(Even more here)

January 15, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Nina Lakhani, “More Than 300 Human Rights Activists Were Killed in 2019, Report Reveals” (The Guardian (Uk), January 15, 2020).

Two-thirds of the total killings took place in Latin America where impunity from prosecution is the norm

• Whitney Eulich, “Behind Latin America’s Protests, a Fading Faith in Democracy” (The Christian Science Monitor, January 15, 2020).

Some worry that the frustration and lackluster responses from government officials, paired with dimming views of democracy, may further open the door to authoritarianism

• Paul Sonne, Jeff Stein, Nick Miroff, “Lawmakers From Both Parties Criticize White House Plan to Take $7.2 Billion in Pentagon Funding for Trump’s Border Wall” (The Washington Post, January 15, 2020).

For the second year in a row, the White House is planning to obtain the majority of the funding it wants for Trump’s barrier project by defunding construction and maintenance projects on military bases at home and abroad

• Robert Moore, “Border Patrol Officials Dodged Congress’ Questions About Migrant Children’s Deaths” (ProPublica, January 15, 2020).

The chair of a House Homeland Security subcommittee reprimanded Border Patrol officials for concealing information about migrant children’s deaths. Officials did not respond to the chairwoman’s criticism

• Anna Giaritelli, “Only Three Border Patrol Agents Fired for Offensive Facebook Posts Despite Recommendation for More Heads” (The Washington Examiner, January 15, 2020).

An internal review board at CBP had recommended that at least seven be terminated

Argentina

• “El Gobierno Prohibira Que las Fuerzas Armadas Actuen en Seguridad Interior” (Pagina12 (Argentina), January 15, 2020).

El entonces ministro de Macri, Oscar Aguad, había planteado modificar el decreto para sumar otras “amenazas” como el narcotráfico, el terrorismo, la ciberseguridad y los recursos estratégicos

Bolivia

• “Bolivia Military ‘Outraged’ Over Exiled Morales Militia Claim” (Agence France Presse, Yahoo!, January 15, 2020).

Bolivia’s armed forces hit out at exiled former president Evo Morales on Monday after he said he would introduce armed local militias similar to those in Venezuela if he returns home

Colombia

• Olga Patricia Rendon M., “La Jurisdiccion Especial para la Paz Supera su Mal Trago” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), January 15, 2020).

Después de dos años la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz avanza en siete casos priorizados y la determinación de medidas cautelares sobre desaparición forzada. Grandes retos para este 2020

• “Nota Informativa Defensoras y Defensores Asesinados Durante 2019” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Colombia Field Office, January 15, 2020).

According to our records, 107 activists were killed last year, and our staff in Colombia are still in the process of verifying 13 additional cases reported during 2019 which, if confirmed, would raise the annual total to 120 killings

• “Con Caso en Cordoba, Asesinatos de Lideres Sociales Suben a 17 en los Primeros 14 Dias del Ano” (Semana (Colombia), January 15, 2020).

La situación es preocupante, pues además de los 17 líderes asesinados en los primero catorce días de enero, en diciembre fueron asesinados 23

• “Vulnerabilidad en la Corte Suprema, la Sensacion Que Dejan Las “Chuzadas”” (El Espectador (Colombia), January 15, 2020).

Las noticias de que supuestamente las comunicaciones de sus integrantes son el foco de intervención ilegal por parte de miembros del Ejército Nacional —como denunció la revista Semana— evidenció los temores de los magistrados

• “‘Estoy Aqui Hablando Gracias a la Policia y al Ejercito’: Timochenko” (El Tiempo (Colombia), January 15, 2020).

Sobre quienes habrían ordenado el ataque, ‘Iván Márquez’ y el ‘Paisa’, dijo que “da pesar que sean señores que en algún momento estuvieron con uno”

Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico

• Frank Jack Daniel, Gustavo Palencia, “Guatemalan Leader Says Mexico Plans to Contain New Caravan” (Reuters, Reuters, January 15, 2020).

