April 4, 2019
Western Hemisphere Regional
- Aaron Martinez, Aaron Montes, Vic Kolenc, “Cbp to Close Cargo Lanes at el Paso International Bridge as It Shifts Officers to Aid Migrant Processing” (The El Paso Times, April 4, 2019).
McAleenan announced that CBP officers currently at the ports of entry would be reassigned to help with processing migrant families. The decision has led to longer wait times and concerns about security
- Amanda Taub, Max Fisher, “Border Crackdowns Feed a Self-Reinforcing Cycle of Fear and Backlash” (The New York Times, April 4, 2019).
Anti-immigration sentiment is driving demand for harsh policies that may not only fail to reduce arrivals, but to also make the problem look even more uncontrolled and overwhelming
Brazil
- “Weapons Makers Encouraged With the Brazilian Market by Pro-Gun Bolsonaro” (MercoPress, April 4, 2019).
Some 450 Brazilian and foreign companies, ranging from makers of machine guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers to “target detection” technology and surveillance drones, are on display at the four-day LAAD defense and security expo
Central America Regional
- , Rep. Norma Torres (D-California), “Torres Statement on State Department List of Corrupt Central American Government Officials” (U.S. House of Representatives, April 4, 2019).
By willfully concealing the names of corrupt government officials in Central America, in defiance of Congress’ intent, the Trump administration is engaging in a cover-up
- Megan Specia, “Trump Wants to Cut Aid to Central America. Here Are Some of the Dozens of U.S.-Funded Programs.” (The New York Times, April 4, 2019).
Here are some examples of programs financed by American dollars in the three countries targeted by President Trump
Colombia
- “Acabar Con la Coca Buscan Duque y Pompeo” (Agence France Presse, El Nuevo Siglo (Colombia), April 4, 2019).
En la breve comunicación se señaló, además, que la estrategia está enfocada en “aumentar la erradicación y las operaciones contra las redes de tráfico”.
- Maria Alejandra Navarrete Forero, “Gentil Duarte’s Master Plan to Reunite Colombia’s Farc Dissidents” (InsightCrime, April 4, 2019).
The rearrangement of the multiple FARC dissident units into one single structure could mean a return to combat with similar military power as the group had before it demobilized
- Juan Esteban Lewin, Julian Huertas, “Las Movidas de la Embajada Americana Van Mas Alla de la Camara” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), April 4, 2019).
La fuerte estrategia del embajador para incidir en las objeciones, especialmente en la que tiene que ver con la extradición
- “La Hora Cero de las Objeciones a la Jep en la Camara de Representantes” (El Espectador (Colombia), April 4, 2019).
El próximo lunes será citado el debate en la plenaria, sin embargo, desde ya se avizora una estruendosa derrota del Gobierno
- Hanna Wallis, “Why Thousands of Colombians Are Blocking the Pan-American Highway” (The New Republic, April 4, 2019).
Many of the protesters belong to sectors of the population most affected by this rising violence
- “Pueblos Indigenas de Cordoba, Sucre y Putumayo se Unen a la Minga” (El Espectador (Colombia), April 4, 2019).
El movimiento social que hoy cumple 24 días, ya cuenta con alrededor de 25.000 personas provenientes de varios departamentos como Cauca, Antioquia, Chocó, Tolima, Nariño, Huila, Valle, Amazonía, entre otros
Guatemala
- Sonia Perez D., “Fiscal Guatemala: Gobierno Ha Sido Nefasto en Anticorrupcion” (Associated Press, Associated Press, April 4, 2019).
Según Juan Francisco Sandoval, fiscal contra la impunidad que contribuyó a llevar a prisión a tres expresidentes acusados de corrupción, el gobierno de Jimmy Morales ha sido el peor para combatir estos abusos
- Jonathan Blitzer, “How Climate Change Is Fuelling the U.S. Border Crisis” (The New Yorker, April 4, 2019).
Even approaches that have accounted for the root causes of regional mass migration have underestimated the impact of climate change
Mexico
- , Robbie Whelan, “U.S. Shift on Mexican Border Triggers Trade Bottleneck” (The Wall Street Journal, April 4, 2019).
The Department of Homeland Security on Monday reallocated up to 750 officers, citing a “growing security and humanitarian crisis at the border,” and said that the reassignments might rise to more than 2,000 personnel
- Noah Lanard, “Nixon Closed the Border to Sow Chaos. Trump’s Shutdown Could Be Even Worse.” (Mother Jones, April 4, 2019).
The difference is that Nixon had clear and potentially achievable objectives in mind with his game of diplomatic chicken. Trump does not
- Maria Polletta, “Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Says He Would Support Border Closure After Meeting With Trump” (The Arizona Republic, April 4, 2019).
The governor indicated the president had not made a final decision regarding a border closure, despite multiple threats to do so over the last week
Central America Regional, Mexico
- Salvador Rizzo, “Trump’s False Claims About Mexico’s Immigration System” (The Washington Post, April 4, 2019).
Trump says Mexico began to detain thousands of Central American migrants at its southern border only this week. Let’s not beat around the bush here — that’s totally false. They’ve been doing it for decades
Venezuela
- Raul Gallegos, “To Defeat Maduro’s Regime, Treat It Like a Crime Syndicate” (Americas Quarterly, April 4, 2019).
Taking advantage of the mercenary nature of chavismo can help, by eventually offering rewards for the surrender and delivery of Maduro and his top lieutenants
- Patricia Torres, Tom Phillips, “Venezuela’s Slums Are Turning on Maduro – but Guaido Faces Uphill Battle” (The Guardian (Uk), April 4, 2019).
Across Petare’s vertiginous back alleys such anger is inescapable – even if some still lionise Chávez as a champion of the poor
- Alan Rappeport, “Trump Prepares Aid Package for Venezuela in Case Maduro Government Falls” (The New York Times, April 4, 2019).
The legislation would provide $200 million in aid for Venezuela and $200 million for neighboring countries to absorb refugees