(Even more here)

January 15, 2021

Western Hemisphere Regional

• “Joe Biden Will Shift Gears in Latin America” (The Economist (Uk), January 15, 2021).

When Mr Trump took office in 2017, Latin American governments suffered a “fear of coming to his attention”, says a former adviser to his administration. But many grew to like him, largely because he left them alone

• Peter Siavelis, Scott Morgenstern, “Lecciones de America Latina para la Democracia de ee.uu.” (La Tercera (Chile), January 15, 2021).

La polarización que ha originado la toma del Congreso no se revertirá fácilmente. Chile puede ser un buen espejo

Argentina, Brazil

• Nelza Oliveira, “Brazilian and Argentine Armies Conduct Joint Operation” (Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), January 15, 2021).

The Brazilian and Argentine armies carried out Operation Arandu at Barão de São Borja Training Camp, in Rosário do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, November 14-20, 2020

Argentina, Paraguay

• Juan Manuel Boccacci, “Acusan al Ejercito de Paraguay de Haber Ejecutado a las Ninas Argentinas Vinculadas al Epp” (Pagina12 (Argentina), January 15, 2021).

Las dos niñas argentinas que fueron presentadas como “abatidas en combate” por el ejército paraguayo en septiembre pasado, habrían sido detenidas con vida y ejecutadas por los militares de ese país

Colombia

• “2021, Clave para la Implementacion de los Pdet” (El Espectador (Colombia), January 15, 2021).

hasta ahora lo que se ha visto de los PDET son pequeñas obras de infraestructura, como arreglos en vías terciarias, en centros educativos, en polideportivos, en casetas comunales, etc., que no necesariamente están generando desarrollo

• Sebastian Forero Rueda, “Decision Judicial Retrasaria, de Nuevo, Objetivo del Gobierno de Reanudar Fumigacion Con Glifosato” (El Espectador (Colombia), January 15, 2021).

Una tutela de los pueblos étnicos del Pacífico Nariñense logró que el Tribunal Superior de Pasto suspendiera una resolución del Ministerio del Interior según la cual no era necesario hacer consulta previa

• Felipe Morales Sierra, Jose David Escobar Moreno, “El Miedo en el Magdalena por el Regreso del Exjefe Paramilitar Hernan Giraldo” (El Espectador (Colombia), January 15, 2021).

Como parte del control que ejercía en el territorio, violó a cientos de mujeres, lo que llevó a que tuviera unos 21 hijos, según cuentas extraoficiales

• Sergio Guzman, “Damage Control” (Colombia Risk Analysis, Global Americans, January 15, 2021).

The Colombian government’s not-so-subtle endorsement of Donald Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election was a failed risky gambit. After the failed coup attempt on the United States Capitol, however, it turned out to be a huge error of judgment

Colombia, Cuba

• “Congresistas del Centro Democratico Piden Examinar Relaciones Entre Colombia y Cuba” (Semana (Colombia), January 15, 2021).

De acuerdo con los parlamentarios, mantener relaciones diplomáticas con Cuba significa un “obstáculo real para poder alcanzar esa paz con justicia que anhelamos todos los colombianos”

Cuba

• William Leogrande, “Putting Cuba on the Terrorism List Is Unjustified and Unwise” (Responsible Statecraft (Quincy Institute), January 15, 2021).

Taking a country off the list requires a presidential report and certification to Congress, which then has 45 days to reject the certification before it goes into effect

El Salvador

• Alba Miriam Amaya, “El Salvador: Los Acuerdos de Paz No Convencen a Nayib Bukele” (DW (Germany), January 15, 2021).

“La guerra fue una farsa. Mataron más de 75.000 personas entre los dos bandos –incluyendo los mil de El Mozote- y fue una farsa como los Acuerdos de Paz”, sentenció el presidente

• “Ms-13’s Highest-Ranking Leaders Charged With Terrorism Offenses in the United States” (U.S. Embassy El Salvador, January 15, 2021).

An indictment was unsealed in Central Islip, New York charging 14 of the world’s highest-ranking MS-13 leaders who are known today as the Ranfla Nacional, which operated as the Organization’s Board of Directors

Guatemala

• Evelin Vasquez, “Presidente Giammattei Promete Fortalecer al Ejercito” (ElPeriodico (Guatemala), January 15, 2021).

Giammattei añadió que busca incrementar las fuerzas armadas “con seis mil elementos más”

Guatemala, Honduras

• Delmer Martinez, Claudio Escalon, “Migrant Caravan on the Move in Honduras in Uncertain Times” (Associated Press, January 15, 2021).

Video shared by the Guatemala Immigration Institute showed cheering people streaming in while border agents looked on and tried to keep them from blocking traffic

Haiti

• Evens Sanon, Danica Coto, “Haiti Braces for Unrest as Opposition Demands New President” (Associated Press, Associated Press, January 15, 2021).

Haiti braced for a fresh round of widespread protests starting Friday, with opposition leaders demanding that President Jovenel Moïse step down next month, worried he is amassing too much power as he enters his second year of rule by decree

Mexico

• Eirinet Gomez, “Sustraen Con Violencia a Elvira Gomez, Madre de Dos Desaparecidos en Tierra Blanca” (AVC Noticias (Veracruz Mexico), January 15, 2021).

