March 10, 2017

Colombia, Honduras

“Honduras: Buque de la Naval Ya se Construye en Astillero en Aguas de Colombia” (El Heraldo (Honduras), March 10, 2017).

COTECMAR, an entity of Colombia’s Defense Ministry that builds naval vessels, is building one that Honduras is to buy for US$13 million.

March 8, 2017

Peru

“Mindef No Adquirira por el Momento Vehiculos Militares” (El Comercio (Peru), March 8, 2017).

Peru’s government is denying that President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, during a recent visit to Washington, asked Donald Trump to authorize a purchase of Stryker combat vehicles. I find this denial strange, because the U.S. Defense Department already announced a US$668 million sale of Strykers to Peru on December 5.

March 3, 2017

Mexico

Sarah Kinosian, Eugenio Weigend, “We’re Sending Guns, Crime to Mexico” (Washington Office on Latin America, Center for American Progress, The Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2017).

Featuring Sarah Kinosian from WOLA’s own Defense Oversight Program! “Many factors have contributed to violence in Mexico. The river of iron from the United States, however, plays a key role in the country’s high death toll.”

March 2, 2017

Western Hemisphere Regional

Colby Goodman, “Commerce Department Boosts Arms Sales Deliveries to Record High” (LobeLog, March 2, 2017).

Moving some categories of arms sales from State Department to Commerce Department jurisdiction can have big repercussions. Like U.S. companies suddenly being able to export $458,654 worth of military electronics to Venezuela (!) in 2015.

February 22, 2017

Mexico

“A Bread Basket for Weapons: Trump Ally Selling Weapons to Mexico” (American Friends Service Committee, February 22, 2017).

John Lindsay-Poland and Mexican colleagues investigate a huge sale from a U.S. gunmaker that gave US$100,000 to the Trump campaign. “In March 2015, SEDENA made an agreement, valid for four years, with the U.S. company Sig Sauer to acquire up to $265 million in pistols, assault rifles, and other firearms.”