(Even more here)

July 26, 2022

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Stefano Pozzebon, “Rise in Gasoline Prices Threatens Social Stability and Food Security in Latin America” (CNN, July 26, 2022).

South American countries are bracing for an autumn of discontent, as spiking global fuel prices threaten to provoke more protests in the upcoming months

• Abraham Mahshie, “Austin Heads to Southcom, Brazil to Push Us Priorities in a Neglected Region” (Air Force Magazine, July 26, 2022).

China’s influence and Russia’s disinformation are two challenges Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will face on his first visit to Latin America

Brazil

• Phil Stewart, “In Brazil, Biden’s Defense Chief Says Militaries Must Be Under Civilian Control” (Reuters, Reuters, July 26, 2022).

Those expected remarks – while not specifically directed at Brazil – are likely to turn heads there ahead of its Oct. 2 election

Chile, South America, Venezuela

• Laura Avila, “How Tren de Aragua Controls the Destiny of Migrants From Venezuela to Chile” (InsightCrime, July 26, 2022).

Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, has gradually become one of South America’s main threats, with Chile its latest target

Colombia

• “Mas Cultivos de Coca, Otro Efecto del Dolar Alto” (Cambio (Colombia), July 26, 2022).

“El narcotráfico es un negocio que paga los costos en pesos (mano de obra y precursores químicos, entre ellos la gasolina) y recibe los ingresos en dólares”

• “Jep Imputa Crimenes de Guerra y de Lesa Humanidad a 22 Miembros del Ejercito, un Funcionario del Extinto Das y a Dos Civiles por ‘Falsos Positivos’ en Casanare” (Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz (Colombia), July 26, 2022).

Entre los miembros imputados de la Brigada XVI están el mayor general (r) Henry William Torres Escalante, 2 coroneles, 3 tenientes coronel, y otros 10 oficiales, además de 6 suboficiales, un funcionario del extinto DAS y dos terceros civiles

• Sara Garcia, “Urabenos Ask Colombia’s Incoming Government to Negotiate” (InsightCrime, July 26, 2022).

Should this be interpreted as a group desperate to avoid decline or confident in its strength?

• “Gobierno Petro: Danilo Rueda Es Designado Como Nuevo Comisionado de Paz” (El Espectador (Colombia), July 26, 2022).

Es el director de la Comisión Intereclesial de Justicia y Paz (CIJP) y fue señalado dentro de la polémica visita a la Picota durante la campaña presidencial

Colombia, Venezuela

• Leonardo Favio Oliveros, “Venezuela Quiere Que Centrales Electricas de Norte de Santander Le Venda Energia” (La Opinion (Cucuta Colombia), July 26, 2022).

En los acercamientos que se han dado entre empresarios y gremios del departamento y del estado Táchira, de cara a una pronta reapertura comercial de la frontera con Venezuela, ha participado Centrales Eléctricas de Norte de Santander

Cuba, Venezuela

• Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida), “Biden’s Failed Appeasement in Latin America Is Insanity” (The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, July 26, 2022).

It is absolutely unacceptable that Joe Biden stayed silent on the recent anniversary of the July 11 democracy demonstrations, and I won’t let him continue to ignore the suffering of the Cuban people

Guatemala

• Jeff Abbott, “The Other Americans: U.S.-Made Guns Are Fueling Crime Across Central America” (The Progressive, July 26, 2022).

A lack of U.S. regulation is undermining Guatemala’s gun control laws by allowing hundreds of thousands of illegal firearms to be brought into the country

• Julio Roman, “Alejandro Giammattei Da Respaldo a Ucrania, Critica la Guerra y Dice Que Guatemala Esta Consternada por el Dolor y Devastacion en Ese Pais” (Prensa Libre (Guatemala), July 26, 2022).

El mandatario guatemalteco, Alejandro Giammattei, se reunió con su homólogo Volodimir Zelenski, en una visita oficial en Kiev, en la que el mandatario guatemalteco expresó su apoyo a ese país

Honduras

• Sandra Sanchez, “Mayorkas Traveling to Central America to Meet With Honduran President” (Border Report, July 26, 2022).

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is traveling to Honduras this week to meet with the president over increasing migration from the Central American country

Mexico

• Yessica Morales, “Emiten Medidas para Que Autoridades Brinden Atencion Humanitaria Ante Posible Caravana Migrante” (Chiapas Paralelo (Chiapas), July 26, 2022).

La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos (CNDH) emitió medidas cautelares hacia autoridades federales y estatales para que de manera coordinada, garanticen la atención humanitaria de urgencia al grupo de personas en contexto de migración internacional

• Adyr Corral, “Vete y a ver cómo lo arreglas: AMLO a Ebrard en crisis de aranceles” (Milenio (Mexico), July 26, 2022).

La amenaza de Trump se hizo pública el jueves 30 de mayo de 2019. Ese mismo día, López Obrador confirmó que Ebrard viajaba de emergencia a Washington

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Paulina Velasco, “‘Desecration’: Historic Border Meeting Point at Risk as Us-Mexico Wall Grows” (The Guardian (Uk), July 26, 2022).

For half a century, families living on both sides of the border have reunited at Friendship Park. Now 30ft walls threaten the experience

• Sabrina Rodriguez, “Biden Goes Silent After Scotus Gives Him Power to Nix Trump Immigration Policy” (Politico, July 26, 2022).

Several groups that were involved in the early efforts to wind down the policy say they have yet to be contacted in the wake of the court ruling

• Mica Rosenberg, Kristina Cooke, Daniel Trotta, “The Border’s Toll: Migrants Increasingly Die Crossing Into U.S.” (Reuters, Reuters, July 26, 2022).

More than 1,000 migrants have died along the US-Mexico border since Biden took office, from drownings in the Rio Grande to falls from the border wall

• Julia Ainsley, Didi Martinez, Jacob Soboroff, “4 Migrant Parents File Lawsuit Alleging Trump’s Child Separation Policy Traumatized Them” (NBC News, July 26, 2022).

The filing marks a change in strategy for the families who previously sought a settlement with the Biden Justice Department only to have those negotiations fall apart last fall

• Miriam Jordan, “Smuggling Migrants at the Border Now a Billion-Dollar Business” (The New York Times, July 26, 2022).

With demand for smugglers on the rise, organized crime has moved in, with cruel and violent results