(Even more here)

January 2, 2023

Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico

Guatemalan counter-drug authorities attribute a decline in cocaine seizures to drug traffickers using neighboring countries’ territory more often

Brazil

Bolsonaro, and many pro-Bolsonaro media figures, are now based in Florida

Brazil, Colombia

Santiago Torrado sees a pro-environment “bloc” forming between Brazil and Colombia

Colombia

Colombia will use four glyphosate coca-eradication spray planes and two Black Hawk helicoptera, all U.S. donations, to put out forest fires

Petro’s first 100 days saw a 70 percent reduction in security-force operations compared to 2021

This will be a make-or-break year for the Petro government’s efforts to negotiate peace, implement rural reforms, and change drug policy

Colombia’s government announces a six-month ceasefire with most major armed groups

The ELN peace talks will remain focused on procedural issues to build a more solid foundation for negotiating substantial issues

Colombia, Venezuela

The much-photographed shipping containers are no longer blocking traffic on the Tienditas bridge between Colombia and Venezuela

El Salvador

Salvadorans will feel the negative impacts of Bukele’s populist reign in the long term

Mexico

Just a terrible year for homicides in Tijuana, and there are arrests in only 8 percent of cases

Peru

“The current season of when and how Peru f***ed itself began with the 2016 elections”

The U.S. democracy expert offers views on Peru’s political crisis

Reactions to a “pro-peace” march convened by Peru’s police

U.S.-Mexico Border

About 2,500 Guardsmen are at the border on a federal mission, and 5,000 Texas Guardsmen are there on a state mission. Both are controversial

$95 million to build a wall of shipping containers along the border on federal land. $76 million to take it back down.

ICE removals increased sharply because of an increase in CBP handovers of migrants apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border

Venezuela

Venezuela no longer has an “interim government” led by Juan Guaidó