(Even more here)

November 29, 2018

Argentina

• Cassandra Garrison, Matt Spetalnick, “China, Vying With U.S. in Latin America, Eyes Argentina Nuclear Deal” (Reuters, Reuters, November 29, 2018).
  

  Argentina and China are aiming to close a deal within days for the construction of the South American nation’s fourth nuclear power plant, a multi-billion dollar project

Brazil

• Ernesto Londono, Lisa Friedman, “Brazil Backs Out of Hosting 2019 Climate Change Meeting” (The New York Times, November 29, 2018).
  

  It comes about a month before the inauguration of president-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who has vowed to empower commercial ventures in the Amazon and other Brazilian biomes while weakening enforcement

• Anthony Boadle, “Trump Adviser Bolton Hones Ties With Brazil’s Far-Right Leader” (Reuters, Reuters, November 29, 2018).
  

  There is speculation Bolsonaro’s team will seek to bring Trump to the presidential inauguration in Brasilia on Jan. 1

Brazil, Western Hemisphere Regional

• Franco Ordonez, “Latin America and All of Its Problems on Display at g20 Summit in Trump’s First Visit” (McClatchy DC, November 29, 2018).
  

  Bolton told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that his visit with Bolsonaro was the result of “a really outstanding phone call,” between Trump and Bolsonaro

Central America Regional, Mexico

• Christopher Sherman, E. Eduardo Castillo, “Mexico Accepts Housing Migrants, Seeks Us Development Aid” (Associated Press, The Washington Post, November 29, 2018).
  

  President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s government signaled Tuesday that it would be willing to house the migrants on Mexican soil while they apply for asylum

Colombia

• John Otis, “Colombia Tries to Get Farmers Away From the Cocaine Biz. How’s That Going?” (National Public Radio, November 29, 2018).
  

  “They tell me: ‘Dad, when you grew coca you had money. When you stopped everything fell apart … Now we are poor”

• “La Protesta Social Volvio a las Calles” (El Espectador (Colombia), November 29, 2018).
  

  Los factores que motivaron la que fue, quizá, la movilización más grande del año

Mexico

• Adolfo Flores, “How Close Did the Caravan Come to Breaching Us Border Defenses at San Diego? Turns Out, Not That Close.” (BuzzFeed, November 29, 2018).
  

  The 42 people from the caravan who crossed into US territory and were arrested over the weekend only made it to a no-man’s-land between two border fences

• Dara Lind, “The Us Has Made Migrants at the Border Wait Months to Apply for Asylum. Now the Dam Is Breaking.” (Vox, November 29, 2018).
  

  it’s impossible to identify “legitimate” asylum seekers by forcing them to wait for an unknown period of time, with housing and food not guaranteed, in the midst of rising hostility from neighbors, in the uncertain hope of getting their name called

• Kevin Sieff, Sarah Kinosian, “For Migrants in Tijuana, Seeking Asylum in U.S. Starts With a Worn Notebook” (The Washington Post, November 29, 2018).
  

  The migrants have attempted to bring organization to a system that has become difficult even for attorneys to understand, forcing those in search of refuge to wait for months within eyeshot of San Diego

• Gustavo Solis, Wendy Fry, “In Advance of Rainstorm, Second Migrant Shelter to Open in Tijuana” (The San Diego Union-Tribune, November 29, 2018).
  

  Muddy, cramped and unsanitary conditions face Central American migrants sheltered in an outdoor sports complex near the U.S.-Mexico border

• Elisabeth Malkin, “His Father-in-Law Insulted Mexicans. Now Kushner Has Won Mexico’s Highest Honor.” (The New York Times, November 29, 2018).
  

  Mr. Videgaray acknowledged that Mr. Trump’s posture toward Mexico is “offensive” but argued that it was “discriminatory” to criticize the choice of Mr. Kushner

Venezuela

• Scott Smith, “Venezuela’s Next Generation of Opposition Plays a Long Game” (Associated Press **, November 29, 2018).
  

  Many of the beleaguered opposition figures remaining in the country see their best hopes in capitalizing on widespread discontent with Maduro’s rule playing out in rough neighborhoods long considered his strongholds

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Josh Dawsey, Missy Ryan, Nick Miroff, “Trump Administration Expected to Extend Military Mission Along Border Through the Holidays” (The Washington Post, November 29, 2018).
  

  The assignment was expected to last at least 45 days beyond its scheduled end date of Dec. 15

• Priya Sridhar, “Us Customs and Border Protection Has Used Tear Gas in 126 Incidents Since 2012” (KPBS (Los Angeles), November 29, 2018).
  

  According to the data, tear gas was used 79 times during Barack Obama’s second term. It has used the chemical 29 times this past year, the highest yearly rate since 2012

• Seung Min Kim, “Senate Panel Delays Vote on Trump Pick to Lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement” (The Washington Post, November 29, 2018).
  

  Angering some unions, Ronald D. Vitiello apparently shared an image of the president on Twitter that compared him to Dennis the Menace