“The Mexican government told us that they won’t let it pass,” said Giammattei, “that they will do everything in their powers to stop it from passing”

• Kirk Semple, “Migrant Caravan Embarks From Honduras, Posing Challenge to Region” (The New York Times, January 15, 2020).

As the latest caravan wends its way across Guatemala, Mexico will likely find itself under renewed pressure from the United States to strengthen its borders further and block the group’s passage

Guatemala

• Hector Silva Avalos, “Guatemala’s New President Dogged by His Past and Security Challenges” (InsightCrime, January 15, 2020).

Two notorious cases from his tenure as Guatemala’s prison director in the mid-2000s loom over him like a shadow

• Maria Martin, “Alejandro Giammattei, Guatemala’s President-Elect, to Take Office” (National Public Radio, January 15, 2020).

One of the biggest questions is whether Guatemala will support a controversial asylum agreement it signed with the U.S. last July. So far, the new president has sent out mixed signals

• Jeff Abbott, “Guatemala’s New President Takes Office Under U.S. Pressure on Asylum” (Reuters, Reuters, January 15, 2020).

Giammattei, who in the past has suggested he would seek to change the Asylum Cooperation Agreement (ACA), appeared to soften his stance on Monday

Honduras

• Alberto Pradilla, “Nueva Caravana de Migrantes Sale de Honduras para Llegar a Eu” (Animal Politico (Mexico), January 15, 2020).

“Refugio: en Honduras nos matan” es el lema utilizado para publicitar la marcha

Mexico

• Alberto Pradilla, ““No Hay Ningun Esfuerzo Serio en Investigar Quien Esta Detras de las Desapariciones”: Hrw” (Animal Politico (Mexico), January 15, 2020).

Desapariciones, ejecuciones extrajudiciales, tortura o malos tratos contra los migrantes, según Human Rights Watch

• Alberto Pradilla, “No Habra Salvoconductos Ni Visas de Transito, Advierte Segob Ante Nueva Caravana Migrante” (Animal Politico (Mexico), January 15, 2020).

La secretaria Sánchez Cordero mencionó que habrá operativos especiales y agentes migratorios que responderán al paso de la caravana que partió de Honduras

• “Cuatro Militares Mueren Ahogados en Reynosa; Cayeron a Canal de Riego Durante Ataque Armado” (SinEmbargo (Mexico), January 15, 2020).

El vehículo en el que se transportaban fue atacado a tiros por un grupo de hombres armados, lo que provocó que el conductor perdiera el control

Peru

• “El Constitucional Peruano Avala la Disolucion del Congreso” (Deutsche Welle, La Prensa (Nicaragua), January 15, 2020).

El Tribunal Constitucional dio este martes (14.01.2020) un respaldo definitivo a la decisión del Gobierno de Perú de disolver el Parlamento, al rechazar la demanda presentada por el expresidente del Congreso

Venezuela

• “Justicia Venezolana: Hay Mas de 200 Efectivos Castrenses Detenidos en Carceles Militares” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), January 15, 2020).

106 del Ejército, 62 de la Guardia Nacional, 25 de la Armada y 24 de la Aviación

• Mariana Zuniga, Mary Beth Sheridan, “Venezuelan Opposition Lawmakers Attacked by Pro-Government Forces as They Try to Enter the National Assembly” (The Washington Post, January 15, 2020).

Delsa Solórzano, one of the deputies in the car, tweeted that the pro-government gangs known as “colectivos” shot at them as they tried to reach the legislative palace in Caracas

• Matt Spetalnick, “U.S. Envoy Sees China Scaling Back Economic Support for Venezuela’s Maduro” (Reuters, Reuters, January 15, 2020).

As China’s economic activities have declined, Maduro and his socialist government are becoming more reliant on Russia and its oil giant Rosneft