As part of Ecuador’s crackdown on organized crime, the armed forces have intervened in 17 prisons, with troops still present in 10 of them.
- Miguel Ribadeneira, “General Alexander Levoyer: Hacemos un Llamado a Todas las Instituciones, No Nos Pueden Dejar Solos” (Plan V (Ecuador), February 9, 2024).
- “¿Seguiran los Militares en el Control de las Carceles de Ecuador Tras el Estado de Excepcion?” (El Universo (Ecuador), January 31, 2024).
Troops are also stationed along highways, at airports, and at 10 Pacific seaports.
- “Se Intensifica Despliegue Militar en Carreteras, Aeropuertos y Puertos de Ecuador, Indica Jefe del Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas” (El Universo (Ecuador), January 19, 2024).
In coming months, Ecuadorians will vote on this referendum question: “Do you agree with allowing the complementary support of the Armed Forces in the functions of the National Police to combat organized crime, partially reforming the Constitution?”
- Estefania Celi, “Esta Es la Propuesta Sobre las Fuerzas Armadas Que los Ecuatorianos Deberan Votar” (Primicias (Ecuador), February 6, 2024).
After his tumultuous January 14 swearing-in, Guatemala’s reformist president, Bernardo Arévalo, swore in a new high command and paid respectful visits to the country’s Army and Navy. Arévalo, who as an academic had published at least seven books about security and Guatemala’s army, said that the Army will continue in its role of supporting civilian security forces against organized crime.
- Sofia Menchu, “Bernardo Arevalo Busca Romper Paradigmas Con el Ejercito” (Prensa Libre (Guatemala), January 13, 2024).
- Sandy Pineda, “Gabinete de Bernardo Arevalo: Altos Mandos del Ejercito Son Juramentados por Nuevo Ministro de la Defensa” (Prensa Libre (Guatemala), January 18, 2024).
- Oscar Garcia, “Bernardo Arevalo Visita Marina de la Defensa Nacional y Dice Que Estrategias de Seguridad se Mantendran en “Cooperacion Con Paises de la Region”” (Prensa Libre (Guatemala), January 21, 2024).
- Ana Lucia Ola, “Ejercito de Guatemala Rinde Honores al Presidente Bernardo Arevalo, Que se Compromete a la Modernizacion de las Fuerzas Castrenses” (Prensa Libre (Guatemala), Jauary 15, 2024).
The Arévalo government promoted four female army officers to command positions in non-combat units.
- Hedy Quino Tzoc, “Ministerio de la Defensa Coloca a Mujeres en Mandos del Ejercito” (La Hora (Guatemala), January 31, 2024).
- Julio Roman, Maria Andrea Dominguez, “Quienes Son las Cuatro Mujeres Que Fueron Nombradas en una Comandancia y Tres Jefaturas del Ejercito de Guatemala” (Prensa Libre (Guatemala), January 31, 2024).
In Argentina, new president Javier Milei followed the December firing of 22 Army generals with the forced retirement of 16 Navy admirals—more than half of all officers of that rank.
- “Avanza la Purga de las Ffaa: Pasan a Retiro a 16 Almirantes de la Armada” (Perfil (Argentina), January 15, 2024).
- “Luego de la Purga en el Ejercito, el Gobierno Pasa a Retiro a 16 Almirantes de la Armada” (Clarin (Argentina), January 14, 2024).
- “El Ministro de Defensa Puso en Funciones al Nuevo Jefe del Ejercito, Tras la Purga de 22 Generales” (Clarin (Argentina), January 11, 2024).
Milei’s budget cuts include nonpayment of installments of a previously promised raise for military officers. Under current pay scales, Pagina12 reported, an army general earns about US$350 per month less than a police commissioner.
- Raul Kollmann, “Malestar en las Fuerzas Armadas por las Diferencias Salariales” (Pagina12 (Argentina), February 11, 2024).
Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said that the Milei government is working on a plan to deepen the armed forces’ support for police in border security and fighting organized crime. Since its transition to democracy, Argentina has been reluctant to give the military new internal civilian security roles.
