(Even more here)

September 20, 2017

Brazil

• Chayenne Polimedio, “Brazilians Are Losing Faith in Democracy and Considering a Return to Military Rule” (Vox, September 20, 2017).

Bolsonaro is an avid advocate to a return of generals to the highest public office. After more than two decades advocating for a return to military rule, his rhetoric is finally catching up to public opinion

Colombia

• Sergio Gomez Maseri, “Ee. Uu. Baja Tono Frente a Colombia y su Lucha Contra las Drogas” (El Tiempo (Colombia), September 20, 2017).

Brownfield, que tan solo la semana pasada había cuestionado la estrategia que ha desarrollado el gobierno para enfrentar el problema, se refirió a esta como un “buen plan” que se ha venido implementando en estos últimos siete meses

Guatemala

• Julie Lopez, “Renuncia el Ministro de Gobernacion, Aliado Clave del Mp y la Cicig en el Gobierno” (Plaza Publica (Guatemala), September 20, 2017).

El anuncio de su renuncia llega un día antes del paro nacional convocado para el 20 de septiembre en contra del Gobierno y el Congreso

Haiti, Mexico

• Elliot Spagat, “Stopped at Us Border, Haitians Find ‘Mexican Dream’ Instead” (Associated Press **, September 20, 2017).

The Mexican government has welcomed them with visas that help them fill the need for labor in Tijuana’s growing economy

Mexico

• “The Wall – an in-Depth Examination of Donald Trump’s Border Wall” (USA Today, September 20, 2017).

In this report, you can watch aerial video of every foot of the border, explore every piece of fence, even stand at the border in virtual reality

• Christopher Sherman, Mark Stevenson, Peter Orsi, “226 Killed as 7.1 Magnitude Quake Fells Buildings in Mexico” (Associated Press **, September 20, 2017).

Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said buildings fell at 44 places in the capital alone as high-rises across the city swayed sickeningly

• Elisabeth Malkin, Kirk Semple, Paulina Villegas, “Mexico Earthquake Kills Hundreds, Trapping Many Under Rubble” (The New York Times, September 20, 2017).

The director of Mexico’s civil protection agency, Luis Felipe Puente, said on Twitter that 216 people had been killed, revising an earlier toll of 248

Venezuela

• Zeeshan Aleem, “How Venezuela Went From a Rich Democracy to a Dictatorship on the Brink of Collapse” (Vox, September 20, 2017).

For the US, Maduro’s increasing authoritarianism and refusal to reform his economy represents a major geopolitical and humanitarian challenge

• Alexandra Olson, “Trump Slams Venezuela at Un; Maduro Calls Him ‘Hitler’” (Associated Press, The Washington Post, September 20, 2017).

He did not repeat an earlier threat to consider military options to pressure Venezuela, a day after dining with the leaders of four Latin American countries who made clear they would not support such action

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Matt Spetalnick, Mike Stone, “Trump Administration Prepares to Ease Export Rules for U.S. Guns” (Reuters **, September 20, 2017).

The shift to Commerce could increase sales by 15-20 percent annuallyÓ