(Even more here)

May 6, 2019

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Ryan Devereaux, “Scott Warren Worked to Prevent Migrant Deaths in the Arizona Desert. The Government Wants Him in Prison.” (The Intercept, May 6, 2019).

Thousands of migrants have died crossing the desert in Arizona. The U.S. government is prosecuting activists who try to save lives and recover bodies

• Josh Dawsey, Nick Miroff, Shane Harris, “Trump Taps Mark Morgan, Former Obama Official Who Supports Border Wall, to Head Ice” (The Washington Post, May 6, 2019).

Morgan had been the top official at Customs and Border Protection in the Obama administration, but has been outspoken in favor of Trump’s signature proposal for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border

• Josh Dawsey, Maria Sacchetti, Nick Miroff, “Trump Wants ‘Toughness’ to Deter Migration, but Physical Measures Keep Failing” (The Washington Post, May 6, 2019).

The measures that could actually deter migration are less bruising and physically obvious, veering off instead into a world that is legal, technical and bureaucratic — and could take months or years to show results

Colombia

• “Las Luchas de Francia Marquez Mina Que Ponen su Vida en Peligro” (Semana (Colombia), May 6, 2019).

Esta líder social afrodescendiente, ganadora del premio ambiental Goldman, fue víctima este sábado de un atentado del que salió ilesa, pero que ratifica una vez más la fragilidad en la que se encuentra su vida

• “Atentan Contra Francia Marquez, Lider Social Ganadora del “Nobel de Medioambiente”” (El Espectador (Colombia), May 6, 2019).

Lideres sociales y defensores de derechos humanos que hacen partes de la La Asociación de Consejos Comunitarios del Norte del Cauca, ACONC, se encontraban en una reunión comunitaria. El ataque, según Márquez, habría durado unos 15 minutos

• Antonio Caballero, “Extradicion” (Semana (Colombia), May 6, 2019).

A la DEA no le interesa castigar a los grandes narcos, que son sus cómplices. Pero sí le interesa castigar a los guerrilleros, por comunistas

• “Ser Lider Social en el Suroccidente, una Labor de Riesgo Extremo” (Verdad Abierta (Colombia), May 6, 2019).

Cuarenta y siete voceros de comunidades que hacen parte del PDET Alto Patía y Norte del Cauca han sido asesinados desde 2016 en los 17 municipios que lo componen

• “Defensoria Le Habia Advertido al Gobierno Sobre Incremento de Amenazas en Cauca” (El Espectador (Colombia), May 6, 2019).

El pasado 26 de abril se envió un documento al Ministerio del Interior advirtiendo que había cuatro alertas tempranas vigentes en Cauca, en donde desconocidos armados atentaron contra vario líderes sociales el sábado, entre ellos Francia Márquez

• “La Seguridad Democratica 2.0 Esta Asustando en Zonas en Conflicto” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), May 6, 2019).

Las 57 fuentes con las que hablamos coincidieron en que desde la entrada del Gobierno de Duque se están presentando más denuncias contra fuerzas militares y policiales

Honduras

• Azam Ahmed, “Inside Gang Territory in Honduras: ‘Either They Kill Us or We Kill Them.’” (The New York Times, May 6, 2019).

From 2018 through early 2019, The New York Times followed the young men of Casa Blanca in this tiny corner of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, one of the deadliest cities in the world, and witnessed firsthand as they tried to keep the gangs at bay

Mexico

• Kirk Semple, “Mexico Declares Victory Over Fuel Thieves. But Is It Lasting?” (The New York Times, May 6, 2019).

It is a doubt fed by a chronic lack of confidence in the Mexican government’s ability — or willingness — to bring the nation’s increasingly sophisticated criminal groups to their knees

Cuba, Mexico

• Josue Gonzalez, “90 Cubans Escape Migration Detention in Southern Mexico” (Associated Press, The Washington Post, May 6, 2019).

More than 600 Cubans fled the center in late April, and Mexico flew 170 Cubans home last week

Colombia, Venezuela

• Matthew Bristow, “Venezuelan Troops Trained Rebels to Fire Rockets, Colombia Says” (Bloomberg, May 6, 2019).

National Liberation Army fighters were instructed in how to use the Russian-manufactured IGLA surface-to-air missile system, according to General Luis Navarro, Colombia’s top-ranking soldier

Venezuela

• Jose De Cordoba, Juan Forero, Kejal Vyas, “Venezuela’s Opposition Came Close to Ousting the President—but the Plan Fell Apart” (The Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2019).

Under the plan, the country’s top court, the Supreme Justice Tribunal, was to recognize the opposition-controlled National Assembly, the last democratically elected body in Venezuela, as the legitimate representative of the Venezuelan people

• Joshua Goodman, “Us Missed Chance to Woo Venezuela Generals” (Associated Press, Associated Press, May 6, 2019).

One clue to the military officers’ apparent reluctance to join any U.S.-backed plot may be found in the story of their past, failed dealings with senior American officials

• Amanda Holpuch, “Trump Administration Denies Special Help to Venezuelans Seeking Asylum” (The Guardian (Uk), May 6, 2019).

Despite clarion calls for Venezuelan ‘freedom’ the US has resisted offering Temporary Protected Status to those fearing persecution

• Anthony Faiola, “Guaido Says Opposition Overestimated Military Support for Uprising” (The Washington Post, May 6, 2019).

“Dear friend, ambassador John Bolton, thank you for all the help you have given to the just cause here. Thank you for the option, we will evaluate it, and will probably consider it in parliament to solve this crisis. If it’s necessary, maybe we will approve it”

• Karoun Demirjian, Paul Sonne, “Pompeo Won’t Promise to Consult Congress About Potential Military Intervention in Venezuela” (The Washington Post, May 6, 2019).

Pompeo’s evasion of a direct question about the role of Congress — which is the body empowered to declare war under the Constitution — could strike a nerve with several Republicans