Adam Isacson

John Vizcaíno / Reuters photo at El Tiempo (Colombia)> Caption: “En las zonas veredales, los guerrilleros han hecho los registros de sus armas, pero no las han entregado en su totalidad a la ONU.”

(Even more here)

May 31, 2017

Colombia

• “Amnistias y Libertades para Farc se Definiran a la Par Con el Desarme” (El Tiempo (Colombia), May 31, 2017).

EL TIEMPO explica en esta y en la siguiente página los elementos claves de los decretos con fuerza de ley que expidió el Presidente para cumplir los acuerdos de paz, y el nuevo cronograma del desarme

• Jim Wyss, “Colombia’s Messy Peace Tries the Patience of War-Weary Nation” (The Miami Herald, May 31, 2017).

If war was waged with military precision, everything from rain to poor roads seems to be derailing carefully laid plans for peace

Guatemala

• Marcos Ommati, “Guatemalan Armed Forces Get Involved in National Security” (Revista Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), May 31, 2017).

When will the Armed Forces stop supporting the National Civil Police?

Mexico

• Joshua Partlow, “Violence Is Soaring in the Mexican Towns That Feed America’s Heroin Habit” (The Washington Post, May 31, 2017).

A kilogram of opium gum can earn the impoverished farmers about $800 from the drug traffickers who purchase it. After the gum is processed, a kilogram can sell for about $50,000 on the streets of Chicago

• John Burnett, “Illegal Border Crossings Are Down, and So Is Business for Smugglers” (National Public Radio, May 31, 2017).

The complex business of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border without papers is changing profoundly. Here are the stories of human smugglers in Mexico and would-be immigrants looking to illegally cross

• Patrick Timmons, “Life Imitating News: The Murder of Mexican Journalist Javier Valdez” (NACLA, May 31, 2017).

“Yes, I do have information from the grassroots about the bosses, but my work has been more about people who have had to suffer the narco”

Venezuela

• David Smilde, Miguel Tinker Salas, Jennifer Mccoy, Mark Weisbrot, Steve Ellner, “Is the Oas Playing a Constructive Role on Venezuela? What Should It Be Doing Differently?” (Venezuela Dialogue, May 31, 2017).

In my view it is entirely legitimate for Almagro to have invoked the Democratic Charter with respect to Venezuela. However, I felt he did it about a year too soon

From David Smilde’s WOLA blog report from Caracas. Caption: “Marchers from Caurimare arriving to Los Ruices.”

• “DOJ OIG and State OIG Release Joint Report on Responses by DEA and State Department to Three Deadly Force Incidents in Honduras” (Department of Justice and Department of State Inspectors-General, May 24, 2017).

A devastating 400-page report details how DEA and State Department officials lied to or obstructed superiors and investigators, including the U.S. ambassador and Congress, about controversial use-of-deadly-force incidents during 2012 counter-drug operations in Honduras.

• Stephanie Nolen, Elisangela Mendonca, “In Brazil’s Crooked Political Game, Is Anybody Playing Fair? A Search for an Honest Political Player” (The Globe and Mail (Toronto Canada), May 24, 2017).

After eliminating Brazilian legislators accused of corruption, then those “who don’t show up for debates, don’t vote or don’t sponsor legislation,” The Globe and Mail “wound up with just a dozen names” and interviewed five of them for their opinions about what it would take to fix Brazil’s endemic corruption.

• “New Ain Report: Lessons From Bolivia” (Andean Information Network (Bolivia), May 26, 2017).

The Cochabamba-based NGO brought to Bolivia a group of Colombian coca-growers involved in their country’s post-peace accord effort to negotiate voluntary crop eradication. This report looks at some lessons the group could take from Bolivia’s experience, including “how bringing community members to the fore of policy formulation
and eliminating eradication as a requirement for aid can improve conditions in coca growing areas.”

• David Smilde, “Pics and Comments on a Mega-March” (Washington Office on Latin America, May 22, 2017).

David attends a large opposition march in Caracas and finds an encouraging degree of unity. He is concerned, though, by a lack of poorer participants and at least a tacit acceptance of violent tactics.

• Stefan Labbe, Cherise Seucharan, Alexander Villegas, “Disarmed and Dangerous: Can Former Farc Guerrillas Adjust to Civilian Life?” (The Guardian (UK), May 25, 2017).

This is a shamefully mistitled article–the former guerrillas profiled here are working for peace in Cali’s crime-ridden slums, and are “endangered,” not “dangerous.” The article and videos themselves, though, offer a good glimpse into the challenges of ex-combatants’ reintegration, and of securing communities of displaced people, like Cali’s vast Aguablanca neighborhood.

AFP photo at El Colombiano (Medellín, Colombia). Caption: “Henrique Capriles, líder de la oposición en Venezuela.”

(Even more here)

May 30, 2017

Colombia

• Juanita León, Juanita Velez, “Santos Sincera la Prorroga del Desarme, Pero No las Razones” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), May 30, 2017).

Ahora, a cruzar los dedos, para que el D+180+20 sí se concrete pues de esa fecha está colgada la expectativa de que una vez los colombianos vean a los guerrilleros sin armas comiencen a finalmente creer en el acuerdo

• “Comunicado Conjunto No 19 Comunicado Csivi Sobre Cumplimiento de Compromisos, D+180 y Siguiente Fase de Implementacion” (Alto Comisionado para la Paz (Colombia), May 30, 2017).

A partir del 1 de junio y hasta el 20 de junio, la totalidad de los integrantes de las FARC-EP, incluyendo las milicias, habrán hecho dejación de armas y tránsito a la legalidad

• Nelson Matta Colorado, “Plan Pistola de un Mes Exige Cambios en la Lucha” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), May 30, 2017).

