(Even more here)

March 19, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Mariano Aguirre, “Dialogo, Diplomacia y Mediacion en America Latina” (Nueva Sociedad, March 19, 2020).

América Latina y el Caribe cuenta actualmente con tres problemas de muy diferentes características políticas que requieren diálogo político y diplomacia, tanto de la tradicional como de la de segunda vía

Brazil

• Gabriel Stargardter, Gabriela Mello, “Coronavirus Thumps Brazil, Prompting Nationwide Cries of ‘Bolsonaro Out!’” (Reuters, Reuters, March 19, 2020).

Bolsonaro’s national security adviser, the mines and energy minister and the head of the Senate all tested positive for the virus

• Matthew Impelli, “15 People in Brazil’s Delegation to the U.S. Now Confirmed to Have Coronavirus” (Newsweek, March 19, 2020).

Brazil’s National Security Advisor Augusto Helano confirmed that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, marking 15 Brazilian delegates to the U.S. with positive tests

Colombia

• “En los 24 Antiguos Etcr el Gobierno Toma Medidas para Prevenir los Riesgos del Covid-19 en la Poblacion en Reincorporacion” (Consejeria Presidencial para la Estabilización y la Consolidación (Colombia), March 19, 2020).

Se trata de 13.046 personas en el territorio nacional, de las cuales 2.893 habitan en los 24 antiguos Espacios de Territoriales de Capacitación y Reincorporación (ETCR), junto con sus familiares y miembros de la comunidad

• “In Colombia, Fleet of Cartel Narco-Subs Poses Challenge for Navy” (Agence France Presse, France 24 (France), March 19, 2020).

Thirty-three submarines were intercepted in 2019 alone, an average of almost three a month — most of them along Colombia’s Pacific coast

• Mariano Aguirre, “Colombia’s President Duque at a Crossroads” (Chatham House, March 19, 2020).

Colombia’s President Iván Duque is trying to stabilize the country’s marginalized, conflict-wracked regions while avoiding a full implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement. The murder of social leaders underscores the limitations

• “Un Llamado al Cese de la Guerra en Medio de la Emergencia por Coronavirus” (El Espectador (Colombia), March 19, 2020).

Más de 50 organizaciones entre cabildos indígenas, zonas humanitarias, zonas de biodiversidad, organizaciones campesinas y asociaciones de desplazados de ocho departamentos enviaron una carta abierta

• “Las Ultimas Liberaciones de Secuestrados por Parte de la Guerrilla del Eln” (El Espectador (Colombia), March 19, 2020).

En las últimas horas, la guerrilla del Eln, por medio del Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja (CICR) entregó a un menor de edad en zona rural de Arauca

Costa Rica

• James Bargent, “Why a Measly Five Tons of Cocaine Has Costa Rica Deeply Worried” (InsightCrime, March 19, 2020).

Investigations are ongoing, but one thing is certain — this was a sophisticated network trusted by Colombian traffickers to handle enormous quantities of product

El Salvador

• Carlos Barrera, “”Si Me Quedo en Casa, Me Muero de Hambre”” (El Faro (El Salvador), March 19, 2020).

Dejar de trabajar y encerrarse en casa durante el estado de excepción por Coronavirus es un lujo que quienes trabajan en el sector informal de El Salvador difícilmente pueden darse

Guatemala

• Jo-Marie Burt, Paulo Estrada, ““No One Told This to Me. I Saw It With My Own Eyes.” Survivor Addresses Court as Evidentiary Phase of Maya Ixil Genocide Case Nears Conclusion” (Open Society Foundations, March 19, 2020).

Judge Gálvez said he will make his decision on whether there is sufficient evidence to merit a trial against the three men on March 24

Guyana

• Anatoly Kurmanaev, Clifford Krauss, “A Small Country, an Oil Giant, and Their Shared Fortune” (The New York Times, March 19, 2020).

After a bitterly contested — and still unresolved — election on March 2, many Guyanese are questioning whether the oil giant’s deal with their country, struck under the current government, is fair, and whether the oil proceeds will be equitably shared

Honduras

• Parker Asmann, “Honduras Supreme Court Throws Out Historic Anti-Corruption Conviction” (InsightCrime, March 19, 2020).

The conviction of former first lady Bonilla was arguably the most emblematic conviction that MACCIH secured before being shut down in Honduras. Its reversal should serve as a real warning sign

Mexico

• Arturo RodrÍguez GarcÍa, “Ganancias del Aeropuerto en Santa Lucia Seran para el Ejercito: Amlo” (Proceso (Mexico), March 19, 2020).

El Ejecutivo dijo también que, tras concluir la obra del aeropuerto, el Ejército ayudará a construir dos tramos grandes del Tren Maya

• “Warrant Issued for Mexico’s Ex-Head of Investigations” (Associated Press, The New York Times, March 19, 2020).

