(Even more here)

June 6, 2019

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Justin Wise, “Us Military Personnel Ordered to Paint Border Barriers to Improve ‘Aesthetic Appearance’” (The Hill, June 6, 2019).

A disgraceful misuse of taxpayer $$,” Durbin said on Twitter. “Our military has more important work to do than making Trump’s wall beautiful”

• Caitlin Dickson, “Border Patrol Is Confiscating Migrant Kids’ Medicine, U.S. Doctors Say” (Yahoo!, June 6, 2019).

“At the end of the day, as a medical provider, as a physician, we take an oath to first do no harm. And taking somebody’s medications seems like it’s causing harm”

• Nick Miroff, “Arrests Along Mexico Border Surged Again in May, Blowing Past ‘Breaking Point’” (The Washington Post, June 6, 2019).

It was by far the largest one-month arrest total since President Trump took office, and it was the highest monthly figure in 13 years

• Dara Lind, “The Border Is in Crisis. Here’s How It Got This Bad.” (Vox, June 6, 2019).

There really is something unprecedented — and deadly — happening at the US/Mexico border right now. But the threat is to migrants themselves

• w.j. Hennigan, “The Trump Administration Is Scouting Military Bases to Shelter Migrant Children” (Time, June 6, 2019).

Health and Human Services, which is responsible for caring for children under 18 years old until they can be given to an adult relative, stated it has taken about 40,900 children into custody through April 30. That’s a 57% increase from last year

• Maria Sacchetti, “Trump Administration Cancels English Classes, Soccer, Legal Aid for Unaccompanied Child Migrants in U.S. Shelters” (The Washington Post, June 6, 2019).

In an email obtained by The Washington Post, U.S. officials say program for sheltering minors who crossed the border is running out of money, must focus on “essential” services

Colombia

• “‘Confiamos Plenamente en el Papel de las Fuerzas Armadas’: Farc” (El Tiempo (Colombia), June 6, 2019).

Varios senadores se sorprendieron cuando escucharon al senador Lozada pronunciando palabras de elogio a las Fuerzas Armadas y la Policía

• “Senado Aprobo el Ascenso del General Nicacio Martinez” (Semana (Colombia), June 6, 2019).

Con una votación de 58 contra 19 se negó la proposición de la oposición de votar por separado el ascenso de este oficial y eso dio vía libre para su promoción a la mayor dignidad de las Fuerzas Militares

• Helen Murphy, Luis Jaime Acosta, “Thousands of Colombian Farc Rebels Return to Arms Despite Peace Accord -Military Intelligence Report” (Reuters, Reuters, June 6, 2019).

The internal report puts the number of combatants belonging to dissident Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) groups at around 2,300, a sharp increase from about 300 at the time of the controversial peace agreement

• Rafael Croda, “La Dea Enfrenta Demanda Penal por Operaciones Ilegales en Colombia” (Proceso (Mexico), June 6, 2019).

Entre los agentes acusados figuran Brian Witek, quien dirigió un operativo de “entrampamiento” (incitación al delito, lo que es ilegal en Colombia) contra el exguerrillero de las FARC Jesús Santrich

• Juan Jose Aux Trujillo, “107 Lideres Politicos Han Sido Victimas de Violencia” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), June 6, 2019).

El resultado es preocupante, a cuatro meses de las elecciones, el pico de violencia, secuestros y asesinatos contra líderes políticos va a alcanzar su punto más alto

• “Gobierno Asegura Que Crimenes de Lideres Sociales se Han Reducido” (El Tiempo (Colombia), June 6, 2019).

Según Barbosa, en lo corrido de este año están verificados 22 asesinatos. claro que la ONU ya ha recibido reportes de 57 posibles casos de líderes y defensores asesinados, que están en proceso de documentación

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras

• “Central America | Food Insecurity in the Dry Corridor – Emergency Response Coordination Centre (Ercc) – Dg Echo Daily Map” (European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, ReliefWeb, June 6, 2019).

English Map on Guatemala and 4 other countries about Food and Nutrition, Protection and Human Rights, Refugees and Drought; published on 03 Jun 2019 by ECHO

El Salvador

• Jose Miguel Cruz, “Nayib Bukele y los Riesgos del Populismo” (El Faro (El Salvador), June 6, 2019).

Las probabilidades de que la gestión de Nayib Bukele resulte ser la continuación de la corrupción sistémica, el nepotismo, la preferencia por el autoritarismo y la ineficiencia en las instituciones, son perturbadoramente altas

Guatemala

• Kevin Sieff, “Guatemala Says It’s Working With the United States to Tighten Borders, Break Up Migrant Caravans” (The Washington Post, June 6, 2019).

Plans to renegotiate a regional open-borders agreement, break up migrant caravans and subject families to DNA testing

Honduras

• Nina Lakhani, “Honduras Deploys Security Forces as Doctors and Teachers Demand President’s Resignation” (The Guardian (Uk), June 6, 2019).

Juan Orlando Hernández, the US government’s top ally in Central America, is under increasing pressure amid public anger over crumbling public services, dismal approval ratings – and explosive revelations that he was the subject of a US Drug Enforcement Administration trafficking investigation

Mexico

• Jorge G. Castaneda, “Mexico Has Tried to Avoid Trump. It Can’t Anymore.” (The New York Times, June 6, 2019).

President López Obrador has few cards to play. But any alternative is preferable to continuing to kowtow to Washington

• Marco Ugarte, “Mexico Officials Intercept About 1,000 Migrants on Highway” (Associated Press, The Washington Post, June 6, 2019).

Unarmed agents wrestled some migrants who resisted to the ground, but the vast majority complied and boarded buses or immigration agency vans

• Mathieu Tourliere, “Operativo Policiaco-Militar Frena Caravana Migrante en Chiapas” (Proceso (Mexico), June 6, 2019).

Este fuerte operativo ocurrió en medio de las negociaciones que el gobierno mexicano emprende en Washington con la administración del presidente Donald Trump para evitar que éste imponga aranceles

• David Agren, “Migrants Brave the ‘Beast’ as Mexico Cracks Down Under Us Pressure” (The Guardian (Uk), June 6, 2019).

As in previous crackdowns, migrants will be forced to take longer, more risky routes – such as the Beast – to avoid immigration checkpoints

• Eric Martin, Nacha Cattan, “Before Trump Threat, Mexico Agreed on Migrant Detention Target” (Bloomberg, June 6, 2019).

Both countries early this year set the target, which the people said was as many as 800 detainees per day

• Catherine E. Shoichet, “3 Myths About Mexico and Migration, Debunked” (CNN, June 6, 2019).

Deportations from Mexico have been on the rise in recent months, and the country has launched several new efforts in response to the situation

Venezuela

• John Hudson, “Exclusive: In Secret Recording, Pompeo Opens Up About Venezuelan Opposition, Says Keeping It United ‘Has Proven Devilishly Difficult’” (The Washington Post, June 6, 2019).

‘The moment Maduro leaves, everybody’s going to raise their hands and [say], “Take me, I’m the next president of Venezuela,” ’ Pompeo said in an audio recording obtained by The Washington Post