PICTURED: Editor selections from Latin America

During the past week in Latin America and Caribbean, the political environment in Brazil grew tenser when former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was hauled in by the federal police for questioning in the Petrobras corruption scandal.

Silva denounced the police operation, suggesting it was part of a campaign to sully his image, that of his party and of his hand-picked successor, President Dilma Rousseff. Supporters and detractors clashed in the streets.

In Argentina, President Mauricio Macri gave his first state of the nation address as he opened the session of congress.

In this Friday, March 4, 2016 photo, Brazil's former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is surrounded by supporters as he leaves the Worker's Party building...

In this Friday, March 4, 2016 photo, Brazil's former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is surrounded by supporters as he leaves the Worker's Party building in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Brazilian police acting on a warrant questioned the former president and searched his home and other properties, in the most recent development yet in the sprawling corruption case at the oil giant Petrobras. Silva reacted with indignation, saying the Petrobras corruption case has become a political witch hunt targeting him and his governing Workers' Party. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine)

A Cuban worker took a break under drying tobacco leaves at the Montesino tobacco farm in the western province of Pinar del Rio.

The Copa Libertadores soccer tournament continued to gather steam as Bolivia's Bolivar clashed with Colombia's Deportivo Cali. Palmeiras of Brazil met Rosario Central of Argentina and Brazil's Gremio played Ecuador's Liga Deportiva Universitaria in rain-drenched matches.

In Rio de Janeiro, the Synchronized Swimming Olympic Games Qualification Tournament took place at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center. The tournament was also a test event for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

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This gallery was curated by photo editor Tomas Stargardter in Mexico City.

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Associated Press photographers and photo editors on Twitter: http://apne.ws/150o6jo

In this Friday, March 4, 2016 photo, federal police officers restrain a supporter Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as he shouts against anti-gove...

In this Friday, March 4, 2016 photo, federal police officers restrain a supporter Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as he shouts against anti-government demonstrators, outside Lula's residence building in Sao Bernardo do Campo, in the greater Sao Paulo area, Brazil. Police are questioning former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and searching his home and other buildings linked to him as part of the sprawling corruption case at the oil giant Petrobras. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

In this Tuesday, March 1, 2016 photo, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri smiles at supporters as he leaves, after attending the opening of the 2016 session...

In this Tuesday, March 1, 2016 photo, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri smiles at supporters as he leaves, after attending the opening of the 2016 session of Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The president said during the session that the state is broke, drug traffickers are running rampant and the military is so weakened that the borders are porous and many planes don't fly. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

In this Feb. 26, 2016 photo, a worker takes a break under drying tobacco leaves at the Montesino tobacco farm in the province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. The Mon...

In this Feb. 26, 2016 photo, a worker takes a break under drying tobacco leaves at the Montesino tobacco farm in the province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. The Montesino farm has been in the same family for three generations and is one of the most renowned Cuban tobacco producers. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, Ivan Borghello of Bolivia's Bolivar, center, fights for the ball with Andres Perez of Colombia's Deportivo Cali, right...

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, Ivan Borghello of Bolivia's Bolivar, center, fights for the ball with Andres Perez of Colombia's Deportivo Cali, right, as Ronaldo Eguino of Bolivar, left, falls on the pitch, during a Copa Libertadores soccer match in La Paz, Bolivia. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, Cristaldo of Brazil's Palmeiras celebrates after scoring against Argentina's Rosario Central, during a Copa Libertador...

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, Cristaldo of Brazil's Palmeiras celebrates after scoring against Argentina's Rosario Central, during a Copa Libertadores soccer match in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, Ze Roberto of Brazil's Palmeiras, left, fights for the ball with Hernan Nicolas Da Campo of Argentina's Rosario Centra...

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, Ze Roberto of Brazil's Palmeiras, left, fights for the ball with Hernan Nicolas Da Campo of Argentina's Rosario Central during a Copa Libertadores soccer match in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

In this Wednesday, March 2, 2016 photo, Everton of Brazil¿s Gremio celebrates his goal against Ecuador's Liga Deportiva Universitaria during a Copa Libertado...

In this Wednesday, March 2, 2016 photo, Everton of Brazil¿s Gremio celebrates his goal against Ecuador's Liga Deportiva Universitaria during a Copa Libertadores soccer match in Porto Alegre, Brazil. (AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

In this Friday, March 4, 2016 photo, a member of France's synchronized swimming team is thrown into the air during a training session of the Synchronized Swi...

In this Friday, March 4, 2016 photo, a member of France's synchronized swimming team is thrown into the air during a training session of the Synchronized Swimming Olympic Games Qualification Tournament at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The tournament is also a test event for the Rio 2016 Olympics. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, dancers compete in cheerleader auditions for the Miami Dolphins, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazilian dancers audition...

In this Thursday, March 3, 2016 photo, dancers compete in cheerleader auditions for the Miami Dolphins, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazilian dancers auditioned in the first international cheerleader recruitment for the Dolphins. Auditions will also be held in Colombia, Argentina and Mexico. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

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