(Even more here)

March 9, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Alma Guillermoprieto, “La Rabia Poderosa” (El Pais (Spain), March 9, 2020).

Nosotras, que somos las recipientes de tanta ofensa, nos retorcemos una vez más de rabia impotente

Argentina

• Alejandra Hayon, “El Ministerio de Defensa se Comprometio a Incorporar “Toda la Fuerza del Movimiento de Mujeres”” (Pagina12 (Argentina), March 9, 2020).

“Hoy ya no existe ninguna restricción formal para que las mujeres se integren en todas las áreas y pueden hacer su carrera militar”, destacó la directora de Género del ministerio

Bolivia, Western Hemisphere Regional

• Lucien Chauvin, Anthony Faiola, “As the U.S.-Backed Government in Bolivia Unleashes a Wave of Political Persecution, the Trump Administration Remains Silent” (The Washington Post, March 9, 2020).

As a right-wing, pro-American government represses, threatens and jails its leftist opponents, the United States has stayed largely silent — just as it did during the abuses of the Latin American dictatorships it supported during the Cold War

Brazil

• “Brazilian President Visits Southcom” (U.S. Southern Command, March 9, 2020).

The leaders discussed the growing defense-cooperation partnership between Brazil and the U.S.

• Joao Bosco Rabello, “Militares e o Risco Da Politizacao (por Joao Bosco Rabello)” (Veja (Brazil), March 9, 2020).

Até que ponto o Exército já é visto como parte do governo Bolsonaro

Brazil, Western Hemisphere Regional

• Rut Diamint, “¿Nueva Ola de Golpes Militares en America Latina?” (Agenda Publica (Spain), March 9, 2020).

La militarización ya no proviene de los golpes tradicionales ejecutados por los dictadores en los años 50 a 80. Políticos, comúnmente sin partidos estructurados ni alianzas ordenadas, recurren a los oficiales para continuar en el poder

Colombia

• Alejandra Zapata Quinchia, “Solo la Mitad de Mujeres Excombatientes Han Accedido a Formacion” (El Tiempo (Colombia), March 9, 2020).

Entre las dificultades que tienen para estudiar y también para trabajar están la maternidad, la falta de flexibilidad en horarios, los costosos desplazamientos en sus territorios, la estigmatización social y la validación de saberes

• “Farc, Digan la Verdad” (Semana (Colombia), March 9, 2020).

Los relatos de los exguerrilleros ante la JEP han ofendido a las víctimas y no ayudan a la búsqueda de la verdad. ¿Qué han dicho?

• Javier Villalba, “Eln Showcases Unique Ability to Paralyze Parts of Colombia” (InsightCrime, March 9, 2020).

This nationwide show of strength essentially proves that the ELN is Latin America’s only criminal group able to bring large parts of a country to a halt

• Armando Neira, “‘Antes del Amanecer Pienso: ‘Hoy Es el Dia, Hoy Me Van a Matar’ ‘” (El Tiempo (Colombia), March 9, 2020).

El líder Leyner Palacios da su estremecedor testimonio de por qué lo quieren quitar del camino

• Jeremy Kryt, “Trump Tells Colombia: Spray Coca Fields With Alleged Carcinogen—or Else” (The Daily Beast, March 9, 2020).

If the U.S. president has his way, clouds of the weed killer glyphosate will descend on crops and people in Colombia. His EPA says it’s safe. Thousands of lawsuits say it’s not

Colombia, Venezuela

• “Masacre en la Frontera: Hallan 13 Cuerpos en Limites Entre Colombia y Venezuela” (Semana (Colombia), March 9, 2020).

Las primeras versiones indican que todo ocurrió luego de un enfrentamiento armado entre grupos ilegales. En la zona hay disputas entre colectivos venezolanos, ELN y Los Rastrojos

Central America Regional, Costa Rica

• Alexander Villegas, Frances Robles, “Conflicts Over Indigenous Land Grow More Violent in Central America” (The New York Times, March 9, 2020).

Faced with government inaction, some activists try to reclaim ancestral lands on their own. Often, they pay a high price

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras

• Rep. Eliot Engel (D-New York), Rep. Albio Sires (D-New Jersey), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), “Engel, Castro, and Sires Open an Inquiry Into Trump Administration Scheme to Deport Asylum Seekers” (U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Democratic Office, March 9, 2020).

