(Even more here)

March 30, 2017

Brazil

• Alonso Soto, “Brazil Eyeing Presidential Visit to White House: Sources” (Reuters , March 30, 2017).

U.S. President Donald Trump invited Temer for a visit during a March 18 phone call, when the two leaders discussed deepening commercial and business ties

Central America Regional, Honduras

• Geraldine Cook, “Ensuring Mission Readiness 24/7” (Revista Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), March 30, 2017).

*JTF-Bravo, located at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, is one of the task forces under U.S. Southern Command *

Colombia

• Natalia Arenas, “Rendidos en Tumaco: La Cara Mas Oscura de las Farc” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), March 30, 2017).

Son la mayor expresión de la degradación que tuvieron algunos frentes fruto del narcotráfico y que no son afines a los objetivos políticos de las Farc

• Ricardo Monsalve Gaviria, “Las Farc Tendrian unas 7.000 Armas en las Zonas Veredales” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), March 30, 2017).

Según Jean Arnault, jefe de la Misión de las Naciones Unidas en Colombia, el proceso de registro e identificación del armamento con el que los guerrilleros de las Farc ingresaron a las zonas veredales y puntos de normalización, “avanza en un 85 %”

• “Lideres Sociales y Organizaciones Campesinas del Catatumbo Denuncian Amenazas” (El Espectador (Colombia), March 30, 2017).

Según los afectados, el ‘Clan Úsuga’ los señala de ser miembros activos de la guerrilla de las Farc y los declara objetivo militar

• Santiago CÁrdenas Herrera, “Mindefensa Solicito Libertad de 257 Militares por Justicia Especial” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), March 30, 2017).

Con estos nombres ya son 1.074 casos de miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas que serán analizados para que se les otorgue este beneficio

Ecuador

• Mat Youkee, “The Controversy That Could Swing Ecuador’s Election” (Americas Quarterly, March 30, 2017).

Lasso’s use of the mining card exploits a key issue that has separated Correa from his indigenous support base and highlights the biggest policy U-turn of his presidency

El Salvador

• Gene Palumbo, Elisabeth Malkin, “El Salvador, Prizing Water Over Gold, Bans All Metal Mining” (The New York Times, March 30, 2017).

The law sets a powerful example to communities that oppose large mining projects and bolsters the case against mining in environmentally delicate areas

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras

• “Comite de Relaciones Exteriores del Congreso de ee.uu. Aprueba por Unanimidad Resolucion Bipartidista en Apoyo a la Lucha Contra la Corrupcion en Centroamerica” (Washington Office on Latin America, March 30, 2017).

La aprobación unánime de la resolución resalta una vez más el firme apoyo bipartidista a la lucha contra la corrupción y al liderazgo de la Fiscal General Aldana y el Comisionado Velásquez

Honduras

• “Embajador Nealon: Tenemos el Derecho de Investigar y Castigar” (El Heraldo (Honduras), March 30, 2017).

“Nosotros hemos tomado la política de no trabajar con la Policía Militar porque para nosotros es mucho mejor enfocarnos en la reforma de la Policía Nacional”

Mexico

• Pedro Matias, “Comunidades Zapotecas Repudian Instalacion de Base Militar en Oaxaca” (Proceso (Mexico), March 30, 2017).

La “donación” que pedía la Sedena era a cambio de una concesión de taxis para los dueños de los terrenos que ocuparía, pero la asamblea comunitaria de Macuilxóchitl lo analizó y decidió rechazar la propuesta

• Leon Krauze, “Los Porkys: The Sexual-Assault Case That’s Shaking Mexico” (The New Yorker, March 30, 2017).

Mexico has a deeply flawed judicial system, and its flaws become most apparent when cases are brought against the powerful and the wealthy

• Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), “Cornyn, Cardin Lead Bipartisan Group to Affirm Strategic U.S.-Mexico Partnership in Resolution” (U.S. Senate, March 30, 2017).

“U.S. security and economic prosperity hinges on a strong relationship with our neighbor Mexico,” said Sen. McCain

• Philip Bump, “Apparently, Mexico May Have to Host the Wall, Too” (The Washington Post, March 30, 2017).

Zinke’s suggestion? We build it on the Mexican side of the river so we don’t “cede” that territory to our southern neighbors. There are a few problems with that idea

• Rafael Carranza, “Feds Extend Border-Wall Design Deadline Amid Confusion” (The Arizona Republic, USA Today, March 30, 2017).

Assuming no more deadline extensions, construction of border-wall prototypes in San Diego will begin in June or July

• Catherine E. Shoichet, Sergio Hernandez, Tal Kopan, “Three Ways Mexico Could Pay for the Wall” (CNN, March 30, 2017).

Let’s crunch the numbers on a few possible options that have made the rounds in Washington

Venezuela

• Geoff Ramsey, “5 Takeaways From the Oas Permanent Council Session on Venezuela” (Washington Office on Latin America, March 30, 2017).

The statements from Mexico and others suggest that there could still be some resolution and “good offices” diplomacy with regards to Venezuela, as laid out in the Inter-American Democratic Charter

• “Editorial: Crisis Upon Crisis in Venezuela” (The New York Times, March 30, 2017).

Tuesday’s hearing at the Organization of American States did not result in a clear plan to address Venezuela’s political and humanitarian crisis. But the fact it was held at all was deeply embarrassing to Venezuela

• “Senior State Department Official on Venezuela” (U.S. Department of State, March 30, 2017).

There were a number of proposals that were floated yesterday, but that one in particular seemed to have gotten a lot of traction from member-states