Amazon Prime Video to invest $2 bn in Latin America productions

Amazon announced Thursday that it would invest $2 billion in Latin American productions for its Prime Video streaming service through 2030 to harness "extraordinary" momentum in the region.

"What's happening in Latin America right now is extraordinary -- the talent, the stories, the audiences," Kelly Day, Vice President of International for Prime Video, told a press conference in Mexico City.

The investment covers original and licensed programming as well as sports.

Amazon said it aimed to double original productions from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile.

Twenty-five new titles will premiere in 2027, with another 25 to follow in 2028.

Recent Latin American productions on Prime include "Menem," a series about flamboyant former Argentine president Carlos Menem and "La Oficina," a Mexican adaption of "The Office."

Oscar-winning screenwriter Armando Bo is meanwhile directing an adaptation of "Las Malas," Camila Sosa Villada's novel about a community of trans sex workers in Argentina.

"When you trust Latin American storytellers with ambition and resources, the world pays attention," Javiera Balmaceda, head of original Prime productions for Latin America said.

Netflix is also boosting its original Latin American content, with notable successes include "One Hundred Years of Solitude" in Colombia and "El Eternauta" in Argentine.