(Even more here)

June 24, 2019

Western Hemisphere Regional

• “Editorial: There’s No Excuse for Mistreating Children at the Border. Here’s What to Do About It.” (The New York Times, June 24, 2019).

President Trump has promoted policies that undermine all these goals, and Congress has failed to agree on a coherent vision. You can help turn that around. Here’s how

• Serena Marshall, Lana Zak, Jennifer Metz, “Doctor Compares Conditions at Immigrant Holding Centers to ‘Torture Facilities’” (ABC News, June 24, 2019).

The disturbing, first-hand account of the conditions were observed by lawyers and a board-certified physician in visits last week to border patrol holding facilities in Clint, Texas, and McAllen

• Caitlin Dickerson, “‘There Is a Stench’: No Soap and Overcrowding in Detention Centers for Migrant Children” (The New York Times, June 24, 2019).

A chaotic scene of sickness and filth is unfolding in an overcrowded border station in Clint, Tex., where hundreds of young people who have recently crossed the border are being held

• Ken White, “Why a Government Lawyer Argued Against Giving Immigrant Kids Toothbrushes” (The Atlantic, June 24, 2019).

The sheer effrontery of the government’s argument may be explained, but not excused, by its long backstory

• Chantal Da Silva, “Border Patrol Agents Find Woman and Three Children Dead Near Border” (Newsweek, June 24, 2019).

Guerra’s statement on the deaths came ten hours after the sheriff warned of a “dangerous heat advisory,” asserting that people in the area should “avoid outdoor activities”

• Lomi Kriel, Dug Begley, “Trump Administration Still Separating Hundreds of Migrant Children at the Border Through Often Questionable Claims of Danger” (The Houston Chronicle, June 24, 2019).

More than 700 children were taken from their parents or, in a few cases, from other relatives between June 2018 and May 2019

Brazil

• Daniel Schweimler, “Police Violence Worsens in Brazil’s Poor Neighbourhoods” (Al Jazeera, June 24, 2019).

Despite many questionable police killings, no Rio de Janeiro police officer has yet been convicted or jailed

Colombia

• “Operacion Silencio” (Semana (Colombia), June 24, 2019).

SEMANA revela los detalles del cerco de amenazas y presiones sobre los militares que están denunciando los falsos positivos y actos de corrupción en el Ejército. ¿Por qué los quieren callar y qué información tienen?

Colombia, Cuba

• “Gobierno Pide a Fiscalia Tramitar Extradicion de Negociadores del Eln” (El Tiempo (Colombia), June 24, 2019).

‘Pablo Beltrán’ y el alto comisionado, Miguel Ceballos, se refirieron a esta solicitud“A nosotros nos mandaron acá en Cuba a hacer negociaciones de paz, con una agenda que ya estaba firmada y sigue firmada, nosotros nos enteramos de esa acción aquí en Cuba, por supuesto no sabíamos, nos enteramos acá”, detalló ‘Beltrán’

Colombia

• Carolina Avila Cortes, “Hay Mas de 300 Posibles Victimas de Ejecuciones Extrajudiciales en la Region Caribe” (El Espectador (Colombia), June 24, 2019).

Este es el departamento con mayor número de víctimas y aseguran que bajo la comandancia de Nicacio Martínez, en la X Brigada Blindada, 58 personas fueron asesinadas y presentadas como exguerrilleros o extorsionistas

• “¿Ejecutados? Semana Encontro Nuevas Denuncias Sobre Posibles Ejecuciones Extrajudiciales” (Semana (Colombia), June 24, 2019).

Arauca y Tumaco son los escenarios de hechos que dejan muchas dudas y que tendrá que investigar la Fiscalía y Procuraduría

Colombia, Venezuela

• Dylan Baddour, “Colombia’s Border Czar Stands Against the Anti-Migrant Tide” (The Atlantic, June 24, 2019).

Muñoz has now spent 16 months through two presidential administrations leading his nation’s efforts to respond to the migration crisis. He is upbeat, though there are few hints that the flow of Venezuelans will stop anytime soon

Colombia

• “¿por Que los Quieren Callar?” (Semana (Colombia), June 24, 2019).

Los militares que están confesando en la JEP cómo participaron en los falsos positivos son blanco de amenazas y presiones. ¿Qué están contando que es tan incómodo?

• Julieta Pelcastre, “Colombian Navy Boosts Tactical Land Mobility” (Revista Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), June 24, 2019).

The U.S. delivered 12 Humvees to strengthen the Colombian Navy’s tactical land mobility. These vehicles will be operational in mid-June 2019

Cuba

• Anthony Faiola, “As Sanctions Bite in Cuba, the U.S. — Once a Driver of Hope — Is Now a Source of Pain” (The Washington Post, June 24, 2019).

The lawn of the Nicaraguan Embassy — a launch point for migrants seeking to enter the United States via Mexico — is overflowing with visa applicants

Guatemala

• Alleen Brown, “She Defended Her Land Against a Mine in Guatemala. Then She Fled in Fear for Her Life.” (The Intercept, June 24, 2019).

For years, Tahoe Resources argued that there were no Xinca people left in the communities surrounding the mine who would require any consultation. They were wrong

Mexico

• Maya Averbuch, Kirk Semple, “Mexico’s Crackdown at Its Southern Border, Prompted by Trump, Scares Migrants From Crossing” (The New York Times, June 24, 2019).

Immigrants’ advocates anticipated that the increasing presence of security forces would continue to drive down the number of people trying to migrate north, but they expected that in time, the flows would rebound

• Oliver de Ros, “Mexico Officials Detain More Migrants as Crackdown Steps Up” (Associated Press, Associated Press, June 24, 2019).

Many of the National Guardsmen are soldiers and police officers who now wear black armbands indicating they are part of the National Guard

Belize, Guatemala, Mexico

• Jacobo Garcia, Teresa de Miguel, Fred Ramos, “El Caribe Turbio” (El Pais (Spain), June 24, 2019).

Este especial describe la enigmática realidad que se levanta a pocos pasos de los centros turísticos más importantes del mundo

Mexico

• “Deportations After Deal: A New Reality in Mexico” (BBC (UK), June 24, 2019).

Photojournalist Encarni Pindado has seen the impact of the harsher policies on the people making their journey north.

• Lizbeth Diaz, “Two More Border Cities Added to U.S.-Mexico Asylum Program: Sources” (Reuters, Reuters, June 24, 2019).

The policy known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), or Remain in Mexico, will be implemented later this week in Nuevo Laredo in the northern state of Tamaulipas

Venezuela

• “Army and Police Officials ‘Detained’ in Venezuela” (BBC (UK), June 24, 2019).

Activists say six officials have been detained as President Maduro intensifies a crackdown on dissent Six members of Venezuela’s military and police have been arrested, activists say, weeks after a failed uprising against President Nicolás Maduro

• James Dobbins, “Preparing for a Venezuela After Maduro” (Foreign Affairs, June 24, 2019).

There is no sign that the Trump administration set any post-conflict preparation in train before U.S. officials began issuing musing about military action, or even that they have now done so

• Admiral Craig Faller, “Ussouthcom Commander Admiral Craig Faller Message to the Venezuelan Military” (Revista Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), June 24, 2019).

I hope the day comes soon when we can welcome you back into our hemisphere’s professional brotherhood-of-arms. We look forward to Venezuela’s return to the family of democracies in this hemisphere