(Even more here)

June 14, 2021

Western Hemisphere Regional

• Brigadier General (Ret.) Juan Carlos Gomez Ramirez, “Ethics and Public Service for Law Enforcement: Service Members and Police Officers in Security Roles” (International Committee of the Red Cross, Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), June 14, 2021).

To enforce the law, police officers and service members do not follow a mathematical model; they need to reason and find the best way to solve problems — that is, to understand the spirit of the law

• Oliver Stuenkel, “Vaccine Diplomacy Boosts China’s Standing in Latin America” (Getulio Vargas Foundation, Foreign Policy, June 14, 2021).

More than one year into the pandemic, it is hard to overstate how much China has improved its standing in Latin America in terms of both its reputation among the general public and its influence with leaders and policymakers

Central America Regional, U.S.-Mexico Border

• Paulina Villegas, “Central American Women Are Fleeing Domestic Violence Amid a Pandemic. Few Find Refuge in U.S.” (The Washington Post, June 14, 2021).

Advocates say the vast majority of domestic violence victims arriving at the border have almost no chance of gaining protection while restrictions are still in place

Colombia

• Javier Gonzalez Penagos, “Jordany Rosero, una Oportunidad Perdida en Medio del Paro” (El Espectador (Colombia), June 14, 2021).

Perdió su vida hace menos de 15 días en Villagarzón durante enfrentamientos con la Policía en medio de una manifestación. El Espectador visitó su casa para reconstruir la historia y alzar la voz de su familia, que hoy reclama justicia

• Nelson Camilo Sanchez, Aaron Alfredo Acosta, “La Empinada Ruta de la Restitucion de Tierras” (DeJusticia, El Espectador (Colombia), June 14, 2021).

En promedio, dos de cada tres solicitudes de restitución han sido negadas por la Unidad de Restitución de Tierras en 10 años de vigencia de la Ley de Víctimas

• Jen Kirby, “Colombia’s Protests Are a Product of Its Post-Peace-Deal Reality” (Vox, June 14, 2021).

Colombia’s peace process gave the space for these protests to happen

• Juanita León, “La Autopsia del Paro” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), June 14, 2021).

Aunque todavía internamente los miembros del Comité del Paro se debaten sobre el camino a seguir, lo más probable es que no convoquen por ahora nuevas movilizaciones

• Nathalie Pabon, “Reforma Policial: Una Tarea Pendiente” (Red de Seguridad y Defensa para América Latina (RESDAL), Razon Publica (Colombia), June 14, 2021).

El uso excesivo de la fuerza y las malas actuaciones de algunos agentes han reabierto el debate sobre nuestra Policía. Estas son algunas reformas necesarias

Colombia, Venezuela

• “Fundaredes: Conflicto Armado en Apure se Reactivo” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), June 14, 2021).

“Pareciera que el acuerdo que se dio hace unos días, llegó a su fin. Parece que este acuerdo de retirada y de cese al fuego era solo por la liberación de estos ocho militares”

Nicaragua

• “Opositora Nicaraguense Es Sacada de su Arresto Domiciliario a un Lugar Desconocido” (El Heraldo (Honduras), June 14, 2021).

De acuerdo con las informaciones, Granera fue sacada en un vehículo no oficial de su arresto domiciliario, no obstante, no se informó a dónde la trasladaron y si sería interrogada

• “Nicaragua Arrests 5 More Opposition Leaders in Crackdown” (Associated Press, Associated Press, June 14, 2021).

The four arrests Sunday and one Saturday suggest Ortega has moved beyond arresting potential rival candidates in the Nov. 7 elections, and has begun arresting any prominent member of the opposition

• “ee.uu., Union Europea y Oea Alineados Contra el Regimen de Ortega y Murillo” (Expediente Publico (Honduras), June 14, 2021).

Senadores piden al presidente Joe Biden valore la permanencia de Nicaragua en Tratado de Libre Comercio que Centroamérica tiene con EE.UU.

Peru

• Oliver Stuenkel, “Peru’s Polarized Election Reflects Democratic Malaise” (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, June 14, 2021).

In Peru’s runoff election, a razor-thin victory by leftist Pedro Castillo will likely put an end to the country’s neoliberal consensus. However, political turmoil is set to continue

• “Peru’s Fujimori: Bid to Send Her Back to Prison ‘Absurd’” (Associated Press, Associated Press, June 14, 2021).

Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori on Saturday said she trusts she will not be sent back to prison after a judge reviews her freedom in a money laundering case and insisted that fraud was committed by her rival

U.S.-Mexico Border

• Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Nicole Sganga, “Biden Returns $2 Billion in Funds Trump Had Diverted From Pentagon to Use for Border Wall” (CBS News, June 14, 2021).

Following a review of the border wall construction projects, the Biden administration will also divert DHS funds to clean-up of construction sites formerly funded by the Pentagon, “including drainage, erosion control, site remediation, and material disposal”

• Paul Ingram, “180,000 Migrants Picked Up by Border Patrol in May; 38% Had ‘at Least One Prior Encounter’ This Year” (The Tucson Sentinel (Tucson Arizona), June 14, 2021).

Newly released data show that migrants were stopped 180,034 times across the southwestern border in May, and the majority were single adults who were immediately expelled