Lawmakers Charge that Agreements with Northern Triangle Countries Are Unlawful and Place Vulnerable Migrants at Grave Risk

Guatemala

• Frank Jack Daniel, Sofia Menchu, “Exclusive: Guatemala Seeks to Limit Migrants Returned Under U.S. Asylum Agreement” (Reuters, Reuters, March 9, 2020).

“We have only one runway” and one migrant reception center, Hernandez said in an interview last week. The agreement “cannot exceed our installed capacity”

Haiti

• Jacqueline Charles, “Anatomy of Haiti’s Kidnapping Epidemic: No One Seems Immune” (The Miami Herald, March 9, 2020).

“Everyone is immune to it. Everyone knew what was happening. It was shocking to me. Even the little kids, they are immune to it by now”

Mexico

• Erubiel Tirado, “Amlo y Ejercito: La Traicion Civilista” (Proceso (Mexico), March 9, 2020).

El nuevo trato presidencial y la omisión de hacer reformas al sector defensa, les ha dado a los militares la coartada de un intervencionismo exacerbado, con garantías amplias de privilegio e impunidad

• Gloria Leticia DÍaz, “Por Desaparicion Forzada en Nl, Sentencian a 22 Anos de Prision a Cinco Efectivos de la Semar” (Proceso (Mexico), March 9, 2020).

Como medidas de no repetición, la sentencia obliga a la Semar a destinar “una partida presupuestal para capacitación de todos los elementos castrenses o su mando en materia de derechos humanos”

• “Ganaderos de Playa Vicente, Veracruz, Estarian Vinculados a Fosas Clandestinas y Criminales: Fiscalia” (Plumas Libres, SinEmbargo (Mexico), March 9, 2020).

La Fiscalía General del Estado de Veracruz sigue una línea de investigación encaminada hacia un presunto vínculo entre ganaderos acaudalados y las fosas clandestinas localizadas en la región de Playa Vicente

• Leon Krauze, “As Mexico’s Women Protest Violence, Lopez Obrador Responds With Paranoia and Indifference” (The Washington Post, March 9, 2020).

One would think López Obrador, who came to power as a supposed progressive, would fully support the women’s movement. Or, at the very least, respect it. But he has done the complete opposite

• Jude Webber, “Mexico: ‘You Kill a Woman Here and Nothing Happens’” (The Financial Times (UK), March 9, 2020).

With femicide rates rising and a climate of impunity for the killers, anger is being directed at López Obrador government

Nicaragua

• Leonor Álvarez, “Lider Campesino Medardo Mairena Responde al Ejercito Sobre Ejecuciones en el Campo: «los Testimonios de los Familiares Hablan por Si Solos»” (La Prensa (Nicaragua), March 9, 2020).

El coordinador del Movimiento Campesino manifestó que a la institución militar al menos le debería de preocupar la gran cantidad de armas en manos de civiles

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Adolfo Flores, “The Trump Administration Is Sending 160 Troops to the Border” (BuzzFeed, March 9, 2020).

The Trump administration is sending 160 active-duty personnel to the southern border in light of a recent court ruling preventing the government from making immigrants wait in Mexico

• Zolan Kanno-Youngs, “Military to Be Sent to Border Before Supreme Court’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Ruling” (The New York Times, March 9, 2020).

Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell, a Defense Department spokesman, said the active-duty troops would be placing temporary barriers at the ports of entry and “provide force protection” for the border officers

• Adolfo Flores, “An Asylum-Seeker Who Was Kidnapped and Tortured With Acid Begged Us Border Officers Not to Send Her Back. They Did Anyway.” (BuzzFeed, March 9, 2020).

Her case is emblematic of the obstacles other immigrants in MPP who have been attacked in Mexico face when they try to convince an asylum officer to let them stay in the US instead

• “Editorial: The Real Border Crisis Is Trump’s Remain in Mexico Policy” (The Washington Post, March 9, 2020).

Since the victims, violence and costs of that crisis happen to be just south of the border — sometimes nearly within view of it — U.S. officials have successfully averted their eyes

Venezuela

• Sofia Nederr, “Militares Exigen a Guaido Cumplir Acuerdo para Nombrar Comisionado de Defensa” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), March 9, 2020).

Militares, que se autodefinen como institucionales, llaman a defender a la Fuerza Armada Nacional (FAN) exigen al presidente del Parlamento y presidente encargado, Juan Guaidó, no retardar más lo que aseguran fue un compromiso adquirido por el dirigente opositor de designar un Comisionado de Defensa