(Even more here)

April 30, 2020

Venezuela, Western Hemisphere Regional

• “Executive Order on Ordering the Selected Reserve of the Armed Forces to Active Duty” (The White House, April 30, 2020).

It is necessary to augment the regular Armed Forces of the United States for a named operational mission, specifically the “Enhanced Department of Defense Counternarcotic Operation in the Western Hemisphere”

Brazil

• Eduardo Simoes, Jake Spring, “Brazil to Deploy Troops to Protect Amazon as Deforestation Surges” (Reuters, April 30, 2020).

From January to March, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rose 51% from a year ago

• Diane Jeantet, “Under Pressure, Brazil’s Bolsonaro Revokes Police Nomination” (Associated Press, Associated Press, April 30, 2020).

The ouster of the former police chief had led to the resignation of Bolsonaro’s highly popular justice minister, Sérgio Moro, who alleged political interference, pitching the administration into political turmoil

Brazil, Colombia, Mexico

• Andrés Bermúdez Liévano, “Covid-19 Crisis: Attacks on Environmental Defenders Continue in Latin America” (OpenDemocracy (UK), April 30, 2020).

At least five defenders of the environment have been killed in different Latin American countries since March 11, the date the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic

Colombia

• “Gobierno No Acogera Idea Uribista de Usar Recursos de la Paz para la Pandemia” (Colprensa, El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), April 30, 2020).

En la plenaria de la Cámara, el representante uribista Edward Rodríguez, le propuso al gobierno que parte de esos 8 billones se redireccionen

• Luis Jaime Acosta, “Colombia to Offer Legal Benefits to Those Who Leave Gangs” (Reuters, The New York Times, April 30, 2020).

Colombia will offer individuals who leave crime gangs and rebel dissident groups legal benefits including reduced sentences in an effort to weaken illegal armed groups

• “Declaracion Publica Ante el Fin de la Tregua del Eln” (Comision de la Verdad (Colombia), April 30, 2020).

La Comisión de la Verdad expresa preocupación por la decisión del Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) de retomar las acciones armadas a partir del 1 de mayo de 2020, después de una tregua unilateral de todo el mes

• “Statement by the Special Representative of the un Secretary-General in Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu” (Mision de la ONU en Colombia, April 30, 2020).

I, therefore, encourage the ELN to extend its ceasefire. I also call once again on all groups that generate violence to suspend their actions

• Javier AlexÁnder MacÍas, “Mas de 10.000 Desplazados Deja el Conflicto en Colombia en Tres Primeros Meses” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), April 30, 2020).

Según el documento, los departamentos más afectados por este fenómeno son, en su orden, Nariño, Chocó, Cauca, Norte de Santander, Antioquia y Caquetá. Además, OCHA informó que más de 100 personas fueron afectadas por minas antipersonal

• Ricardo Monsalve Gaviria, “Ilegales Han Buscado Acercamientos” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), April 30, 2020).

Mucho antes de conocerse esta determinación del Gobierno de Iván Duque, todos esos GAO, a excepción de las disidencias de las Farc, ya habían expresado su intención de una negociación con el Estado

• “Jep Arranca el Tramite para Proteger a Quienes se Sometieron a Esta Justicia y Estan en Riesgo” (El Espectador (Colombia), April 30, 2020).

De acuerdo con la Jurisdicción, a la fecha han sido asesinados 193 exmiembros de las Farc y han sido hostigados 16 integrantes de la fuerza pública

• Arshad Mohammed, Julia Symmes Cobb, Frank Jack Daniel, “Two Dozen People Deported to Colombia on U.S. Flight Found to Have Coronavirus: Sources” (Reuters, April 30, 2020).

Of the 64 migrants deported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) on a March 30 flight, approximately 24 have tested positive for COVID-19

Colombia, Venezuela

• “Colombia Cools on Venezuelan Refugees” (The Economist (Uk), April 30, 2020).

