(Even more here)

March 30, 2018

Central America Regional

• Jim Wyss, “Are Evangelical Politics Reshaping Central America Into the New Bible Belt?” (The Miami Herald, March 30, 2018).

The fact that El Salvador and Nicaragua are both run by former leftist guerrillas, illustrates how conservative social views transcend political leanings

Central America Regional, Mexico

• Adolfo Flores, “A Huge Caravan of Central Americans Is Headed for the Us, and No One in Mexico Is Stopping Them” (BuzzFeed, March 30, 2018).

When the agent, who’d covered her uniform with an orange and white shawl, learned that the Central American migrants heading her way numbered more than 1,000, she took off for the restaurant across the street

Colombia

• Kimberley Brown, “Why Are Former Farc Rebels Leaving Reintegration Camps?” (Al Jazzeera, March 30, 2018).

Without productive projects, or education and work training, the former rebels struggle to fill their days

• Juan Fernando Cristo, “¿Circunscripciones de Paz para las Farc? Otra de las Grandes Mentiras” (El Tiempo (Colombia), March 30, 2018).

Lo que hubo fue una decisión política de propinar un golpe a la implementación de los acuerdos

• Victoria Dittmar, “In Latest Blow to Urabenos, Colombia Government Takes Down ‘el Indio’” (InsightCrime, March 30, 2018).

With a number of top lieutenants out of the picture, Otoniel will have to replace his inner circle with people who do not necessarily have the same level of experience and knowledge as their predecessors

Colombia, Ecuador

• “Ecuador Confirma Que Aun se Negocia Liberacion de Periodistas” (Agence France Presse, El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), March 30, 2018).

“Estamos en este momento en un proceso propio de las negociaciones, demandas y demás”, expresó el funcionario

Honduras

• Toby Hill, “U.S.-Backed Honduran Government Wants to Use Facebook to Crack Down on Journalists” (VICE, March 30, 2018).

The country’s lawmakers have introduced legislation that gives the government sweeping powers to censor social media, and muzzle dissenting digital news sites

Mexico

• Rafael Carranza, “4 Takeaways From Arizona Border Patrol Agent Lonnie Swartz’s Murder Trial” (The Arizona Republic, March 30, 2018).

The trial centers around a key question: Was Swartz justified in using deadly force in response to Elena Rodriguez and two other individuals throwing rocks

• “Cienfuegos Niega Participacion del Ejercito en la Ley de Seguridad Interior, Pero la Defiende” (Proceso (Mexico), March 30, 2018).

“Nosotros no pedimos una Ley de Seguridad Interior, pedimos un marco jurídico, el que quieran, pero que nos lo den”

• Gloria Leticia DÍaz, “Julian Leyzaola, Otra Posible Mancha en el Equipo de Lopez Obrador” (Proceso (Mexico), March 30, 2018).

Leyzaola tiene la oportunidad de aspirar a una diputación federal como candidato de la coalición Juntos Haremos Historia, integrada por Morena PT y Encuentro Social

• , Alfredo Corchado, “As Mexican Presidential Race Officially Opens, Hopefuls Court an Angry, Frustrated Electorate” (The Dallas Morning News, March 30, 2018).

Surprisingly, despite tensions between Mexico and the U.S. and worries about their future relations, the words wall and Donald Trump never came up during the interview

• Julie Watson, “Us, Mexico Team Up on New Front in Drug War” (Associated Press, Navy Times, March 30, 2018).

The Americans and Mexicans will exchange intelligence more freely than in the past

• Caleb Downs, “Mexican Governor Warns Citizens to Not Travel to U.S. via Reynosa-Mcallen Bridge” (The Houston Chronicle, March 30, 2018).

“Tamaulipas is a state that has many problems right now,” he said

Venezuela

• Andres Oppenheimer, “President Trump, Don’t Give Venezuela’s Dictator What He Really Wants During Your First Trip to Latin America” (The Miami Herald, March 30, 2018).

If Trump really cares about Venezuela, and isn’t just trying to score political points at home, he should resist the temptation to place himself center stage in the Venezuelan crisis

• Scott Smith, “Venezuelan Jail Dead Buried in Mass Tomb as Questions Linger” (Associated Press, The Washington Post, March 30, 2018).

Relatives of those killed are clamoring for answers from officials who have yet to release a full account of what happened, state how many were injured or release the names of those killed

• Zeeshan Aleem, “68 Died in a Venezuelan Prison Riot. Police Tear-Gassed Their Families for Asking Questions.” (Vox, March 30, 2018).

Venezuela’s prison fire killed 68 people — and put the spotlight on a systemic problem

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Tara Golshan, “No, Donald Trump Can’t Just Use Pentagon Money for His Border Wall” (Vox, March 30, 2018).

That money is appropriated to specific programs — and spending it for the border wall instead could be illegal

• Carol Morello, “Border Wall Expansion Planned Along 100 Miles of U.S.-Mexico Frontier” (The Washington Post, March 30, 2018).

In addition to two miles of replacement barrier in Calexico, it will pay for 14 miles of replacement wall near San Diego, with 14 miles of secondary fencing; 20 miles of new wall near Santa Teresa, N.M., with construction expected to begin in early April; and four miles of new fencing in El Paso