En la sustracción participaron cuatro sujetos armados, en una camioneta con vidrios polarizados

• “Operan Agrupamientos Equipados y Entrenados para la Atencia³N de Migrantes Irregulares en Frontera Sur” (Instituto Nacional de Migración (Mexico), January 15, 2021).

Conforman esta fuerza de tarea Agentes Federales de Migracio?n, personal de la Secretari?a de la Defensa Nacional (Sedena), Guardia Nacional (GN), Agencia Mexicana de Cooperacio?n Internacional para el Desarrollo (Amexcid) de la Secretari?a de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE); y del Sistema Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF), y las secretari?as de Salud y Proteccio?n Civil del estado

• Andres Dominguez, “Caravana Migrante se Alista y Mexico Blinda Frontera” (Chiapas Paralelo (Chiapas), January 15, 2021).

Resguardan la frontera del lado mexicano con elementos del INM, Guardia Nacional y las Secretarías de la Defensa Nacional y de Marina

• “Mexico Rechazo Equipos para Controlar Trafico de Armas: Embajador de Eu” (Animal Politico (Mexico), January 15, 2021).

El embajador Christopher Landau afirmó que EU ofreció a México la extradición de sospechosos de tráfico de armas, sin que el país hubiera solicitado alguna, y tampoco aceptó un donativo de aparatos de detección

• Oscar Lopez, “Mexico Exonerates Ex-Defense Chief Who Was Freed by the U.S.” (The New York Times, January 15, 2021).

His complete exoneration in Mexico came as a shocking about-face after the authorities had promised to bring the full weight of the Mexican justice system to bear

• Mary Beth Sheridan, “Mexico Declines to Prosecute Ex-Defense Minister Cienfuegos on Drug Charges” (The Washington Post, January 15, 2021).

U.S. authorities said Cienfuegos helped a cartel ship thousands of kilos of drugs to America

• “El Departamento de Justicia de Eu Amenaza Con Retomar el Juicio a Cienfuegos “Si Mexico Falla”” (SinEmbargo (Mexico), January 15, 2021).

“Estados Unidos se reserva el derecho de reanudar el enjuiciamiento de Cienfuegos si el Gobierno de México falla”, reveló Nicole Navas Oxman, titular de la vocería del Departamento de Estado, al periodista estadounidense Keegan Hamilton, de Vice News

• “Informacion Sobre el Caso del General Retirado Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda” (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores (Mexico), January 15, 2021).

Document is a large PDF file.

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Julia Ainsley, Jacob Soboroff, “Justice Officials Respond to Report on Family Separation by Blaming Trump, Expressing Regret” (NBC News, January 15, 2021).

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein issued a statement of regret Thursday while former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker and current DOJ official Gene Hamilton blamed the president for the policy

• “Review of the Department of Justice’s Planning and Implementation of Its Zero Tolerance Policy and Its Coordination With the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services” (Department of Justice Office of the Inspector-General, January 15, 2021).

Multiple Department of Justice leaders told us that Sessions understood at the time the zero tolerance policy was issued that its strict implementation would result in the Department of Homeland Security’s referral for criminal prosecution of adults entering the country illegally with children

• Camilo Montoya-Galvez, “700 Children Crossed the U.S. Border Alone After Being Required to Wait in Mexico With Their Families” (CBS News, January 15, 2021).

The Office of Refugee Resettlement, the federal agency responsible for housing unaccompanied children, has housed 701 minors whose parents were in Mexico under the MPP program. Most — 643 of them — have been released to family members

• Michael D. Shear, “Trump and Aides Drove Family Separation at Border, Documents Say” (The New York Times, January 15, 2021).

It concludes that top Justice Department officials were a “driving force” behind the decision to put in place policies that led to separating families

• Kate Morrissey, “Refugee Resettlement Agency Releases Proposal for Biden to End ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program” (The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 15, 2021).

The logistical report from the resettlement agency HIAS is the latest in a growing push from immigration and human rights advocates to try to hold him to his promise

Venezuela

• “Tribunal Dicta Privativa de Libertad Contra Miembros de Ong Azul Positivo” (Efecto Cocuyo (Venezuela), January 15, 2021).

Los integrantes de la organización no gubernamental fueron encarcelados el pasado 12 de enero y este jueves fueron presentados ante los tribunales ordinarios

• “Iranies Estan Formando Militares en Venezuela, Afirma Ong Ante Autoridades de Oea y la Union Europea” (Agence France Presse, El Comercio (Peru), January 15, 2021).

Oficiales iraníes están formando a militares en Venezuela “para controlar a la sociedad venezolana”, denunció el jueves la directora ejecutiva de la ONG Instituto Casla ante autoridades de la Organización de los Estados Americanos

• Vasco Cotovio, Isa Soares, “Analysis: Venezuela’s Revolution Has Stalled. Is Juan Guaido Still the Answer?” (CNN, January 15, 2021).

There’s certainly a feeling in Venezuela that a new cycle is about to begin as Joe Biden takes over as President of the United States, offering a potential reset in relations. And it’s becoming increasingly apparent that there might not be room for Guaidó in that cycle

• “Venezuela: Attacks Against Freedom of Expression Must Cease Immediately” (Several organizations, Washington Office on Latin America, January 15, 2021).

The media outlet Efecto Cocuyo, community radio channel Fe y Alegría, as well as the National Press Workers Union, VPI TV, and news journal Panorama, among other media outlets, have become the target of stigmatization campaigns and legal scrutiny