The flight may return to its former level when covid-19 ravages Venezuela. But the next wave of migrants will find Colombia less welcoming

El Salvador

• Rep. Eliot Engel (D-New York), Rep. Albio Sires (D-New Jersey), “Engel & Sires Urge Salvadoran President to Respect Democratic Norms” (U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Democratic Office, April 30, 2020).

We are concerned by several recent actions that you have taken which jeopardize the human rights of the Salvadoran people and your country’s democracy

• “El Salvador: Covid-19 Doesn’t Excuse Bukele’s Attacks on Rule of Law” (Washington Office on Latin America, April 30, 2020).

While imprisoned gang leaders may be directing gang activity on the street, flouting harsh and abusive treatment of incarcerated populations does nothing to make Salvadorans safer

• Brendan o’boyle, “Behind Nayib Bukele’s “Shocking” Turn” (Americas Quarterly, April 30, 2020).

The strongman image projected by Bukele in recent months stands in contrast with the picture of the young, energizing change agent many in the international community saw him as before he took office

• Marcos Aleman, “El Salvador’s Jail Crackdown on Gang Members Could Backfire” (Associated Press, Associated Press, April 30, 2020).

Experts warn that the popular president’s harsh move could backfire, unite the country’s powerful gangs against his government and return El Salvador to the days when it was one of the world’s deadliest countries

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico

• Mathieu Tourliere, “Inm Presume Liberacion de Migrantes; Fueron “Deportaciones Ilegales”: Sin Fronteras” (Proceso (Mexico), April 30, 2020).

Sin Fronteras deploró que el INM deportara de manera masiva a 3 mil 653 personas guatemaltecas, hondureñas y salvadoreñas –algunas solicitantes de asilo–, sin proteger a los grupos vulnerables

Honduras

• “Former Chief of Honduran National Police Charged With Drug Trafficking and Weapons Offenses” (U.S. Department of Justice, April 30, 2020).

On behalf of convicted former Honduran congressman Tony Hernandez and his brother the president, Bonilla Valladares oversaw the transshipment of multi-ton loads of cocaine

• Homeland Security Department, “Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Honduras for Cooperation in the Examination of Protection Claims” (Federal Register, April 30, 2020).

Document is a PDF

Mexico

• “Mexico: Background and U.S. Relations” (Congressional Research Service, April 30, 2020).

Content is a PDF

• Alberto Pradilla, “Mexico Implementa la Politica Migratoria Con la Que Trump Sono” (The Washington Post, April 30, 2020).

México no tiene obligación legal de recibir a los centroamericanos expulsados, mucho menos de ser un eslabón más en la deportación exprés. Al aceptar las reglas de juego impuestas por Trump, participa en un sistema que niega derechos fundamentales como el de pedir asilo

Nicaragua

• “Nicaragua Is Promoting Illegal Land Grabs in Indigenous Territories – Report” (Associated Press, The Guardian, April 30, 2020).

Since 2015, more than 40 members of indigenous communities along Nicaragua’s northern Caribbean coast have been killed and many more wounded and kidnapped, according to the Oakland Institute

Peru

• “Peru Prison Riot Over Coronavirus Fears Leaves Nine Dead” (Agence France Presse, msn.com, April 30, 2020).

Nine inmates were killed and scores of guards wounded when rioting broke out at a prison in Lima after two inmates died from COVID-19

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Reynaldo Leanos Jr., “Advocates Say Trump Isn’t Wasting Time to Snatch Land for Border Wall Even During Pandemic” (National Public Radio, April 30, 2020).

Advocates say the administration is ramping up lawsuits against South Texas landowners to take their land for border wall construction and is accelerating the approval of construction contracts

Venezuela

• Corina Pons, Mayela Armas, “Venezuela Asks Bank of England to Sell Its Gold to u.n. For Coronavirus Relief – Sources” (Reuters, Reuters, April 30, 2020).

Venezuela is asking the Bank of England to sell part of the South American nation’s gold reserves held in its coffers and send the proceeds to the United Nations to help with the country’s coronavirus-fighting efforts