With no candidate earning enough to win outright in Sunday's elections, the top two mainstream candidates will compete in the second round in late November. Meanwhile the far left has earned its best result in a presidential election in over 40 years.

The Honda Mexico United Workers Union (STUHM) has suffered a setback in their drive to represent workers in collective bargaining processes. Meanwhile, the Mexican government has strengthened its offensive against teachers in order to impose educational reform that downgrade their working conditions, has moved to privatize fossil fuels through energy reforms, and advanced attacks against collective agreements of oil workers.

On October 10-12, the 30th annual National Women's Meeting (Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres) took place in the coastal city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. There, the Left and the Workers’ Front (FIT) joined Pan y Rosas, a national women's organization advanced by the PTS with sister organizations in Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil and Spain.

Political stagnation of government-backed Scioli and opposition candidates Massa and Macri (both center-right). The Left’s past and present performances in the presidential elections. Doors opening to a great challenge.

The Left and Workers' Front in Argentina is among the 6 slates running for President. In the final stretch of the campaign, Nicolás del Caño and Myriam Bregman capture the voice of the left in these bold television ads.

Mexico has been going through a strong political crisis ever since the disappearance of the 43 students in Ayotzinapa a year ago. The army, especially Battalion 27, was directly involved in the detention and forced disappearance of Ayotzinapa students. A few days after a visit from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the presentation of its expert report, the Attorney General’s "historical" version is being highly scrutinized again. In the midst of this, the government attempts to divert attention from their own involvement by proposing a law dealing with Forced Disappearances.

For the first time ever last Sunday, Argentina’s presidential debate was publicly broadcasted on live television. Front-running candidate -- and Kirchner’s favorite -- Daniel Scioli was a no-show. During the debate, dissident peronist Sergio Massi and Cambiemos leader Mauricio Macri (Mayor of Buenos Aires) failed to gain ground. Left and Workers’ Front (FIT) leader Nicolás del Caño (MP) made a strong case.

September 26 marked the passage of one year since the “Night of Iguala” and the disappearance of 43 students from Ayotzinapa. Their whereabouts are still unknown. Thousands poured into the streets of Mexico City, demanding the return of the 43 “normalistas” who attended Ayotzinapa Rural Normal School. Protesters signaled the State as the culprit.

“What did I do to you?” Those were among the last words uttered by Adriano Oca, a gay man. He was stabbed to death on July 5 in the impoverished outskirts of the city of Rio de Janeiro.