(Even more here)

February 10, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Jim Tankersley, Alan Rappeport, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Margot Sanger-Katz, “Trump to Propose $4.8 Trillion Budget With More Border Wall Funding” (The New York Times, February 10, 2020).

Trump to Propose $4.8 Trillion Budget With More Border Wall Funding

Brazil

• “France, Brazil’s Biggest Military Threat Over the Next 20 Years and an Amazon Invasion?” (MercoPress, February 10, 2020).

An article published on Friday in the premier daily Folha de São Paulo sourced a leaked military document that reveals Brazil’s highest rank-and-file believe France could become the country’s biggest threat over the next 20 years

• Dom Phillips, Sam Cowie, “Hitman Linked to Marielle Franco’s Murder Killed by Police” (The Guardian (Uk), February 10, 2020).

“Who gained from the death of ex-special forces captain Adriano Nóbrega,” tweeted Franco’s widow, Monica Benicio

• Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Sebastiao Salgado, Arnaldo Antunes, Djamila Ribeiro, Milton Hatoum, Petra Costa, “Democracy and Freedom of Expression Are Under Threat in Brazil” (The Guardian (Uk), February 10, 2020).

Brazil’s rightwing regime wants to censor textbooks, spy on teachers, and repress minority and LGBTQ+ groups. We need the international community’s support

Colombia

• Sebastian Forero Rueda, “El Salado 20 Anos Despues de la Masacre: La Lucha del Pueblo por No Desaparecer” (El Espectador (Colombia), February 10, 2020).

El próximo 16 de febrero se cumplen dos décadas de esta matanza en El Carmen de Bolívar, en la que fueron asesinadas más de 60 personas. Aún hoy, el pueblo no termina de reconstruirse

• Nelson Ricardo Matta Colorado, “¿Sirvio la Inversion de Alcaldia en las Fuerzas Especiales?” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), February 10, 2020).

¿Sirvió la inversión de Alcaldía en las fuerzas especiales?

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico

• “Cidh Insta a el Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras y Mexico a Garantizar los Derechos de las Personas Migrantes y Refugiadas Que se Desplazan por la Region” (Inter-American Human Rights Commission, Organization of American States, February 10, 2020).

La Comisión insta a los Estados a abstenerse de criminalizar la migración irregular, garantizar el respeto de la integridad y la dignidad de las personas

El Salvador

• “Editorial: No More Coups Against Democracy” (El Faro (El Salvador), February 10, 2020).

The current President of the Republic wants to govern without the restraints of an independent legislative branch

• Valeria Guzman, Nelson Rauda, “Bukele Llama a la Insurreccion y la Fuerza Armada Le Jura Lealtad” (El Faro (El Salvador), February 10, 2020).

El presidente Nayib Bukele llamó el sábado a una insurrección popular contra los diputados de la Asamblea Legislativa, a los que su consejo de ministros ha convocado a una sesión plenaria extraordinaria este domingo

• Tim Muth, “Bukele Sends Armed Troops Before Him Into Legislative Assembly” (El Salvador Perspectives, February 10, 2020).

The purpose of the show was to demonstrate who was in charge in El Salvador, and that person is president Nayib Bukele. The deployment of troops and police had no other purpose

• “Editorial: Maneras de Dictador” (El Faro (El Salvador), February 10, 2020).

Es el momento más bajo que la democracia salvadoreña ha vivido en tres décadas

Mexico

• “El Ejercito Reitera su Respaldo a la 4t” (Proceso (Mexico), February 10, 2020).

Luis Cresencio Sandoval González, titular de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (Sedena), reiteró la lealtad de las fuerzas armadas al proyecto del presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador

• Kevin Sieff, “Mexico’s Child Vigilantes” (The Washington Post, February 10, 2020).

The indigenous people of Ayahualtempa are arming their children. Is it for self-defense, or to get attention?

Mexico, Venezuela

• “Lavrov Denounces Us Foreign Policy Towards Venezuela in Mexico and Puts Hosts in an Awkward Position” (MercoPress, February 10, 2020).

Lavrov’s censure of Washington, on a low-profile visit to Mexico, came at an awkward time for the host nation

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Priscilla Alvarez, Ryan Browne, Sarah Westwood, “Defense Department Expected to Announce Billions More Will Go to Border Wall” (CNN, February 10, 2020).

A senior Defense official also told CNN that a major announcement about the border will made this week

• Shirin Ghaffary, “The “Smarter” Wall: How Drones, Sensors, and Ai Are Patrolling the Border” (Vox, February 10, 2020).

The idea of bolstering a technological wall has backing from key politicians on both sides of the aisle. Those supporters include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA); and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)

• Melissa del Bosque, “A Group of Agents Rose Through the Ranks to Lead the Border Patrol. They’re Leaving It in Crisis.” (ProPublica, February 10, 2020).

How several agents from a small outpost in Arizona, including recently retired chief Carla Provost, climbed to the top of the Border Patrol, then one by one retired, leaving corruption, misconduct and a toxic culture in their wake

• Sean Carroll, “Women Are Raped, Children Are Traumatized Because of Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy” (Kino Border Initiative, The Arizona Republic, February 10, 2020).

As of early January, asylum-seekers are being sent back to Nogales, Mexico where they are expected to make their own way to court in El Paso through volatile parts of Mexico

Venezuela

• Sofia Nederr, “Milicia Tendra Control Poblacional Segun la Nueva Ley de la Fan” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), February 10, 2020).

El vicealmirante retirado Jesús Briceño García advierte que la figura de la Junta Ministerial incluida en la ley aprobada por la constituyente, abre las puertas para la intervención externa en el sector castrense

• “Una Nueva Etapa para la Fan” (Crímenes sin Castigo, February 10, 2020).

La Fuerza Armada, además, extenderá su radio de acción hacia todo lo relacionado con la seguridad ciudadana. Los cuatro componentes tradicionales tienen ahora atribuciones de policía administrativa y de investigación penal