October 28, 2022

Brazil

• Josefina Salomon, “Brazil Elections: ‘the Problem in Brazil Is Not Polarization but the Rise of Extremism’” (Washington Office on Latin America, October 28, 2022).

We are facing one of the worst human rights crises of recent times. During the past four years, Bolsonaro has delivered on his campaign promises from 2018

• Jack Nicas, “Win or Lose, Bolsonaro Has Destroyed Trust in Brazil’s Elections” (The New York Times, October 28, 2022).

“If our president isn’t elected, everyone goes to Brasília,” said Rogério Ramos, 40, owner of an automotive electronics shop, referring to the nation’s capital. “We shut down Congress, just like in ’64”

• Vincent Bevins, “Bigger Than Bolsonaro” (The New York Review of Books, October 28, 2022).

After four years in power, a movement created by elite campaigns has built a mass base

• 31 House, Senate Members, “U.S. Congress Letter on Free and Fair Run-Off Elections in Brazil” (Office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), U.S. Senate, October 28, 2022).

In response to Bolsonaro’s threats, I and other Members of Congress call on the Biden Administration to defend free and fair run-off elections in Brazil on Oct 30

Colombia

• ““Si en Estos Cuatro Anos No Avanza la Paz, Habra Consecuencias Irreversibles”” (El Espectador (Colombia), October 28, 2022).

Así lo aseveró Gloria Cuartas, encargada del gobierno Petro de la implementación del Acuerdo de Paz, en el encuentro ‘Confluencia Nacional de Líderes y Lideresas Comunitarios por la Paz’

• Isabel Guiza-Gomez, Laura Garcia-Montoya, “Colombians Are Occupying Land to Protest Inequality. Here’s the History.” (University of Notre Dame, University of Toronto, The Washington Post, October 28, 2022).

Indigenous and other marginalized Colombians are putting pressure on the new government to follow through on land redistribution promises

• Abbey Steele, Michael Weintraub, “Rebel Governance and Political Participation” (Universidad de los Andes, University of Amsterdam, UNU-WIDER, October 28, 2022).

We theorize that an armed group’s position relative to the state (anti-state or pro-state) and governing ideology (sharing governing responsibilities with local institutions or destroying them to govern centrally) interact to influence citizens’ later choices about political participation

Colombia, Venezuela

• “Petro Pide a Maduro Volver al Sistema Interamericano de Ddhh” (EFE, Efecto Cocuyo (Venezuela), October 28, 2022).

El presidente de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, pidió a su homólogo venezolano, Nicolás Maduro, que regrese a su país al Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos, del cual se retiró hace una década, para de esta forma fortalecer la democracia en la región

Cuba

• Megan Janetsky, “Crisis-Stricken Cuba Caught Between Ally Russia, Nearby U.S.” (Associated Press, Associated Press, October 28, 2022).

Cuba’s energy crisis has once again thrust the Caribbean island into the middle of an escalating tug-of-war between its seaside neighbor, the United States, and ally, Russia. Cuba sees the need to ease U.S. sanctions at the same time that it is benefitting from an influx of Russian oil

Guatemala

• Carlos Salinas Maldonado, “Miguel Angel Galvez: “los Militares Quieren Imponer el Terror en Guatemala”” (El Pais (Spain), October 28, 2022).

El juez guatemalteco, que sentó en el banquillo a militares que cometieron violaciones a los derechos humanos, denuncia persecución y amenazas debido a su trabajo

Haiti

• “96,000 Haitians Displaced by Recent Gang Violence in Capital: Iom Report” (International Organization for Migration, October 28, 2022).

The assessment, conducted between June and August 2022, identified over 113,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Haiti. Of these, 96,000 individuals fled insecurity in the capital

Mexico

• Maya Yang, “Gun Used by Mexican Cartel to Shoot Down Military Helicopter Bought in Us” (The Guardian (Uk), October 28, 2022).

Investigation into the 2015 incident revealed the 0.50-caliber weapon for the Jalisco cartel was purchased in Portland, Oregon

• Carlos Vega, “Guardia Nacional Gestiona 846 Mdp para Inteligencia Anticrimen” (Milenio (Mexico), October 28, 2022).

La Guardia Nacional prepara la adquisición de una plataforma para la intervención de comunicaciones privadas

Panama, Venezuela

• “Baja Ingreso de Migrantes Irregulares a Panama” (Servicio Nacional de Migración (Panama), October 28, 2022).

De acuerdo con el Servicio Nacional de Migración, este jueves ingresaron 477 migrantes irregulares, de los cuales, 54 son venezolanos, lo que indica una baja considerable

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Todd Miller, “Spy Blimps in the Sky: The Increasing Surveillance of the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands” (The Border Chronicle, October 28, 2022).

A deep look with the Electronic Frontier Foundation at the fortification of surveillance on the border. As Nogales mayor Arturo Garino asked: “Would you want to have a blimp above your house?”

• Caitlin Dickerson, “Congress Can’t Even Do This One Thing” (The Atlantic, October 28, 2022).

Left and right agreed that migrant children shouldn’t be torn away from their parents. But they couldn’t be bothered to pass a law

• Camilo Montoya-Galvez, “At Least 853 Migrants Died Crossing the U.S.-Mexico Border in Past 12 Months — a Record High” (CBS News, October 28, 2022).

At least 853 migrants died trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border unlawfully in the past 12 months, making fiscal year 2022 the deadliest year for migrants recorded by the U.S. government, according to internal Border Patrol data

• Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, “Opinion: What’s Behind Record Migrant Encounters at the Border?” (American Immigration Council, The Houston Chronicle, October 28, 2022).

Biden seems to be taking the lead from Clinton by pairing increased enforcement with the creation of alternative legal pathways to enter