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March 22, 2019
Western Hemisphere Regional
- Molly o’toole, “Marine Corps Commandant Says Deploying Troops to the Border Poses ‘Unacceptable Risk’” (The Los Angeles Times, March 22, 2019).
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), vice chairman of the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, said Neller’s memos showed the danger in diverting Pentagon funds to build Trump’s border wall
- David Nakamura, “Democrats Struggle to Address Rising Border Apprehensions as They Seek to Counter Trump on Immigration” (The Washington Post, March 22, 2019).
Republicans have seized on statements from Democrats to paint them as turning a blind eye to the mounting problems and make the case that the rising numbers at the border have proved Trump right about a “crisis”
- Saul Saenz, “Annunciation House: Ice to Release 600 Migrants a Day for 3 Days; Churches Need to Help” (KVIA (El Paso Texas), March 22, 2019).
Laura Cruz, a spokeswoman for the City of El Paso, said the City cannot legally provide shelter for the immigrants
- “Iachr Releases 2018 Annual Report” (Organization of American States, March 22, 2019).
The report reflects the abundant work done between January 1 and December 31, 2018, and highlights the most relevant outcomes attained over the course of the year
- “Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Iachr Presents Its 2018 Annual Report” (Organization of American States, March 22, 2019).
In a critical moment for democracy, independent media, and freedom of expression in the Hemisphere, the report also highlights the realization of on-sight visits to Honduras, Ecuador and Brazil
Brazil
- Anthony Boadle, Brad Brooks, “Brazil’s Ex-President Temer Jailed, Accused of Heading ‘Criminal Organization’” (Reuters, Reuters, March 22, 2019).
Brazil’s former President Michel Temer was arrested on Thursday in “Operation Radioactivity,” a probe of alleged graft in the construction of a nuclear power plant
- Jeffrey T. Lewis, Luciana Magalhaes, Samantha Pearson, “Former Brazilian President Michel Temer Arrested in Car Wash Corruption Probe” (The Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2019).
Since Brazil’s return to democracy in 1985 after a military dictatorship, four of the eight presidents who took office have now fallen afoul of the country’s laws, either impeached for misconduct or arrested after leaving office
Colombia
- “El Momento de Hacer las Cuentas: ¿Como Votarian Camara y Senado las Objeciones a la Jep?” (El Espectador (Colombia), March 22, 2019).
Los impedimentos que se aprueben, que modificarán el quórum, y la posición de Cambio Radical determinarán el futuro de los reparos del presidente Duque a la estatutaria de la JEP en el Congreso
El Salvador
- Raymond Bonner, “El Salvador Considers Amnesty for Those Accused of Crimes During Its Civil War” (ProPublica, March 22, 2019).
The move by conservatives in El Salvador’s Parliament comes as 20 former senior military officers have been charged with an array of crimes, including murder, rape and kidnapping
Guatemala
- Elsa Coronado, “Los 7,108 Expedientes Abandonados del Conflicto Armado Interno” (Plaza Publica (Guatemala), March 22, 2019).
El Ministerio Público tenía entre el polvo y el olvido miles de denuncias de graves violaciones a los derechos humanos que ocurrieron durante la guerra interna. En diciembre de 2018 concluyó la primera fase de un proyecto que busca rescatarlas, pero no es suficiente
Mexico
- Jose Gallego Espina, Julio-Cesar Chavez, “For Asylum Seekers in Mexico, U.S. Judge Asks, ‘How Does the Court Serve Them?’” (Reuters, Reuters, March 22, 2019).
Judge Jonathan Simpson at a San Diego courthouse repeatedly asked the government’s attorney how to handle cases of applicants told to wait for their U.S. court dates in Mexican border towns
- Nathaniel Parish Flannery, “How Acapulco Exemplifies Mexico’s Ongoing Security Crisis” (Forbes, March 22, 2019).
Hammered by a series of hurricanes, a chain of protests, and a surge in violent attacks by criminal groups, Acapulco’s economy is at a breaking point. Evodio took over as mayor and is tasked with the impossible
- Arturo Angel, “Primer Bimestre de 2019, el Inicio de Ano Mas Violento del Que se Tenga Registro: 5,803 Personas Asesinadas” (Animal Politico (Mexico), March 22, 2019).
En enero y febrero pasados fueron asesinadas un total de 5 mil 803 personas en México. Esta cifra convierte al primer bimestre de 2019 en el más violento del que haya registro
South America Regional
- “Why Prosur Is Not the Way to Unite South America” (The Economist (Uk), March 22, 2019).
Attempts at regional integration always seem to stumble over politics
Venezuela
- David Smilde, “Is an Oil-for-Food Program Plausible for Venezuela?” (Washington Office on Latin America, March 22, 2019).
If a political transition does not materialize, what policy other than a well-designed oil-for-food program would avert famine?
Caribbean Regional, Cuba, Venezuela
- Jacqueline Charles, “U.S. Sanctions on Venezuela Are Affecting Caribbean Nations’ Ability to Pay for Oil” (The Miami Herald, March 22, 2019).
The only country that seems to still be receiving Venezuelan petroleum products is Cuba, which doesn’t pay for fuel in U.S. dollars but in an exchange of doctors and medical services
Venezuela
- Mariana Zuniga, Mary Beth Sheridan, “Venezuela Has Its Electricity Back, for Now, but It’s Still on the Verge of Collapse” (The Washington Post, March 22, 2019).
“This is the beginning of a phase in which we’ll see a more profound collapse of services in the country”
- Kejal Vyas, “Venezuela Intelligence Police Detain Top Opposition Aide” (The Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2019).
As he was ushered away, Mr. Marrero shouted to his neighbors that the Sebin officers had planted two rifles and a grenade in his apartment to justify his arrest
- Anatoly Kurmanaev, “Venezuela Crisis Escalates as Guaido’s Chief of Staff Is Arrested” (The New York Times, March 22, 2019).
By detaining Mr. Marrero, Mr. Maduro was trying to gauge how far the international community is prepared to go to defend Mr. Guaidó, Hugo Carvajal, a former Venezuelan military intelligence chief who defected this year, said
- Ethan Bronner, “Maduro Aides Reached Out to U.S. Seeking to Cut a Deal, Rubio Says” (Bloomberg, March 22, 2019).
“There isn’t a single major figure in the regime that hasn’t reached out to make a deal,” Rubio said. “The danger is that if Maduro is pushed aside by such a figure, international pressure could diminish”