- “El Gobierno Prepara un Plan para Que las FF.AA. Den Mas Apoyo las Policias en la Lucha Contra los Narcos, Anuncio Patricia Bullrich” (Clarin (Argentina), January 13, 2024).
- Ariel Stemphelet, “El Gobierno Busca Derogar un Decreto para Que las Fuerzas Armadas Intervengan en Caso de Conmocion Interna” (Perfil (Argentina), January 11, 2024).
- Matias Ferrari, “El Gobierno Agita el Caso Ecuador para Justificar la Intervencion de las Ffaa en Seguridad Interior” (Pagina12 (Argentina), January 11, 2024).
- “Balza: “Incluirlas en la Lucha Contra el Narcotrafico Es el Certificado de Defuncion de las Ffaa”” (Perfil (Argentina), January 15, 2024).
Mexico’s Supreme Court had ruled last year that, contrary to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s wishes, the country’s new National Guard must not remain under the command of its defense ministry (SEDENA). López Obrador called two of the justices “traitors.”
- Pedro Dominguez, “Ministros Que Frenaron Reforma a Guardia Nacional, Traidorzuelos: Amlo” (Milenio (Mexico), January 16, 2024).
As of January 1, the Guard was to come under the security ministry (SSPC). A January 6, 2024 document circulated to guardsmen challenged the Court, stating that while the National Guard is under the SSPC’s “operational” command, it remains under SEDENA’s “administrative” command.
- Patricia Davila, “Desacato a la Scjn: Sedena Conserva la Guardia Nacional” (Proceso (Mexico), February 11, 2024).
On February 5 President López Obrador submitted a series of proposed legal reforms, among them a constitutional amendment that would place the National Guard under SEDENA’s control.
- “Buscan Perpetuar a Militares en las Calles Con Iniciativa de la Guardia Nacional: Mexico Unido” (Proceso (Mexico), February 11, 2024).
A military court has now released from pre-trial detention 13 of 16 Mexican Army soldiers who allegedly carried out an extrajudicial execution of five civilians in May 2023 in Nuevo Laredo. The incident was caught on video.
- Carlos Alvarez Acevedo, “Liberan a 13 de 16 Militares Que Ejecutaron a Narcos en Nuevo Laredo; Podran Seguir Activos en Sedena” (Revista Zeta (Tijuana Mexico), January 26, 2024).
- “Liberan a 13 de los 16 Militares Implicados en Presunta Ejecucion Extrajudicial en Nuevo Laredo” (Noroeste, Animal Politico (Mexico), January 26, 2024).
Eight of thirteen Mexican military personnel allegedly linked to the 2014 forced disappearance of 43 students in Iguala, Guerrero will be released, as a federal judge lifted their pre-trial detention.
- “Militares Ligados a Caso Ayotzinapa Son Liberados por Falta de Pruebas” (Milenio (Mexico), January 20, 2024).
- “Centro Prodh Acusa Trato “Parcial” para 8 Militares Caso Ayotzinapa” (Milenio (Mexico), January 22, 2024).
- Omar Brito, “Poder Judicial Ha Obstaculizado el Caso Ayotzinapa: Segob” (Milenio (Mexico), January 22, 2024).
A hard-hitting report from the Guerrero-based NGO Tlachinollan documents how President López Obrador has sought to exonerate the military of the disappearance of 43 Ayotzinapa teacher’s college students, adopting and promoting the armed forces’ version of events.
- “La Verdad Vestida de Verde Olivo” (Tlachinollan (Guerrero Mexico), January 29, 2024).
Armed with sticks, stones, and machetes, residents of rural Chicomuselo, Chiapas, blocked Mexico’s military from entering their communities, demanding that the armed forces first evict organized crime from nearby areas that they already occupy. Communities in the region have been forcibly displacing to escape violent competition between Jalisco and Sinaloa cartel fighters.
- Iris Velazquez, “Reclaman a Ejercito en Chiapas: ‘No Hacen Nada’” (Reforma (Mexico), January 24, 2024).
- ““Malamente Ya Esta Infestado”: Militar Responde a Campesinos de Chiapas Que Exigen Frenar la Violencia (Video)” (Proceso (Mexico), January 24, 2024).
