(Even more here)

April 24, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Juan Montes, Michelle Hackman, “Latin America, Wary of Exported Coronavirus, Voices Concern Over U.S. Deportations” (The Wall Street Journal, April 24, 2020).

Governments worry that returned migrants could spark new waves of infections, overwhelming ill-equipped health-care systems

Brazil

• Ricardo Brito, “Brazil ‘Super Minister’ Quits in Bolsonaro’s Worst Crisis Yet” (Reuters, April 24, 2020).

Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro suffered the heaviest blow to his presidency so far as his popular justice minister quit on Friday and accused him of potentially criminal meddling in law enforcement

• Diane Jeantet, David Biller, Mauricio Savarese, “Bolsonaro in Crisis Mode After Brazil Justice Minister Quits” (Associated Press, Associated Press, April 24, 2020).

Brazil’s government plunged into disarray Friday after Justice Minister Sérgio Moro, who became popular as a crusader against corruption, resigned and alleged political interference in the federal police force

Colombia

• “Las Criticas al Gobierno por “Simular” la Implementacion de los Pdet” (El Espectador (Colombia), April 24, 2020).

Uno de los centros de pensamiento que le hacen seguimiento a lo pactado afirma que el Gobierno limitó el alcance que esos programas tenían y que no tienen una financiación asegurada

• “Press Briefing Note on Colombia / Right Defenders Killing” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, April 24, 2020).

The situation in the Cauca department of Colombia, where at least 13 human rights defenders are reported to have been killed so far this year– including three in the past few days – is deeply worrying

• “Lider Alejandro Llinas, Nueva Victima de la Violencia en la Sierra Nevada” (Semana (Colombia), April 24, 2020).

Sospechosamente, a los pocos días, Llinás empezó a recibir llamadas de altos oficiales policiales en la que lo instaban a canalizar bien las denuncias y a dejar que ellos actuaran

• Alejo Vargas Velasquez, Farid Camilo Rondon Raigoza, “El Concepto de Seguridad y las Tareas de la Fuerza Publica Frente al Covid -19 en Colombia” (Revista Sur, April 24, 2020).

La Fuerza Pública no debe descuidar la atención de sus misiones constitucionales, ya que ellas siguen presentando un escenario preocupante, especialmente en lo relacionado con la seguridad en los territorios

• Javier AlexÁnder MacÍas, “Control Social, el Arma de Ilegales en los Territorios” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), April 24, 2020).

Un informe de la Unidad de Investigación y Acusación (UIA), de la Justicia Especial para la Paz, JEP, dejó en evidencia como los grupos armados ilegales siguen con sus operaciones militares y, bajo amenazas, confinaron a poblaciones completas

• Mariana White Londono, “Los Combos de la Comuna 8 de Medellin Estan en Modo ‘Solidarios’” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), April 24, 2020).

¿Su respuesta? Ahora reparten mercados

Ecuador

• Jose Maria Leon Cabrera, Anatoly Kurmanaev, “Ecuador’s Death Toll During Outbreak Is Among the Worst in the World” (The New York Times, April 24, 2020).

A New York Times analysis suggests that Ecuador’s death toll is 15 times higher than its official tally of coronavirus deaths, highlighting the damage the virus can do in developing countries

Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico

• Ted Hesson, Mica Rosenberg, “U.S. to Test Some Immigrants for Coronavirus Before Deportation” (Reuters, Reuters, April 24, 2020).

The United States plans to begin testing some migrants in detention for COVID-19 before deporting them, an official familiar with the effort said on Thursday, after infections among deportees in Guatemala, Haiti and Mexico

Honduras

• Lisa Haugaard, “Honduras: Repression in the Time of Covid-19” (Latin America Working Group Education Fund, April 24, 2020).

Human rights organization COFADEH documented that 45 human rights defenders suffered attacks, harassment, or reprisals for their work during the crisis and 7 journalists were assaulted, detained, and/or had their equipment taken and camera footage deleted

Mexico

• Kate Linthicum, “Coronavirus Chokes the Drug Trade — From Wuhan, Through Mexico and Onto U.S. Streets” (The Los Angeles Times, April 24, 2020).

The drop in exports has left some Mexican drug producers with less access to needed chemicals. Simultaneously, cartels have encountered another colossal challenge: new restrictions on entry to the United States

• Fernando Camacho Servin, “Denuncian Otro Caso de Ejecucion en Tamaulipas Que Involucra al Ejercito” (La Jornada (Mexico), April 24, 2020).

Forma parte de una larga serie de agresiones en las que se han visto involucradas las fuerzas armadas en años recientes

• Falko Ernst, “El Conflicto Letal Mexicano, Revisitado Desde Lo Local” (International Crisis Group, Animal Politico (Mexico), April 24, 2020).

Esas zonas, allí donde se manifiesta de manera abierta el poder ilegal armado, no son enclaves autónomos. Su existencia –y persistencia– se negocia, día a día, con diversos entes del Estado

• “Presuntos Integrantes del Cartel de Sinaloa Repartieron Despensas en Chihuahua Con la Imagen de Bin Laden” (Infobae, April 24, 2020).

Son presuntos integrantes de la organización Gente Nueva, brazo armado del cártel de Sinaloa, que dirigía Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán

• Arturo RodrÍguez GarcÍa, “Pese al Aislamiento, Homicidios Crecieron 8.4% en Marzo: Sspc” (Proceso (Mexico), April 24, 2020).

Los datos muestran que aun con la reducción de la movilidad social y el aislamiento asumido como parte de la emergencia sanitaria para hacer frente a la pandemia de coronavirus, la violencia crece

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Asher Stockler, “Federal Government Not Liable for Border Agent Who Assaulted, Terrorized Migrants, Appeals Court Says” (Newsweek, April 24, 2020).

According to the decision from the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Esteban Manzanares, a Border Patrol agent who took his own life as law enforcement officers raided his apartment after the assaults, was not acting within his official capacity when he attacked the three migrants

Venezuela

• Nicolle Yapur, Fabiola Zerpa, “Riots Erupt in Venezuela’s Countryside Over Food, Fuel Scarcity” (Bloomberg, April 24, 2020).

At least 500 protests have been registered so far in April

• “Estados Aragua, Monagas y Merida Vuelven a Registrar Protestas el #24abr” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), April 24, 2020).

Desde hace varios días, diversos focos de protestas se han registrado en varios estados de Venezuela en exigencia por comida, gasolina y servicios públicos