(Even more here)

December 22, 2020

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Michelle Hackman, “Texas Challenges Legality of Daca in Latest Bid to End the Program” (The Wall Street Journal, December 22, 2020).

Judge Hanen declined to immediately end DACA as Texas requested when the state filed its suit in 2018, but he wrote in a preliminary opinion that Texas was likely to ultimately win the suit

Colombia

• “Detalles de la Acusacion Contra el Presidente y Expresidente de la Drummond” (El Espectador (Colombia), December 22, 2020).

El fiscal del caso resolvió declarar como crimen de lesa humanidad el presunto delito de concierto para delinquir que se les imputa a los reconocidos empresarios

• “Colombia No Aparece en la Lista de Llamadas de Joe Biden a Mandatarios del Mundo” (La W Radio (Colombia), December 22, 2020).

En la lista de mandatarios, presidentes, cancilleres y primeros ministros que han hablado telefónicamente con el presidente electo de los Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, no aparece el presidente Iván Duque

Colombia, Venezuela

• Joe Parkin Daniels, “Alarm at Colombia Plan to Exclude Migrants From Coronavirus Vaccine” (The Guardian, December 22, 2020).

President Iván Duque says undocumented Venezuelans will be denied access in a move denounced as unethical and impractical

Cuba

• Peter Kornbluh, “Can Biden Finish What Obama Started With Cuba?” (The Nation, December 22, 2020).

WOLA and CDA representatives said they had provided the “detailed inventory of what needs to be done” to members of Biden’s transition team, and they hoped the report would create a “momentum for engagement”

Guatemala, Honduras

• Ted Hesson, Laura Gottesdiener, “Biden Team Weighs Deportation Relief for More Than 1 Million Hondurans, Guatemalans” (Reuters, Reuters, December 22, 2020).

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team is weighing whether to grant them Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Mexico

• Nina Lakhani, “Mexico World’s Deadliest Country for Journalists, New Report Finds” (The Guardian, December 22, 2020).

Nine journalists killed in 2020, bringing deaths to 120 since 2000

• Jose De Cordoba, Santiago Perez, Sadie Gurman, “U.S. Evidence Against Mexican Ex-Defense Minister Raises Conviction Doubts” (The Wall Street Journal, December 22, 2020).

The case that Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos took bribes from drug cartels is largely circumstantial, people in both countries say, clouding chances of a conviction in Mexico

• Earl Anthony Wayne, “A Better Way Forward Than Mexico’s New Anti-Crime Legislation” (The Hill, December 22, 2020).

Before this grows into a very damaging bilateral problem, the two governments urgently need to engage to address the serious and legitimate issues at stake and find workable solutions

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Lucia Leal, “Asesores de Biden: Tardaremos “Meses” en Restablecer el Asilo en la Frontera” (EFE, EFE, December 22, 2020).

Rice y Sullivan intentaron contener el “efecto llamada” que puede generar entre los migrantes la próxima llegada al poder de Biden, después de cuatro años de restricciones al derecho al asilo

• Anita Snow, “Arizona Migrant Border Deaths on Track for Record Amid Heat” (Associated Press, Associated Press, December 22, 2020).

Federal statistics show that search and rescue operations near Arizona’s border inexplicably dipped to 213 during a record-hot July and August, from 232 in July and August 2019

• Nick Miroff, “Several Trump Immigration Restrictions Will Remain in Place, Biden Advisers Say, Urging Patience” (The Washington Post, December 22, 2020).

Rice and Sullivan’s interview with EFE were the first extensive on-the-record statements on immigration policy plans from Biden’s White House team

Uruguay

• Juan Manuel Montoro, “Uruguay’s New Government Is Prioritising Security, but Is It at the Cost of Free Speech?” (Global Voices, December 22, 2020).

The law aims to reform a wide range of issues, including broadening the power given to the police force during public demonstrations

Venezuela

• “Venezuela: Humanitarian Groups Under Attack” (Human Rights Watch, December 22, 2020).

Venezuelan authorities are harassing and criminally prosecuting civil society organizations that are doing essential work to address the ongoing humanitarian emergency in the country

• Eric Schmitt, Julie Turkewitz, “Navy Warship’s Secret Mission Off West Africa Aims to Help Punish Venezuela” (The New York Times, December 22, 2020).

For months, Mr. Esper had fended off pleas from the State and Justice Departments to deploy a Navy vessel to Cape Verde to deter Venezuela and Iran from plotting to spirit Mr. Saab away from the island