(Even more here)

March 3, 2021

Colombia

• Sergio Saavedra, “Van 70 Casos de Violencia Policial en Solo Dos Meses” (Fundación Paz y Reconciliación (Colombia), March 3, 2021).

De acuerdo con los datos que han sistematizado en la Plataforma GRITA —de esta organización—; son 70 casos de violencia policial dentro de los que se encuentran cinco (5) asesinatos a manos de uniformados de la Policía Nacional

El Salvador

• Jimmy Alvarado, Sergio Arauz, “Todas las Decisiones Legislativas Estaran al Alcance de Bukele” (El Faro (El Salvador), March 3, 2021).

Su bancada tendrá las dos principales correlaciones (mayoría de 43 y de 56 votos) para ejercer el control del Legislativo y decidir lo que quiera: desde fiscal general hasta incrementar impuestos

Guatemala

• Sonia Perez D., “Guatemala Begins Reshaping Court; Corruption Concerns Grow” (Associated Press, Associated Press, March 3, 2021).

The stakes are so high because the next court will likely decide the fate of politicians accused of corruption like former President Otto Pérez Molina, military officers convicted of crimes against humanity and the potential candidacy of Zury Ríos, daughter of ex-dictator Efraín Ríos Montt

Haiti

• Hamed Aleaziz, “Us Officials Are Deporting Haitian Immigrants Despite Knowing They May Face Danger” (BuzzFeed, March 3, 2021).

“We do not believe Title 42 should be used against anyone, and right now there are families from countries such as Haiti in which it will have a particularly brutal effect”

Honduras

• Nina Lakhani, “Honduras: Accused Mastermind of Berta Caceres Murder to Go on Trial Next Month” (The Guardian, March 3, 2021).

Castillo, a former Honduran military intelligence officer who trained at the prestigious West Point military academy in New York, is the only person so far charged with masterminding the crime

• Ángeles Mariscal, Yessica Morales, “A 5 Anos de su Asesinato, Legado de Berta Caceres se Visibiliza en la Lucha de Mujeres Defensoras de su Territorio” (Chiapas Paralelo (Chiapas), March 3, 2021).

David Castillo, 88 pruebas, empresario hondureño, ex oficial militar, fue detenido en 2018. El tribunal desdeñó la demanda para que su asesinato sea juzgado con perspectiva de género

Mexico

• Jorge Alejandro Medellin, “El Ejercito Mexicano Comprara 30 Millones de Cartuchos para su Policia Militar” (Defensa.com (Spain), March 3, 2021).

La Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (SEDENA) adquirirá cartuchos calibre 5.56 x 45 milímetros y 9 x 19 milímetros para dotar al Cuerpo de Policía Militar (PM) de este material y a su vez reforzar a la Guardia Nacional

• Manu Ureste, Alberto Pradilla, “Quinta Visitadora, Encargada de Informe Oculto Sobre Migrantes, Renuncia a Cndh” (Animal Politico (Mexico), March 3, 2021).

Elizabeth Lara Rodríguez, directora de la Quinta Visitaduría de la Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos (CNDH), que es la oficina encargada de velar y proteger los derechos de las personas migrantes, renunció este martes

• Daina Beth Solomon, Raul Cortes, “Mexico Says Biden’s Central America Aid to Help Southern Mexico” (Reuters, Reuters, March 3, 2021).

A $4 billion commitment from U.S. President Joe Biden to promote development in Central America will include help for southern Mexico, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said

Mexico, U.S.-Mexico Border

• Alfredo Corchado, Marisol Chavez, “Why a Lack of Vaccine Cooperation With Mexico Could Put People on Both Sides of the Border at Risk” (The Dallas Morning News, March 3, 2021).

Ciudad Juárez, meanwhile, has only allocated about 7,000 vaccines for frontline health care workers

Nicaragua

• Many Signers, “Periodistas del Mundo Rechazan Ataques a la Libertad de Expresion e Informacion en Nicaragua” (Fundación Gabo (Colombia), March 3, 2021).

Alrededor de 500 firmantes denunciaron en una carta la “represión sistemática” al ejercicio del periodismo en el país

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Sandra Sanchez, “‘Inhumane’ Conditions Continue for Migrants Living in Mexican Border Towns, Nonprofit Says” (Border Report, March 3, 2021).

Tamariz says his nonprofit and other non-governmental organizations are extremely concerned about what will happen to those who are left after the camp is dissolved, and he says there must be some type of pathway to the United States for them

Venezuela

• Venezuela Investigation Unit, “Colectivos Ramp Up Property Seizures in Venezuela” (InsightCrime, March 3, 2021).

Numerous residential and commercial buildings were abandoned, only to be claimed by government forces and colectivos

• Laura Kelly, “Bipartisan Lawmakers Call for Blinken to Appoint Special Envoy for Venezuela” (The Hill, March 3, 2021).

The letter was led by Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), and joined by 10 other Florida Republicans and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.)

• Luc Cohen, Brian Ellsworth, “Venezuelan Intelligence Monitored Citgo Executives in U.S. – Court Testimony” (Reuters, Reuters, March 3, 2021).

It was not clear from the testimony if Venezuelan intelligence services violated either of those laws. The Department of Justice declined to comment on whether the monitoring would trigger any action

• “Secretary Blinken’s Call With Venezuelan Interim President Guaido” (U.S. Department of State, March 3, 2021).

Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of a return to democracy in Venezuela through free and fair elections