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May 25, 2017
Brazil
- Simon Romero, Dom Phillips, “Brazil’s President Deploys Federal Troops to Quell Protests” (The New York Times, May 25, 2017).
The use of the armed forces in Brazil touches a nerve among critics of the military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1964 to 1985
- Mauricio Savarese, “If Brazil President Goes, Here Are Possible Replacements” (Associated Press **, May 25, 2017).
The speaker of the lower Chamber of Deputies would be interim president for up to 30 days until Congress votes on who would finish Temer’s term, which runs through 2018. But there’s a hitch: Officials facing criminal charges are ineligible
- Eduardo Goncalves, “Forcas Armadas Sao Usadas Contra Protestos Pela 2ª Vez” (Veja (Brazil), May 25, 2017).
Desde criação da lei em 1999, os militares só foram convocados para atuar em manifestações no leilão do Campo de Libra, em outubro de 2013
Colombia
- Stefan Labbe, Cherise Seucharan, Alexander Villegas, “Disarmed and Dangerous: Can Former Farc Guerrillas Adjust to Civilian Life?” (The Guardian (Uk), May 25, 2017).
Thousands of demobilised Farc guerrillas are set to descend on Cali. But with drug gangs offering high salaries, is this already violent city on the brink of chaos?
Cuba
- Mimi Whitefield, “No Usaid Funds for Cuba in Trump Budget Proposal” (The Miami Herald, May 25, 2017).
USAID programs in Cuba, which have been highly controversial in recent years, aren’t funded under the Trump administration’s proposed State Department budget
Guatemala
- Silvia Trujillo, “¿se Resquebraja el Pacto de Silencio de los Militares?” (Plaza Publica (Guatemala), May 25, 2017).
El coronel (activo) Edgar Rubio Castañeda ha escrito un libro titulado Desde el cuartel y se ha atrevido a decir lo que para muchas personas ya es sabido
Honduras
- Charlie Savage, “d.e.A. Misled Overseers on Deadly Honduras Operations, Watchdogs Say” (The New York Times, May 25, 2017).
Americans accompanying partner forces on missions in developing countries, ostensibly as trainers and advisers, sometimes drift into directly running dangerous operations with little oversight
- Mattathias Schwartz, “Dea Lied to Congress About Deadly Raid That Killed Four Hondurans, Government Report Says” (The Intercept, May 25, 2017).
THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION repeatedly lied to Congress about fatal shooting incidents in Honduras, including the killing of four civilians during a DEA-led operation, according to a devastating 424-page report
- Joseph Tanfani, Tracy Wilkinson, “Dea Gave a False Story About Deadly 2012 Attack in Honduras, U.S. Report Says” (The Los Angeles Times, May 25, 2017).
The report says the DEA failed to properly investigate the incident, frustrated attempts to find the truth and stuck to an inaccurate version of events
Mexico
- Arturo Angel, “Pgr Investiga a 30 Militares por el Enfrentamiento en Palmarito, Puebla; Ninguno Esta Detenido” (Animal Politico (Mexico), May 25, 2017).
Autoridades federales indicaron que ninguno de los elementos de la Sedena está por ahora detenido ni suspendido de sus funciones
- Maria Verza, “Mexican Journalists Caught in Crossfire of Rival Cartels” (Associated Press **, May 25, 2017).
Members of the next generation, known as “narcojuniors,” have shown themselves more impulsive and violent. They also seek a higher profile and apparently headlines as well
- “Censura Sedena a ‘la Jornada’” (La Jornada (Mexico), May 25, 2017).
Desde los primeros días de este año, la Dirección General de Comunicación Social de la Sedena dejó de enviar comunicados e invitaciones para eventos públicos organizados por la Sedena a La Jornada y al reportero que cubre la fuente informativa
- Martin Mendez Pineda, “I’m a Reporter in Mexico. My Life Is in Danger. The United States Wouldn’t Give Me Asylum.” (The Washington Post, May 25, 2017).
Even though I have good reason to fear for my life, U.S. officials refused to let me stay. And now I’m in danger again
Venezuela
- Ben Bartenstein, “Venezuela Secretly Plotted to Sell Banned Syrian Oil to the U.S.” (Bloomberg, May 25, 2017).
Syria and Venezuela plotted in recent years to evade international sanctions on Syria through a secret deal to transport its crude oil through Russia to the Caribbean
- Jose Rafael Lopez P., “Militarizacion de la Justicia: Estado Pretoriano” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), May 25, 2017).
Organizaciones no gubernamentales defensoras de los derechos humanos (Provea y Cofavic) han manifestado su preocupación por el sometimiento de ciudadanos civiles a la jurisdicción militar