December 6, 2017
Brazil
- Dom Phillips, “Rio Police Hail Arrest of Drug Kingpin in 3,000-Strong Favela Operation” (The Guardian (Uk), December 6, 2017).
Cristiana Bento, a detective who coordinated the arrest, said da Silva was responsible for the gang war which exploded in Rocinha favela
Colombia
- “Masacre de Narino: No Fue un Combate Sino un Ataque Indiscriminado del Eln” (Semana (Colombia), December 6, 2017).
Temor, confinamiento y tristeza es lo que se respira en la vereda Pueblo Nuevo de Magüí Payán, en Nariño, donde fueron masacradas 13 personas la semana pasada
- Kevin G. Hall, “Sudden Retirement of Colombian General Happened as U.S. Reviewed His Visa” (McClatchy, The Charlotte Observer, December 6, 2017).
Gen. Juan Pablo Rodriguez Barragan was replaced suddenly on Nov. 30, retiring with honors. What wasn’t mentioned is that his name had surfaced in numerous court proceedings
Cuba
- Josh Lederman, “Doctors Find Brain Abnormalities in Victims of Cuba Mystery” (Associated Press **, December 6, 2017).
The sounds may have been the byproduct of something else that caused damage, said three U.S. officials briefed on the investigation
Cuba, Venezuela
- Tim Padgett, “Tightening the Screws on Venezuela Makes Sense – Even if It Doesn’t in Cuba” (WLRN, December 6, 2017).
It already failed with Cuba – and could still work with Venezuela, if done smartly this time
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico
- Claudia Altamirano, “La Violencia en Centroamerica Expulsa Familias Enteras Hacia Mexico” (Animal Politico (Mexico), December 6, 2017).
En los últimos cuatro años, el número de solicitudes de refugio que México ha recibido se multiplicó por ocho, pasando de mil 296 peticiones durante 2013, a 10 mil 262 en 2017
Honduras
- Christopher Sherman, Freddy Cuevas, “Rebellious Police Return to Duty Amid Disputed Honduran Vote” (Associated Press, The Washington Post, December 6, 2017).
The OAS backed Nasralla’s petition to verify 5,174 ballot boxes that were not reported the night of the election and 1,006 more that were hand-counted due to apparent irregularities
- Kendra Mcsweeney, Sarah Chayes, “Want to Limit Migration? We Can Start by Supporting Democracy in Honduras.” (The Washington Post, December 6, 2017).
Hondurans have sent an inspiring message of faith in the power of democracy to deliver a better future to their beleaguered country. They deserve U.S. support
Mexico
- Gloria Leticia DÍaz, “Ley de Seguridad Interior: Ante la Sordera Legislativa, el Repudio Generalizado” (Proceso (Mexico), December 6, 2017).
El presidente de la Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, Luis Raúl González Pérez, anunció que si el Senado ratifica esa oprobiosa ley, podría ejercer sus facultades para interponer una acción de inconstitucionalidad
- “Zeid Pide a Mexico Que No Apruebe el Proyecto de Ley de Seguridad Interior” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mexico Field Office, December 6, 2017).
El proyecto de ley aprobado por la Cámara de Diputados contiene varios elementos inquietantes, entre otros el hecho de que, en determinadas circunstancias, las autoridades civiles podrían colocarse bajo el mando de las fuerzas armadas
- “Militares Asesinaron a Dos Detenidos en Jalisco; Cndh Emite Recomendacion a la Sedena” (Proceso (Mexico), December 6, 2017).
La recomendación es por el cateo ilegal en agravio de cuatro personas; la detención arbitraria, desaparición forzada, tortura y violencia sexual de tres de ellas y la ejecución arbitraria de dos, ocurridas en Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco
Venezuela
- Anatoly Kurmanaev, Jose De Cordoba, Kejal Vyas, “Venezuela’s u.n. Envoy Rafael Ramirez Resigns” (The Wall Street Journal, December 6, 2017).
“Over the last four or five years, Ramírez did drop the occasional signal to us, indicating he would be willing to talk,” said a former senior U.S. official
- Geoff Ramsey, “Analysis of the Eu’s Venezuela Sanctions” (Washington Office on Latin America, December 6, 2017).
U.S. sanctions have simply been framed as punitive, with less of an emphasis on how the measures could be lifted due to changes in behavior
- Kyra Gurney, “State Department to Appoint New Leader for U.S. Embassy in Venezuela” (The Miami Herald, December 6, 2017).
Todd D. Robinson, the former U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, has been chosen to lead the embassy in Caracas