Diez policías asesinados y 37 heridos, en 35 ataques contra la Fuerza Pública, perpetrados en nueve departamentos del país, es el saldo que deja hasta ahora el plan pistola ejecutado por la organización criminal “los Urabeños”

• Carol Rosenberg, “Marine Officers Are Drugged, Robbed After Bogota Pub Crawl and Could Face Charges” (The Miami Herald, May 30, 2017).

Someone stole Mueller’s work laptop and iPhone 6 as well as McDuffie’s iPhone 6, all government-issued equipment. Mueller’s personal iPad and iPhone were also stolen

Cuba

• Alex Pfeiffer, “Exclusive: Trump Set to Roll Back Obama’s Cuba Policies” (The Daily Caller, May 30, 2017).

Kavulich said that the administration will enact “increased enforcement relating to travel,” and “a focus upon discouraging transactions with entities controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) of the Republic of Cuba”

Honduras

• Leonardo Goi, “Coca Plantation ‘Experiment’ in Honduras Raises Eyebrows” (InsightCrime, May 30, 2017).

The discovery of coca plantations and drug laboratories in Honduras could be a sign that the country’s role in the region’s drug trade is changing

Venezuela

• “Capriles, Lider de la Oposicion, Denuncio Que Fue Golpeado en Protesta” (Agence France Presse, El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), May 30, 2017).

El líder opositor venezolano Henrique Capriles denunció qu fue “golpeado” por “efectivos de la (militar) Guardia Nacional” cuando se retiraba afectado por gases lacrimógenos

Photo from Verdad Abierta (Colombia). Caption: “Pasadas las 9:30 de la mañana del miércoles, la marcha indígena salió del Campus Meléndez de la Universidad del Valle, ubicado en el sur de Cali, hacia el centro de la capital vallecaucana. En ese sitio instalaron sus campamentos el día anterior y pasaron la noche.”

(Even more here)

May 29, 2017

Brazil

• Vanessa Barbara, “The Genocide of Brazil’s Indians” (The New York Times, May 29, 2017).

Every week seems to bring reports of a new atrocity committed against indigenous people in some remote part of the country. But nothing seems to shock our society anymore

• Jonathan Watts, “Wild Amazon Faces Destruction as Brazil’s Farmers and Loggers Target National Park” (The Guardian (Uk), May 29, 2017).

The forces lined up against conservation have deep roots. The post-colonial history of Brazil is, to a large extent, the history of deforestation

Colombia

• Rodrigo Uprimny, “Corte, “Fast Track” y Paz” (Dejusticia (Colombia), La Silla Vacia (Colombia), May 29, 2017).

Esa decisión de la Corte podría incluso llegar a ser positiva pues puede ser una oportunidad de fortalecer la legitimidad democrática de la implementación del acuerdo de paz

• Ricardo Monsalve Gaviria, “Colombia Exportara Mas Militares a Misiones de la Onu” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), May 29, 2017).

En septiembre el presidente Juan Manuel Santos presentará a la ONU la intención que tiene para expandir la participación militar en misiones internacionales

Colombia, Mexico

• Jose Melendez, “Mexicanos en Colombia Trabajan por la Paz” (El Universal (Mexico), May 29, 2017).

El trabajo es en zonas rurales y urbanas, en selvas y montañas. Y por aquellas remotas tierras, en cualquier momento puede escucharse una ranchera mexicana interpretada por algún artista de México

Venezuela

• Kejal Vyas, Anatoly Kurmanaev, “Goldman Sachs Bought Venezuela’s State Oil Company’s Bonds Last Week” (The Wall Street Journal, May 29, 2017).

Goldman Sachs bought about $2.8 billion in Venezuelan bonds that had been held by the oil-rich country’s central bank, a lifeline to President Nicolás Maduro’s embattled government

Manaure Quintero photo at Time.

(Even more here)

May 26, 2017

Bolivia, Colombia

• “New Ain Report: Lessons From Bolivia” (Andean Information Network (Bolivia), May 26, 2017).

In February 2017, a delegation of 8 coca growers from across Colombia traveled to Bolivia to learn about the country’s shift from forced eradication and conditioned alternative development to community coca control and integrated development

Brazil

• “Public Opinion Forces Temer to Withdraw Troops From Streets of Brasilia” (MercoPress, May 26, 2017).

The deployment of soldiers shocked a capital already shaken by the day’s violence and an investigation into corruption allegations against the president

Central America Regional

• Hector Silva Avalos, “Trump Policies Undermine Fight Against ms13: Us Police” (InsightCrime, May 26, 2017).

The officials placed particular emphasis on the White House’s threat to cut federal funds for local law enforcement bodies should they refuse to support the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Colombia

• Ricardo L. Cruz, “La Amenaza ‘Gaitanista’, un Reto para la Seguridad Ciudadana” (Verdad Abierta (Colombia), May 26, 2017).

Para doblegar a los ‘gaitanistas’ se requiere entender mejor esta amenaza. Aspecto en el que, por el momento, hay más sombras que luces

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras

• Alex Yablon, “American Guns Are Fueling the Immigration Crisis That Trump Wants to Fix With a Wall” (The Trace, May 26, 2017).

Tens of thousands of firearms smuggled from the United States help to fuel extreme rates of violence

Venezuela

• Andrew Katz, “State of Ruin: Tales From Venezuela’s Collapse” (Time, May 26, 2017).

Venezuelan photographers who have watched their society crumble reflect on the images that have moved them most

• Francisco Toro, “Venezuela’s Propaganda State Is Collapsing Under Its Own Weight” (The Washington Post, May 26, 2017).

What Venezuela needs now is many more Luisa Ortega Díazes. The attorney general did not switch sides. She merely signaled that, from now on, she will act impartially