(Even more here. Until July 4, see that database for New York Times coverage. Here’s why.)

June 5, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Jana Winter, “Leaked Document Reveals Details of Federal Law Enforcement Patrolling Washington Amid Protests” (Yahoo!, June 5, 2020).

A leaked Trump administration document details the federal law enforcement and military personnel squaring off against protestors in Washington, D.C., including a 1,300 strong force currently deployed to the South Side of the White House

Bolivia

• Jesus Reynaldo Alanoca Paco, “Lopez: “Si Tengo Que Firmar Nuevamente Muchos Contratos para Equipar a las Ffaa o a la Policia, Lo Voy a Hacer una y Mil Veces”” (El Deber (Bolivia), June 5, 2020).

El ministro de Defensa niega sobreprecio en la adquisición de gases lacrimógenos. Asegura que el narcotráfico y el terrorismo son males latentes en el país, que deben ser enfrentados con equipamiento

• Brendan o’boyle, “Four Urgent Questions on Bolivia’s Election” (Americas Quarterly, June 5, 2020).

Bolivia’s electoral body set the election date for September 6 but it’s still uncertain whether it will definitely happen then

Colombia

• “Salida de Generales Trae Revolcon en el Ejercito Nacional” (Semana (Colombia), June 5, 2020).

Luego de que se conociera que algunos generales pidieran la baja en medio de los escándalos que atraviesa la institución, se empiezan a mover las fichas para ocupar los puestos y altos cargos que quedaron libres

• Adam Isacson, “Another Intelligence Scandal in Colombia Highlights the Need for Lasting Reform” (Washington Office on Latin America, World Politics Review, June 5, 2020).

For Latin America’s largest army, the adjustment has been fraught with difficulty

• “Sigue la Violencia de las Brigadas Militares de Erradicacion Forzada” (INDEPAZ (Colombia), June 5, 2020).

En el Meta tienen la experiencia de la Zona de Consolidación y los batallones a contrato que están cuidando macro proyectos de palma, petróleo, arroz, caña para etanol

• Javier Alejandro Jimenez Gonzalez, “«Hay Muchos Atentados Contra Nuestros Guardias y Lideres»” (Fundación Paz y Reconciliación (Colombia), June 5, 2020).

El Norte del Cauca es una de las subregiones del país donde la violencia armada no ha dado tregua desde la firma del Acuerdo de Paz con la extinta guerrilla de las FARC-EP, ni mucho menos se ha logrado la presencia estatal

• “Jep Le Cierra Sus Puertas al Exjefe Paramilitar Salvatore Mancuso” (El Espectador (Colombia), June 5, 2020).

La decisión, de primera instancia, la tomó la Sala de Reconocimiento con el argumento de que entre 1989 y 1997 era “miembro orgánico de la estructura criminal, desarrollando una función continua de combate”, no un tercero civil

• “El Debate Sobre la Llegada de los Militares Norteamericanos a Colombia” (Semana (Colombia), June 5, 2020).

Ambos analizaron el impacto de estos militares en la lucha contra las drogas, las posibilidades de que esto tenga que ver con Venezuela y el impacto político. Todo parece indicar que el debate no cesará en los próximos días

Colombia, Venezuela

• Cesar Garcia, “Stranded Venezuelans Build Camp in Colombia Amid Pandemic” (Associated Press, National Public Radio, June 5, 2020).

Out of work, broke and left with few good options during the pandemic, a growing number of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia have set up a makeshift camp on a tree-covered patch along a highway outside the capital of Bogotá

El Salvador

• Lorena Baires, “Southcom Delivers Facilities to el Salvador’s Special Forces Command” (Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), June 5, 2020).

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) presented the renovated headquarters of the Salvadoran Armed Forces’ (FAES, in Spanish) Special Forces Command (CFE, in Spanish), in Ilopango municipality, in the first week of May

Guatemala

• Hector Silva Avalos, “Guatemala Courts at Renewed Risk of Infiltration by Criminal Groups” (InsightCrime, June 5, 2020).

Just as Guatemala is completing a selection process to appoint judges to two senior courts, an investigation has revealed a familiar scheme involving criminal groups trying to influence these decisions

• Jeff Abbott, “Guatemalan Farmers Going Hungry Amidst Pandemic” (El Faro (El Salvador), June 5, 2020).

Guatemala has a historic land problem. A small minority controlling the vast majority of land, while what little land is held by small farmers is often exhausted

Mexico

• “Calderon Cuestiona a Amlo por Instalar Antenas “Que Solo Sirven para Espiar Telefonos”” (Proceso (Mexico), June 5, 2020).

El expresidente Felipe Calderón pidió una investigación a fondo sobre la instalación de antenas falsas de telefonía por parte de la Marina y del Ejército

• “La Onu-Dh Condena la Muerte en Custodia de Alejandro Giovanni Lopez Ramirez en Jalisco” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mexico Field Office, June 5, 2020).

La ONU-DH urge a las autoridades a realizar una investigación pronta, efectiva, exhaustiva, independiente, imparcial y transparente sobre la muerte del Sr. López Ramírez

• “Los Policias Torturaron por Horas a Giovanni Porque el Intento Grabarlos” (Animal Politico (Mexico), June 5, 2020).

El joven de 30 años de edad fue torturado a golpes por los policías que lo detuvieron frente a su domicilio ubicado en el municipio de Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco

• David Agren, “Death of Man After Face Mask Arrest Shines Light on Mexican Police Brutality” (The Guardian, June 5, 2020).

Protesters clashed with police officers outside the government palace, burning patrol vehicles and graffitiing the building. Videos showed the protesters breaking through the palace door

• Arturo Angel, “Enfrentamientos y 100 Muertos en una Semana: La Crisis en Guanajuato” (Animal Politico (Mexico), June 5, 2020).

El estado atraviesa la mayor crisis de violencia de la que haya registro en medio de la guerra entre grupos del crimen organizado

Nicaragua

• Kate Linthicum, “Nicaragua Did Nothing to Stop the Coronavirus. Now One Activist Is Fighting What He Calls a Covid-19 Cover-Up” (The Los Angeles Times, June 5, 2020).

The United States sent 2,240 people back to Nicaragua last fiscal year, many of them young activists like Flores who had participated in protests

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Ryan Summers, ““Insecurity”: How the Trump Administration Is Placing Border Wall Speed Before the Law” (Project on Government Oversight, June 5, 2020).

The Trump administration is waiving vital laws that protect taxpayers, the environment and wildlife, and work during the pandemic is placing workers, their families, and border town residents at risk

• Dennis E. Nixon, “No Border Wall Through Downtown Laredo” (International Bank of Commerce, The San Antonio Express-News, June 5, 2020).

The Rio Grande is an essential part of Laredo’s social, cultural and economic fabric, as well as a beautiful amenity for residents and visitors. An ugly wall in downtown Laredo would destroy this fabric

• Nick Miroff, “People Are Sawing Through and Climbing Over Trump’s Border Wall. Now Contractors Are Being Asked for Ideas to Make It Less Vulnerable.” (The Washington Post, June 5, 2020).

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has asked contractors for help making President Trump’s border wall more difficult to climb over and cut through, an acknowledgment that the design currently being installed across hundreds of miles of the U.S.-Mexico boundary remains vulnerable

Venezuela

• Najmeh Bozorgmehr, “‘if You Hit Us, We’ll Hit Back’: Iran’s Message to Us With Venezuela Oil Shipments” (The Financial Times (UK), June 5, 2020).

With the shipment, Iran intended to send a clear message: that it was determined to challenge US policies more aggressively than before