(Even more here)

March 16, 2020

Bolivia

• Jon Lee Anderson, “The Fall of Evo Morales” (The New Yorker, March 16, 2020).

Morales’s alleged electoral fraud, and his party’s acceptance of new elections without him, makes it difficult to call his ouster a coup. Añez’s behavior makes it hard not to

Brazil

• Jen Kirby, “Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Tests Negative for Coronavirus, After Much Confusion” (Vox, March 16, 2020).

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday announced that he has tested negative for the coronavirus, contradicting earlier reports — including from his son — that he’d tested positive

• Terrence Mccoy, “They Say They’re Firefighters. Police Say They’re Arsonists. The Battle for Truth Reaches the Amazon.” (The Washington Post, March 16, 2020).

They accused him of lighting the fires to raise money, as part of a web of international collusion that encompassed not only local organizations, but also the influential World Wildlife Fund and even actor Leonardo DiCaprio

• Evandro Eboli, “Governo Lanca Cartilha para Aprovar Projeto de Bolsonaro Contra Terrorismo” (Veja (Brazil), March 16, 2020).

Cita também a ameça das “alas radicais” dos movimentos sociais, o que o faz alvo de críticas de setores esquerda, como os partidos políticos e o MST

• “Manifestacoes Pro-Bolsonaro e Anti-Congresso Sao Mantidas Em 259 Cidades” (Poder 360 (Brazil), March 16, 2020).

Até as 08h15 deste domingo, #BolsonaroDay tinha 119 mil menções no Twitter e ocupava a 1ª posição no ranking brasileiro

• Vanessa Barbara, “Brazilian Police Are on a Rampage” (The New York Times, March 16, 2020).

The raids are part of a disastrous policy to combat drug trafficking in Rio de Janeiro. The state’s security forces have always been violent and unaccountable for their actions in the favelas, but things have gotten even worse

Brazil, Mexico

• Tom Phillips, David Agren, “Bolsonaro and Amlo Slammed for Snubbing Coronavirus Warnings” (The Guardian, March 16, 2020).

In recent days both Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro and Mexico’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador – nationalists from opposite ends of the political spectrum – have enraged opponents and observers by making high-profile public appearances

Colombia

• Diana Durán Núñez, “Las Preguntas Que Deja la Inversion de Cientos de Miles de Dolares del General (R) Montoya” (El Espectador (Colombia), March 16, 2020).

El excomandante del Ejército invirtió en un fallido proyecto hotelero en la zona más lujosa de Miami, en bancarrota desde 2018. Él asegura que puso US$390.000, pero papeles dicen que fue casi US$1 millón

• Cesar Augusto Nino, “Los Problemas del Ejercito Colombiano” (Razon Publica (Colombia), March 16, 2020).

La lista de opositores publicada por el Ejército en Twitter es apenas otra muestra de los problemas de fondo que aquejan a la inteligencia militar –y al ejército- de Colombia

• “Detectan 25.000 Horas de Vuelo Falsas de 167 Pilotos de la Policia” (El Tiempo (Colombia), March 16, 2020).

La Inspección de la Policía empezó a revisar el historial de estos pilotos por sospecha de trampas en las horas de vuelo que reportaron, cuyo costo podría superar fácilmente los 100.000 millones de pesos

• “A Tale of Two Crises in Colombia” (The Economist (Uk), March 16, 2020).

America pays for a pointless drug war, but is less keen to help with a huge refugee crisis

• “Alocucion del Presidente de la Republica, Ivan Duque Marquez” (Presidencia de Colombia, March 16, 2020).

También cerramos la frontera con Venezuela y aumentamos los controles en todos los puntos fronterizos

• Tatiana Duque, Nohora Celedon, “El Coronavirus Revela las Fortalezas y Debilidades del Gobierno de Duque” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), March 16, 2020).

En el manejo de esta crisis, el Presidente ha demostrado que cree en la evidencia científica, que escogió un equipo técnico y que confía en ellos, que se preocupa por la estabilidad económica y es responsable en lo fiscal

El Salvador

• Kevin Sieff, “El Salvador Is Trying Suspects in the Notorious el Mozote Massacre. The Judge Is Demanding Crucial Evidence: U.S. Government Records.” (The Washington Post, March 16, 2020).

The prosecution has been lauded by both the U.S. government and the relatives of victims. Now the Trump administration will have to decide what to hand over. So far, it has offered nothing

Guyana

• Anatoly Kurmanaev, “Guyana Leader Set to Take New Term After a Vote Denounced as Flawed” (The New York Times, March 16, 2020).

Electoral officials appear ready to give its president, David E. Granger, another term and control over the country’s new oil riches. Observers cry foul

Haiti

• Jacqueline Charles, “Coronavirus: Haiti Shuts Dominican Republic Border, Suspends Most International Flights” (The Miami Herald, March 16, 2020).

Haiti, one of the few Caribbean nations with no recorded cases of the new coronavirus, announced Sunday a shutdown of its border with the Dominican Republic, a ban on travel for government officials, and a suspension of flights

Mexico

• Peter Orsi, “Mexico: Amlo Shakes, Hugs, Cheek-Kisses Despite Virus Advice” (Associated Press, Associated Press, March 16, 2020).

Touring the Mexican countryside this weekend, López Obrador gave a series of campaign-style speeches to crowds of townspeople touting his administration and barely mentioning the pandemic

• Kirk Semple, “‘We Call for Calm’: Mexico’s Restrained Response to the Coronavirus” (The New York Times, March 16, 2020).

The López Obrador government’s measured approach to battling the coronavirus played out this weekend in a full soccer schedule and a crowded music festival

• Carlos Alvarez, “Dea Coloca a “el Mencho” y a “el Alfredillo”, Hijo del Chapo, Como el Primero y el Tercer Fugitivos Mas Buscados” (Revista Zeta (Tijuana Mexico), March 16, 2020).

La Administración para el Control de Drogas? (DEA, por sus siglas en inglés), del Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos, colocó al michoacano Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho”, presunto líder del Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), como su objetivo número uno

• Alejandro Hope, “La Patrana de la Dea” (El Universal (Mexico), March 16, 2020).

Entre otras peculiaridades, ese presunto “asociado” del CJNG tiene tatuada una suástica en el cuello

Mexico, U.S.-Mexico Border

• Alfredo Corchado, Dianne Solis, “Most Mexicans Seeking Asylum Have Seemingly Vanished in This Border City” (The Dallas Morning News, March 16, 2020).

As many as 3,000 Mexican migrants packed into shelters and temporary lodging in Juarez last fall. By year’s end, it was difficult to find the Mexicans. Reasons varied

Nicaragua

• Eduardo Cruz, “Guardianes de la Dinastia Ortega Murillo” (La Prensa (Nicaragua), March 16, 2020).

La Policía nació sandinista pero sufrió un complejo proceso de profesionalización en los años noventa. Hoy no se puede decir que regresó a los ochenta, pero está prisionera de la dictadura Ortega Murillo

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Nick Fouriezos, “Meet the Women Fighting America’s Border Battle” (OZY, March 16, 2020).

There are maybe 15 lawyers total crossing the border on a regular basis to represent refugees

Venezuela

• “Fan se Despliega para Activar «Cuarentena Social» en Siete Estados por Covid-19” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), March 16, 2020).

Las autoridades en el estado Zulia ordenaron la noche del domingo a las personas que esperaban por gasolina, que desalojaran las estaciones de servicio debido a la «cuarentena social» establecida por el Ejecutivo