Americas

The PSUV lost its majority in the National Assembly of Venezuela to the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable, marking the first time since 1999 that the PSUV lost its majority.

Ollanta Humala, was elected president of Peru.

U.S. President Barack Obama announces the resumption of normal relations between the US and Cuba, and an end to the United States embargo against Cuba, for the first time since January 1961.

President Barack Obama signs the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, marking a major reform of the U.S. health insurance and health care systems.

Enrique Peña Nieto won the Mexican general election, bringing the Institutional Revolutionary Party back to prominence for the first time since 2000.

The government of Colombia and FARC rebels signed a ceasefire, officially ending over 50 years of conflict between the two.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez died at the age of 58 after governing the country for 14 years.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected as the first pope from the Americas; he takes the papal nameFrancis.

The Liberal Party, led by Justin Trudeau, won Canada’s federal election, defeating the Conservative Party in the country’s longest election in a century.

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was elected president of Peru.