(Even more here)

August 9, 2018

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Ron Nixon, “Carla Provost Becomes the First Woman to Lead the Border Patrol” (The New York Times, August 9, 2018).

Currently, women in the Border Patrol make up only about 5 percent of the agents, one of the lowest proportions among federal law enforcement agencies

• Miriam Jordan, “Her Husband’s Killers Told Her She Was Next. These Days, That’s Not Enough for Asylum.” (The New York Times, August 9, 2018).

Officials now are saying that violence perpetrated by people unassociated with the government does not fit into any of those categories under the Trump administration’s new guidance

• Nick Miroff, “Border Arrest Data Suggests Trump’s Push to Split Migrant Families Had Little Deterrent Effect” (The Washington Post, August 9, 2018).

The July arrest totals released Wednesday suggest the separations made little difference

Chile

• Rick Gladstone, Somini Sengupta, “Michelle Bachelet, Ex-President of Chile, Picked as Next u.n. Rights Chief” (The New York Times, August 9, 2018).

The announcement by Secretary General António Guterres ended the uncertainty over who would replace Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein

Colombia

• Juan David Moreno Barreto, “Falsos Positivos: Empieza la Participacion de las Victimas en la Jep | Colombia 2020” (El Espectador (Colombia), August 9, 2018).

Para mañana, a las 9:00 a.m., está prevista la diligencia en la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz con 14 militares implicados en el asesinato de jóvenes que fueron presentados como muertos en combate

• “Ivan Duque Takes Charge in Colombia” (The Economist (Uk), August 9, 2018).

On matters of war and peace, Mr Duque has signalled that he is prepared to soften the tough line that Mr Uribe favours, but only a bit

• “‘Duque Va a Perfeccionar el Proceso de Paz’: Nikki Haley” (El Tiempo (Colombia), August 9, 2018).

“Estamos agradecidos con el presidente Santos por su liderazgo para sacar adelante el proceso de paz. Pero estamos muy emocionados con los planes de Duque con Colombia. Él va a buscar la manera de perfeccionarlo”, dijo

• Thale Jenssen, “Fled Up the River” (Norwegian Refugee Council, August 9, 2018).

“The government is completely absent in these areas, they have no control. Instead, the armed groups are fighting for control”

• “Compared to the 34 Comprehensive Peace Agreements in the Pam Database, the Implementation of the Colombian Peace Accord Is Progressing at an Average Pace” (Kroc Institute Notre Dame University, August 9, 2018).

Compared to the 34 comprehensive peace agreements in the PAM database, the implementation of the Colombian peace accord is progressing at an average pace

Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela

• Alexandra Valencia, “Ecuador Declares State of Emergency Over Venezuelan Migrants at Border” (Reuters **, August 9, 2018).

Ecuador this week began receiving 4,200 Venezuelan migrants arriving each day

Guatemala

• Angelika Albaladejo, “Guatemala’s Corruption Should Be at the Top of Trump’s Agenda” (CNN, August 9, 2018).

Powerful Guatemalan politicians and businessmen accused in the investigations have been repeatedly trying to undermine the CICIG and stop the investigations against them and their allies, including through recent overtures to Washington

Mexico

• Claudia Altamirano, “Primer Ano del Sistema Penal Acusatorio: El Nivel de Impunidad Supero el 90% en 15 Estados, Reporta Mexico Evalua” (Animal Politico (Mexico), August 9, 2018).

“Existe una tendencia generalizada a no resolver y/o solucionar los delitos que se conocen, a pesar de que sólo una pequeña parte de los delitos ocurridos llegan al conocimiento de las autoridades”

• “Mexican President-Elect Asks Ciudad Juarez Violence Victims to Forgive” (Reuters, The New York Times, August 9, 2018).

“I respect the people who say don’t forgive or forget. I say, forgive, but don’t forget,” said the leader, who believes that Mexico’s army-led approach to fighting cartels has led to more violence

• Andrea Becerril, Victor Ballinas, “Informa Sedena Sobre Cooperacion Con Eu” (La Jornada (Mexico), August 9, 2018).

Entre los mecanismos de cooperación a nivel táctico, destacan la Junta de Comandantes Fronterizos para mejorar las cooperación bilateral en la frontera común

Venezuela

• Alexandra Ulmer, Shaylim Castro, “‘Real Assassins!’: Venezuela Targets Opposition After Drone Blasts” (Reuters **, August 9, 2018).

Venezuela confirmed the arrest of one lawmaker and ordered the detention of another on Wednesday, accusing the opposition politicians of scheming to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro with explosives-laden drones

• Kejal Vyas, “Venezuela’s President Pushes Crackdown in Wake of Drone Attack” (The Wall Street Journal, August 9, 2018).

Authorities handed down arrest orders in recent days as Venezuelans tried to make sense of the murky details surrounding the two blasts, caused by a pair of drones

• “A Failed Drone Attack Shows That Nicolas Maduro Is Vulnerable” (The Economist (Uk), August 9, 2018).

Uneasy lies the head that fears a drone

• Anne Gearan, “On Colombia Visit, Haley Blames Maduro for Venezuela’s Ruin” (The Washington Post, August 9, 2018).

Haley is one of the Trump administration’s fiercest critics of the leftist Venezuelan leader and said she wanted to see firsthand the damage he has caused