(Even more here)

September 16, 2019

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Manny Fernandez, Miriam Jordan, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Caitlin Dickerson, “‘People Actively Hate Us’: Inside the Border Patrol’s Morale Crisis” (The New York Times, September 16, 2019).

Overwhelmed by desperate migrants and criticized for mistreating the people in their care, many agents have grown defensive, insular and bitter

Brazil

• Caio Barretto Briso, “‘Caught Defenseless in the Crossfire’: Rio Families Cope With Deaths by Police Violence” (The Guardian (Uk), September 16, 2019).

In the first seven months of this year police caused 30% of all violent deaths in the state of Rio and killed a record 1,075 people – the highest number in more than two decades

Colombia

• “Editorial: La Memoria Historica No Es Asunto de Equilibrismos” (El Espectador (Colombia), September 16, 2019).

Hay un debate en el país sobre cuál es la mejor manera de construir la memoria. La solución no está en deslegitimar el trabajo hecho hasta ahora

• “A los Candidatos los Estan Matando Mas Justo Cuando Crece la Guerra Local” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), September 16, 2019).

Ya van siete candidatos asesinados desde el 27 de julio, último día de inscripciones, hasta el 9 de septiembre

• “El Retorno Narco: Los Grandes Capos Que Regresan a Colombia” (Semana (Colombia), September 16, 2019).

Un centenar de narcotraficantes que terminaron de pagar su condena en Estados Unidos regresaron a Colombia. ¿Qué tanto afectan la seguridad?

Colombia, Venezuela

• Juan Forero, Jose De Cordoba, “Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez Worked to Flood U.S. With Cocaine, U.S. Prosecutors Say” (The Wall Street Journal, September 16, 2019).

At one meeting, Mr. Cabello described sea and land drug trafficking routes through Venezuela, the documents showed. At another, Mr. Carvajal said coordination with the “comrades,” meaning the FARC, was going well

• Karen Deyoung, “Fears of Military Conflict Between Venezuela and Colombia as Tensions Over Maduro Government Escalate” (The Washington Post, September 16, 2019).

Administration officials, while acknowledging that the treaty includes provisions for the use of military force, said their immediate goal was to escalate sanctions — including the possible interdiction at sea of ships carrying Venezuelan oil

El Salvador

• Nelson Rauda Zablah, John Washington, “El Salvador Lanza su Patrulla Fronteriza y se Une a Ola de Complacencia Regional a Trump” (El Faro (El Salvador), September 16, 2019).

Policías y oficiales de Migración salvadoreños patrullarán 154 puntos ciegos. La iniciativa surgió de reuniones con el secretario de Seguridad de Estados Unidos y es parcialmente financiada por el departamento de Estado

Honduras

• “Policias Reprimen Manifestacion Opositora en Honduras” (Agence France Presse, La Prensa (Nicaragua), September 16, 2019).

Más de 1,000 personas, según estimaciones de la prensa, caminaban al son de una pegajosa canción “JOH (por el presidente Juan Orlando Hernández) es pa’fuera que vas” y con pancartas como “Fuera el narcodictador”

Mexico

• Gloria Leticia DÍaz, “Tamaulipas: Soldados y Policias se Habrian Coordinado para Asesinar” (Proceso (Mexico), September 16, 2019).

Mediante el testimonio de vecinos y familiares de las víctimas, la organización civil reconstruyó la detención arbitraria de personas, la tortura a que las sometieron para vestirlas con ropas de camuflaje y su posterior asesinato a la luz del día

• “Suspects Released in Mexico Missing Students Case” (BBC (UK), September 16, 2019).

A judge ordered that 24 local police officers arrested in connection with the students’ disappearance should be freed immediately

• Fernanda Echavarri, “Trump Is Forcing Asylum Seekers to Brave Mexican Border Cities at Night to Make Their Court Dates” (Mother Jones, September 16, 2019).

The women then showed her paperwork from US immigration officials, directing them to show up to the Mexican side of the San Ysidro Port of Entry at 3:30 a.m.

• J. Weston Phippen, “Trapped in Juarez: Life in the Migrant Limbo” (The Atlantic, September 16, 2019).

Migrants hoping to cross legally into the United States wait along the Mexican border, where life is a mixture of instability, violence, and luck

• Emily Green, “Trump’s Asylum Policies Sent Him Back to Mexico. He Was Kidnapped Five Hours Later by a Cartel.” (VICE, September 16, 2019).

The Trump administration calls the policy “Migrant Protection Protocols,” but far from offering protection, the policy has led to a brutal wave of kidnappings in some of Mexico’s most dangerous border cities

Nicaragua

• Lidia Lopez B., “Cenidh Reporta Sobre Ejecuciones Selectivas de Campesinos Opositores a la Dictadura de Nicaragua” (La Prensa (Nicaragua), September 16, 2019).

El organismo defensor de los derechos humanos en Nicaragua documentó los incidentes ocurridos en julio y agosto de este año

Venezuela

• Luc Cohen, “Venezuela’s Opposition Says Norway-Mediated Dialogue With Maduro ‘Is Finished’” (Reuters, Reuters, September 16, 2019).

Despite the setback, Norwegian diplomats are still prepared to assist

• Jonathan Blitzer, “The Fight for the Latino Vote in Florida” (The New Yorker, September 16, 2019).

Only a small percentage of the recently arrived Venezuelans are eligible to vote, but many Latin Americans in Florida see the Venezuelan government as the nexus of the region’s worst problems