(Even more here)

June 4, 2019

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Rose L. Thayer, “Soldier Dies While Deployed in Arizona for Border Mission” (Stars and Stripes, June 4, 2019).

The military, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are investigating circumstances surrounding the death, though foul play is not suspected

• Spencer S. Hsu, “Judge Rejects House Suit to Block Transfer of Billions of Dollars for Trump Border Wall” (The Washington Post, June 4, 2019).

The decision is at odds with a May 24 ruling by a federal judge in California that temporarily blocked part of the plan because it was using money Congress never appropriated for that purpose

• Bob Ortega, “Trial Begins for No More Deaths Volunteer Who Aided Migrants” (CNN, June 4, 2019).

No More Deaths, founded in 2004, generally has operated without penalties, but its relations with the Border Patrol have not always been smooth

• Dianne Gallagher, Geneva Sands, Kate Sullivan, “Third Undocumented Migrant in 3 Days Dies After Being Apprehended at Us-Mexico Border” (CNN, June 4, 2019).

CBP said in a statement later Monday that the woman collapsed about 25 minutes after being apprehended, and that agents “quickly initiated emergency medical care.”

Brazil, Venezuela

• Nelza Oliveira, “Brazilian Government Authorizes Funds for Military Operations to Help Venezuelans” (Revista Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), June 4, 2019).

In the past 12 months, the government spent more than $67 million from state funds to support military activities associated with Operation Shelter (Operação Acolhida) in the state of Roraima

Colombia, Venezuela

• Nelson Matta Colorado, “Desde Venezuela Traian las Armas a Bandas de Medellin” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), June 4, 2019).

Esta es la historia de cómo las autoridades descubrieron una organización señalada de traficar armas de Venezuela para los combos de Medellín. Cinco detenidos se declararon inocentes

• Juan Camilo Montoya E., “Colombia y Rusia, Sin Grandes Coincidencias” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), June 4, 2019).

Al término del encuentro, Lavrov reconoció que había hablado con su colega colombiano sobre posibles nuevos suministros de equipos militares

Colombia

• “En las Regiones No Pierden la Esperanza de Paz” (Semana (Colombia), June 4, 2019).

Pese a los tropiezos jurídicos y los incumplimientos en torno a los acuerdos del proceso de paz, la mayoría de los excombatientes se mantienen en su promesa de abandonar las armas y apostarle a la reincorporación a la vida civil

• Anastasia Moloney, “Colombia’s Push for Land Titles Brings Hope for Farmers Amid Fragile Peace” (Reuters, June 4, 2019).

Across rural Colombia, six out of 10 plots of land do not have a formal title or are not registered, according to USAID

• “Comunicado Urgente: Esmad Agrede a Comunidades Movilizadas Pacificamente Contra Erradicacion Forzada” (Asociación Minga (Colombia), June 4, 2019).

Según las denuncias de la comunidad, el Escuadron Móvil Antidisturbios, ESMAD, agredió indiscriminadamente a los manifestantes, dejando un número indeterminado de afectaciones

Honduras

• Hector Silva Avalos, “Narco-Politics Cast Shadow on Honduran Presidents: Court Documents” (InsightCrime, June 4, 2019).

Honduras’ most powerful drug trafficking organization, Los Cachiros, bribed the country’s former president and opened a line of communication to current President Juan Orlando Hernández, documents recently unsealed in a New York federal court show

Mexico

• Kate Morrissey, “San Diego Immigration Court ‘Overwhelmed’ by Remain in Mexico Cases” (The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 4, 2019).

On a given day, three of San Diego’s seven judges generally have afternoons full of MPP cases. On a recent Tuesday afternoon, 82 people were scheduled to appear before three judges

• Kirk Semple, “Mexico Cracks Down on Migrants, After Pressure From Trump to Act” (The New York Times, June 4, 2019).

According to the raftsmen, the recent crackdown by the Mexican authorities has not affected their illegal traffic

• “Posicionamiento del Gobierno de Mexico Sobre Migracion e Imposicion de Tarifas Arancelarias” (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores (Mexico), June 4, 2019).

Hemos recibido 24,541 solicitudes de refugio, así como 8,835 migrantes retornados de Estados Unidos que realizan su proceso migratorio ante tribunales estadounidenses mientras aguardan en territorio mexicano

• Falko Ernst, “Mexico’s Hydra-Headed Crime War” (International Crisis Group, June 4, 2019).

Each fissure redraws the front lines, ushering in fresh spates of killings. And each split carries the conflict deeper into society

Venezuela

• Andrew Rosati, David Wainer, Ethan Bronner, “U.S. on Sidelines as Allies Struggle for New Venezuela Strategy” (Bloomberg, June 4, 2019).

Recently concluded talks in Norway and separate discussions between Europe and both sides of the Venezuelan divide have effectively pushed the U.S. to the margins

• Amie Ferris-Rotman, Anton Troianovski, “Trump Said Russia Was Getting Out of Venezuela. The Kremlin Says That’s Not True.” (The Washington Post, June 4, 2019).

Peskov said he had no idea what Trump’s tweet was referring to

• Fernando Cutz, “One Way to Bring Down Maduro and His Cronies: Indictments” (The New York Times, June 4, 2019).

There is speculation in Washington that sealed indictments of members of Mr. Maduro’s inner circle already exist and that the Justice Department is waiting for the right moment to release them