(Even more here)

April 28, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Eva Vergara, Maria Verza, “Virus Spreads Fear Through Latin America’s Unruly Prisons” (Associated Press, Associated Press, April 28, 2020).

Latin America’s prisons hold 1.5 million inmates, and the facilities are often quasi-ruled by prisoners themselves because of corruption, intimidation and inadequate guard staffs

• Seth Robbins, “Why Is Us Sending Navy Warships to Thwart Drug Smugglers?” (InsightCrime, April 28, 2020).

The kind of firepower now being deployed is expensive for counterdrug operations — and is not the most effective, either

• “Study Projects Significant Impact on Immigrants and Local Health Care if Ice Detention Populations Are Not Decreased” (Government Accountability Project, April 28, 2020).

The study found that 72% of individuals are expected to be infected by day 90 under the optimistic scenario, while nearly 100% of individuals are expected to be infected by day 90 under a more pessimistic scenario

• Monique O. Madan, “Ice Tells Federal Judge the Court Has No Authority Over Its Detention Practices” (The Miami Herald, April 28, 2020).

“The report’s directives as to how ICE is to exercise its detention authority exceeds this court’s jurisdiction to adjudicate cases and controversies,” ICE attorneys said

Brazil

• Marina Lopes, “Brazil’s Supreme Court Authorizes Investigation of Bolsonaro” (The Washington Post, April 28, 2020).

Brazil’s supreme court has authorized an investigation of alleged corruption and obstruction of justice by President Jair Bolsonaro after the country’s outgoing justice minister accused him of attempting to interfere with federal police probes

Colombia

• “Carta Dirigida a Carlos Ruiz Massieu Representante Especial del Secretario General Mision de Verificacion en Colombia Naciones Unidas” (Defendamos la Paz (Colombia), April 28, 2020).

Defendamos la Paz se pronuncia en contra de designios para que las reformas del Acuerdo de Paz, que el Gobierno y el partido de Gobierno fracasaron en obtener por vía legislativa, se hagan realidad por la puerta de atrás, mientras la ciudadanía permanece concentrada en la pandemia

• “Audiencia Publica para Evaluar Reanudacion de Fumigaciones Aereas Con Glifosato No Puede Ser Virtual” (DeJusticia (Colombia), April 28, 2020).

Escudándose en la pandemia por el COVID-19, la ANLA propone que esta audiencia se haga por Facebook Live, Youtube y radios. Porque es inequitativo, inconstitucional y con efectos nefastos, pedimos que se suspenda este trámite

• “Sobre el Cumplimiento del Cese” (ELN (Colombia), April 28, 2020).

El Ejército de Liberación Nacional informa que el Cese el Fuego Unilateral…

• “Pese a Llamado de la Onu, Eln No Prolongara Cese al Fuego Unilateral” (El Espectador (Colombia), April 28, 2020).

A través de un comunicado, esa guerrilla anunció que el próximo jueves 30 de abril finalizará el cese al fuego unilateral que había decretado el pasado 29 de marzo

• “Defensoria Alerta por “Arremetida Violenta” en Medio de la Pandemia” (El Espectador (Colombia), April 28, 2020).

Preocupación en Cauca; el Pacífico nariñense; la zona del bajo Putumayo; el occidente de Antioquia y el Atrato chocoano

• Mariana Otoya, Mariana Valderrama, “Los Municipios Que Enfrentan el Virus y Luchan Contra la Violencia” (Instituto para las Transiciones Integrales, El Tiempo (Colombia), April 28, 2020).

Por causa del coronavirus, las regiones más apartadas del país y donde históricamente menos ha llegado el Estado pueden verse golpeadas simultáneamente en términos de salud, economía, seguridad alimentaria y sobre todo, en su esfuerzo de los últimos años por superar el conflicto armado

Colombia, Venezuela

• John Otis, “Thousands of Migrants Head Back to Venezuela to Flee Colombia’s Covid-19 Lockdown” (NPR, KCRW, April 28, 2020).

Things have gotten so bad that half of all Venezuelan migrants in Colombia face malnutrition or starvation, according to a new report from the World Food Program

• Ricardo Monsalve Gaviria, “Una Guerra Silenciosa Padecen Colombia y Venezuela en Frontera” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), April 28, 2020).

