fitch and other international agencies warning of a downturn. (Forbes México) (El Universal)

• The OECD projects that rising U.S. tariffs on Mexican products will trigger an economic contraction in Mexico through 2025 and 2026. The organization warns that if these tariffs and retaliatory measures fully take effect, Mexico’s GDP could shrink by 1.3% in 2025 and contract further by 0.6% in 2026, as uncertainty dampens investment and consumer spending. (El Economista)

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

• Nicaragua’s exit from the Central American Court of Justice signals a major shift in regional judicial cooperation. The move could weaken collective efforts to uphold human rights and the rule of law in Central America, potentially altering regional balances and diminishing legal accountability. (DW)

🇵🇦 Panama

• Trump’s memorandum on the Panama Canal raises concerns about U.S. military intervention and regional stability. The directive calls for the Pentagon to explore military measures to secure the canal amid growing geopolitical competition, particularly with China, sparking debates about Panamanian sovereignty and its strategic future. (El País)

• Panama is reinforcing its fiscal stability and investment appeal by discussing key public finance reforms with the IMF. The meeting focused on streamlining regulatory processes and enhancing governance to boost economic growth and investor confidence in a competitive global environment. (Panamá América)

🇵🇾 Paraguay

• Paraguay’s Central Bank maintained its policy rate at 6% amid stable price conditions and solid economic growth. The unanimous decision by the Monetary Policy Committee reflects confidence in the current economic outlook, supported by favorable international factors such as subdued US inflation and lower commodity prices, while the next review is set for April 23. (Última Hora)

🇵🇪 Peru

• Peru’s Congress has ousted its Interior Minister amid widespread public protests over record-high crime rates and the recent killing of a popular cumbia singer. The dismissal reflects growing frustration with the government’s inability to curb escalating violence and demands for stronger action to protect citizens. (El Economista) (La República)

🇻🇪 Venezuela

• U.S. President Donald Trump will revoke legal status for about half a million immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, a decision that could drastically reshape migration policies. The move is expected to trigger significant political and social debates in the United States as well as among affected communities, with potential repercussions on bilateral relations and domestic politics. (El País)

• Venezuela is cutting work hours in response to a climate emergency to help reduce energy consumption and lower emissions. The new policy aims to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and could set a precedent for labor reforms in the region. (Excélsior)

🇺🇸 Miami

• Latino-owned businesses are facing unprecedented economic pressure as widespread fear of ICE raids and mass deportations disrupts both customer flow and staffing. This growing anxiety is causing a domino effect that sharply reduces daily patronage and employee attendance, jeopardizing the sustainability of small, community-centered enterprises. (El País) (CiberCuba)

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