The Associated Press
In a wild week, most of Mexico proudly celebrated independence day while the people in resort region at the southern end of the scenic Baja California peninsula had their world upended by a powerful hurricane.
Thousands of soldiers, sailors and marines flooded through downtown Mexico City for their annual parade up the capital’s main boulevard, and cowboys, known in Mexico as charros, put on a charreada to commemorate the day.
In Mexico’s west, Hurricane Odile bashed the Baja peninsula as a category 3 storm, ripping buildings, knocking out electricity and potable water, and stranding thousands of tourists by knocking out the airport.
In Mexico City, singer Miley Cyrus performed in concert during her Bangerz Tour. In the city of Monterrey, Cyrus’ antics ignited controversy after some say she desecrated the Mexican flag during her show.
Marina Silva, the presidential candidate of the Brazilian Socialist Party, found herself in a dead heat with incumbent Dilma Rousseff as campaigning headed toward national elections Oct. 5.
In Brazil’s biggest city, Sao Paulo, the eviction of 200 squatter families from an occupied building led to violent clashes, and an art installation by artist Eduardo Srur sought to warn people about the pollution of the city’s rivers.
Young Uruguayan fans of British actress Emma Watson struggled to get a peek during her visit to the Parliament as a goodwill ambassador of the U.N. women’s agency.
In Peru, forensic investigators were in a remote abandoned hamlet on the fertile Andean slopes unearthing the remains of nearly two dozen villagers slain by security forces during the 1980s fight with Shining Path rebels.
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This gallery was curated by photo editor Tomas Stargardter in Mexico City.
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