Carnival, Ash Wednesday and other top photos from Latin America and the Caribbean

Feb. 13-19, 2026

Street parties abounded as Carnival took place across Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela and other places. Parishioners went to churches to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday in Mexico City. Montserrat Fuentes stood on the block she's worked at for 20 years as preparations for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City cut into the livelihoods of sex workers like her.

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Nelsy Escorcia lies outside the Zone 7 detention center of the Bolivarian National Police, where her husband, Franklin Parra, is being held, as she waits for his release in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A street vendor balances flats of eggs on her head in the Petion-Ville neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

Guillermo Beltran, a recipient of Mexican humanitarian assistance, poses for a photo with his daughters Chanely, left and Chanela, holding his donated items at their home in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Lifeguards holding torches, wade into the Atlantic ocean in a ceremony to commemorate Lifeguard Day, to honor their commitment to safety and aquatic rescue, in Mar Azul, Argentina, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

A dog named Bendy is dressed up as the Carnival personality "Chola" during a pet parade and costume contest for the three Carnival personalities of lka, Chola and Pepino in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

A man braces for the sound of firecrackers as people perform a lion dance to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Panama City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo kisses the trophy after defeating Italy's Luciano Darderi in an Argentina Open ATP men's singles final tennis match at Guillermo Vilas Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Montserrat Fuentes stands on Calzada de Tlalpan where she has worked as a sex worker for 20 years and the city is building a new bike lane ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament, blocking cars from pulling over and closing the metro at night, in Mexico City, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A reveler donning a Grinch mask strikes a pose during the Mud Block carnival party in Paraty, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

A parishioner receives ashes on Ash Wednesday in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Contestants in a pageant show pose for photos during Carnival celebrations, in the Petare neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

More Images

Nelsy Escorcia lies outside the Zone 7 detention center of the Bolivarian National Police, where her husband, Franklin Parra, is being held, as she waits for his release in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A street vendor balances flats of eggs on her head in the Petion-Ville neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

Guillermo Beltran, a recipient of Mexican humanitarian assistance, poses for a photo with his daughters Chanely, left and Chanela, holding his donated items at their home in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Lifeguards holding torches, wade into the Atlantic ocean in a ceremony to commemorate Lifeguard Day, to honor their commitment to safety and aquatic rescue, in Mar Azul, Argentina, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

A dog named Bendy is dressed up as the Carnival personality "Chola" during a pet parade and costume contest for the three Carnival personalities of lka, Chola and Pepino in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

A man braces for the sound of firecrackers as people perform a lion dance to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Panama City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo kisses the trophy after defeating Italy's Luciano Darderi in an Argentina Open ATP men's singles final tennis match at Guillermo Vilas Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Montserrat Fuentes stands on Calzada de Tlalpan where she has worked as a sex worker for 20 years and the city is building a new bike lane ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament, blocking cars from pulling over and closing the metro at night, in Mexico City, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A reveler donning a Grinch mask strikes a pose during the Mud Block carnival party in Paraty, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

A parishioner receives ashes on Ash Wednesday in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Contestants in a pageant show pose for photos during Carnival celebrations, in the Petare neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

This gallery was curated by photo editor Jon Orbach, based in Mexico City.

AP photography: https://apnews.com/photography

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews

BANGKOK (AP) — When Thai police were having trouble catching a serial burglar who repeatedly slipped through their fingers, they came up with a creative plan: going undercover in a traditional lion costume to get close to their elusive quarry.

Video footage released by the Bangkok police department showed officers hidden beneath a red-and-gold lion costume dancing toward the suspect on Wednesday as he wandered through a Lunar New Year fair at a temple in Nonthaburi, a province neighboring Bangkok. Moments later, the officer who was holding the lion’s papier-mache head lunges at the suspect swiftly pins the man to the ground.

Police say the suspect, identified as a 33-year-old man, is accused of breaking into the home of a local police commander in Bangkok three times earlier this month, making off with valuables worth about 2 million baht ($64,000).

In a press release, police said they had attempted to arrest the man several times, but he was quick to spot police officers and ran off. They later identified him by tracing stolen amulets he had sold and learned that he frequently visited temples in Nonthaburi.

While the Lunar New Year is not an official holiday in Thailand, celebrations are common and lion dances are often part of the festivities, providing the perfect cover for the operation.

Police said the suspect has confessed to the buglaries, saying he stole to buy drugs and gamble. They added that he has previously been convicted of drug-related offenses and burglary.

Carnival, Ash Wednesday and other top photos from Latin America and the Caribbean

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