Contrabando, narcotráfico, trata de personas y confrontaciones entre grupos armados ilegales y autoridades venezolanas o colombianas es el pan diario en la frontera colombo-venezolana

El Salvador

• Wilfredo Pineda, “El Salvador Lines Up Semi-Naked Gang Members for Grim Prison Photos” (Reuters, April 28, 2020).

Right groups condemned El Salvador’s president on Monday for releasing startling photos of hundreds of jailed gang members stripped to underwear and pressed together in formation

• Jacobo Garcia, Carlos Salinas, “Bukele Autoriza a la Polica­a a Matar Pandilleros en el Salvador Tras un Sangriento Fin de Semana” (El Pais (Spain), April 28, 2020).

El presidente de El Salvador decreta el estado de emergencia máxima en las cárceles tras el número de homicidios, al menos 40 en las últimas 72 horas, de los que se acusa a las maras

Guatemala

• Jeff Abbott, “Unwelcomed in Us – and at Home: Deported Guatemalans Face Threats” (Al Jazeera, April 28, 2020).

At least 100 migrants deported from the US have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to Guatemalan officials. For many, the stigma they faced by some in the US has now followed them back to their homes in Guatemala

Mexico

• “Despite Pandemic Restrictions, People Fleeing Violence and Persecution Continue to Seek Asylum in Mexico” (UN High Commissioner for Refugees, April 28, 2020).

Even though border restrictions in Central America have meant a 90 per cent drop in average weekly asylum claims in Mexico in April, hundreds of people continue to apply for refugee status in the country

• Vanda Felbab-Brown, “Mexican Cartels Are Providing Covid-19 Assistance. Why That’s Not Surprising.” (The Brookings Institution, April 28, 2020).

The fact criminal groups do not necessarily seek to topple a government or have an ideology does not mean that they do not seek to build influence with populations and governments

• Juan Jesus Garza Onofre, Sergio Lopez Ayllon, Issa Luna Pla, Javier Martin Reyes, Pedro Salazar Ugarte, “Gobernar por Discurso” (El Universal (Mexico), April 28, 2020).

Más cerca de Santa Anna que de Juárez, el presidente quiere gobernar por decreto

• Gustavo de la Rosa, “Parte de Guerra Desde Ciudad Juarez” (Despacho Obrero y Derechos Humanos, SinEmbargo (Mexico), April 28, 2020).

En este estado y en esta ciudad, incapaces de proteger a sus ciudadanos, cada quien hace lo que le viene en gana, sólo necesita la suficiente fuerza política, económica o colectiva para evitar las consecuencias jurídicas

Nicaragua

• Lucia Navas, “Presupuestos del Ejercito y la Policia Orteguista Desmienten Que Prioridad del Regimen Sea la Salud” (La Prensa (Nicaragua), April 28, 2020).

El presupuesto para Defensa Nacional y el aparato represor del régimen como es la PO es 326 por ciento más que lo destinado a la compra de medicamentos para los hospitales y centros de Salud pública

U.S.-Mexico Border

• “Trump Administration Ducks and Dodges to Justify Wall Spending” (Politico, April 28, 2020).

Federal judges are being told so little in court proceedings that it’s hard for them to “follow the money.”

• Ryan Browne, “Pentagon Weighs Replacing Active Duty Troops on Us-Mexico Border With National Guard” (CNN, April 28, 2020).

The change could take place in September, according to one of the officials

• Mallory Falk, “Asylum Seekers in Mexico Worry About Waiting Longer in Dangerous Conditions Due to Covid-19” (KERA News, April 28, 2020).

In the past, if migrants experienced violence and persecution while waiting, they could try to get removed from the program by requesting something called a non-refoulement interview. COVID-19 has complicated the process

• Linda Chavez, Scott Roehm, “Trump’s Coronavirus Order Scapegoats Immigrants and Doesn’t Make Us Safer” (Center for Victims of Torture, Becoming American Initiative, USA Today, April 28, 2020).

Why are we turning away refugees, asylum seekers and other immigrants rather than adopting sensible measures recommended by experienced public health experts

Venezuela

• Sergio Silva Numa, “Cifras de Presos Politicos en Venezuela Son Similares a las de Febrero” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), April 28, 2020).

La lista actualizada reporta 347 ciudadanos detenidos por delitos de conciencia

• Kejal Vyas, “Venezuela Appoints Alleged Drug Trafficker as Oil Minister” (The Wall Street Journal, April 28, 2020).

Mr. El Aissami, who is also vice president for the economy and industry minister, has denied the charges