Tomas Zerón and five other former officials face charges including torture, forced disappearance and judicial misconduct. Three have been arrested and three, including Zerón, are still at large

• J. I. Mota, “Arrestado un Exmando Policial en Mexico por Torturar a un Detenido del ‘Caso Ayotzinapa’” (El Pais (Spain), March 19, 2020).

El alto funcionario, Ezequiel Peña Cerda, ha sido aprehendido por maniatar a uno de los detenidos en 2014 por la desaparición de los 43 normalistas en el Estado de Guerrero

• “La Fgr Tiene Orden de Captura Contra Tomas Zeron: Proceso; Pues Ya Huyo a Canada: Reforma” (SinEmbargo (Mexico), March 19, 2020).

Tomás Zerón de Lucio, el hombre que condujo la “investigación” que arrojó la “verdad histórica” sobre el destino de los 43 normalistas de Ayotzinapa, tiene orden de arresto de un Juez a petición de la Fiscalía General de la República

• Nathaniel Parish Flannery, “Is Mexico’s President Ready to Confront Coronavirus?” (Forbes, March 19, 2020).

Overall, Lopez Obrador seems more concerned with preserving normal economic activity than in taking significant early action to prevent contagion

Mexico, U.S.-Mexico Border

• Paola Diaz, “Migrants at Us-Mexico Border Must Get Past Cartels Before Their Long Journey Ends” (The Conversation, March 19, 2020).

Once a migrant arrives in Altar, he’s not leaving without paying a fee – usually somewhere between US$4,000 and $8,000

• Nick Miroff, “Trump Border Controls Not Ready Yet, Will Need Mexico’s Cooperation, Officials Say” (The Washington Post, March 19, 2020).

Mexican officials said they were blindsided by the Trump administration’s plans, and have pointed out that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States is far higher than Mexico’s total

• Alfredo Corchado, “If the Mexico Border Closes, Economic Ripples Will Be Felt Around the World” (The Dallas Morning News, March 19, 2020).

Mexico and the U.S. have more than $600 billion in annual cross-border trade

• Lizbeth Diaz, “More Mexican Migrants Crossing U.S. Border Amid Closure Fears, Shelters Say” (Reuters, Reuters, March 19, 2020).

The number of Mexicans crossing illegally into the United States has risen over the past week, migrant shelters said, in part driven by rumors the United States will seal the border

South America Regional

• “Colombia Declares Emergency, Continent Shudders” (Agence France Presse, Courthouse News, March 19, 2020).

Although COVID-19 was initially slower to take hold in Latin America than other parts of the world, Brazil, Chile and Peru are now reporting hundreds of cases as daily life in towns and cities halts

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Shaw Drake, Astrid Dominguez, “Aclu News & Commentary” (American Civil Liberties Union, March 19, 2020).

The military should not be searching cars or checking documents at ports of entry. These are potentially unlawful actions, and both the Defense Department and CBP must provide answers

• “Southwest Border: Actions Needed to Improve Dhs Processing of Families and Coordination Between Dhs and Hhs” (U.S. Government Accountability Office, March 19, 2020).

It is unclear the extent to which Border Patrol has accurate records of separated family unit members in its data system

• Ryan Devereaux, “Mass Immigration Prosecutions on the Border Are Currently on Hold. What Comes Next Is Uncertain.” (The Intercept, March 19, 2020).

Operation Streamline has become an unparalleled pipeline for the criminalized gathering of human bodies on the border — an obvious problem as the highly contagious coronavirus continues to spread

Venezuela

• Fabiola Zerpa, Lucia Kassai, “Venezuela’s Military Takes Over Fuel Pumps as Shortages Increase” (Bloomberg, Bloomberg, March 19, 2020).

In Zulia, Carabobo and Guarico, states in the northern part of the country, soldiers displaced PDVSA personnel and private managers at gas stations

• Javier Ignacio Mayorca, “Venezuela en las Drogas: Debate Abierto, por Javier Ignacio Mayorca” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), March 19, 2020).

La mención al llamado Cartel de los Soles en el último informe de la Junta Internacional para la Fiscalización de Estupefacientes (JIFE), como era de esperarse, ocasionó enorme revuelo

• Ibis Leon, “Presos Politicos en Riesgo de Contagio de Covid-19, Alertan Abogados Defensores” (Efecto Cocuyo (Venezuela), March 19, 2020).

Foro Penal calcula que había en el país 320 presos políticos hasta el 9 de marzo de este año. Ramo Verde y El Helicoide son las cárceles con mayor número de presos por motivos políticos

• Jose Luis Carrillo, “Coronavirus: Guaido Esta Relegado y Maduro Fortalecido, Pero se Juega su Futuro” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), March 19, 2020).

Nicolás Maduro pasó al primer plano dictando las medidas a tomar por su gobierno ante la situación, valiéndose como brazo ejecutor de la Fuerza Armada Nacional y anunciando la orden de colocar en cuarentena a la población