- Ángeles Mariscal, “Ejercito Mexicano en la Sierra de Chiapas, Enfrenta a Pobladores y Huye Ante Carteles” (Chiapas Paralelo (Chiapas), January 23, 2024).
- IsaÍn Mandujano, “Chiapas: Con Palos y Piedras, Campesinos Enfrentan a Ejercito y Guardia Nacional” (Proceso (Mexico), January 16, 2024).
In late January, the Venezuelan NGO Control Ciudadano called on the government to modify a 9-year-old decree authorizing the military to use deadly force to control demonstrations. The organization also called for due process after the late-January demotion and expulsion of 33 military personnel on allegations of “conspiracy.”
On February 9, authorities detained the organization’s director, Rocío San Miguel, in the Caracas airport. As of this writing, her whereabouts are unknown.
- Ronny Rodriguez Rosas, “Control Ciudadano Pide Modificar Resolucion Que Permite a la Fanb Uso de Fuerza Mortal en Manifestaciones” (Efecto Cocuyo (Venezuela), January 30, 2024).
- Ibis Leon, “Que Hay Detras de las Expulsiones y Degradaciones en la Fanb, Segun Expertos” (Efecto Cocuyo (Venezuela), January 28, 2024).
- “Control Ciudadano Advierte Que las Expulsiones y Degradaciones de la Fanb Deben Cumplir Con los Extremos Previstos en el Cojm para Efectuarse” (Asociación Civil Control Ciudadano (Venezuela), January 24, 2024).
- Florantonia Singer, Detenida en Venezuela la Activista de Derechos Humanos Rocio San Miguel (El Pais (Spain), Sunday, February 11, 2024).
A judge in Colombia ruled that retired Army Col. Jorge Armando Pérez Amézquita is guilty of ordering the murder of a demobilized FARC guerrilla, Dímar Pérez, in the Catatumbo region, in a high-profile 2019 case.
- “Condenan a Coronel (R) y a Otros Exmiembros del Ejercito por la Muerte de Dimar Torres” (Revista Cambio (Colombia), January 31, 2024).
- “Condenan a Coronel (R) Jorge Amezquita por el Homicidio de Dimar Torres” (El Espectador (Colombia), January 31, 2024).
Colombia’s Marines swore in their first 60 female members following three months of training.
- Camilo Garcia, “Por Primera Vez, 60 Mujeres se Convirtieron en Infantes de Marina” (El Espectador (Colombia), January 11, 2024).
The former commander of Chile’s armed forces, Gen. Ricardo Martínez, voiced gratitude to ex-president Sebastián Piñera for having listened to his advice and abstained from sending the military into the streets to confront protesters in 2019. “I will always be grateful to him for not having taken the Armed Forces out of it, because we were not in favor of it.” Piñera died in a helicopter crash on February 6.
- Eduardo Cordova, “General (R) Martinez: “Siempre Voy Agradecer a Pinera No Haber Sacado a las Ffaa”” (La Nacion (Chile), February 9, 2024).
Along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, federal Border Patrol agents have had their access to part of the border blocked by National Guardsmen—trained soldiers whose patches say “U.S. Army” on them, but currently at the command of Gov. Greg Abbott (R). Some are calling on President Joe Biden to “federalize” the Texas National Guard, taking them out of Abbott’s command. In an analysis, Joseph Nunn of the Brennan Center for Justice acknowledged that doing so “would certainly pass legal muster” but should be an absolute last resort.
- Joseph Nunn, “Biden Can, but Shouldn’t, Federalize the Texas National Guard” (Brennan Center for Justice, Just Security, February 7, 2024).
- Carson Frame, “Federalizing the Texas National Guard? Democrats Consider Ways to Wrest Shelby Park From Texas’ Control” (Texas Public Radio, January 19, 2024).
See also:
- Civil-Military Relations in the Americas: Some Links from the Past Month
- At the Latin America Advisor: “Can Ecuador’s Next President Make the Country Safer?”
- The Chilean Military’s Conspicuous Absence
- Mexico Now Deploys More Soldiers than Police for Public Security
- Mexican Military Personnel Deployed on Border and Migration Missions