(Even more here)

August 15, 2017

Argentina

• Alberto Messer, Taos Turner, “Argentine President Macri’s Coalition Gets Strong Support in Primary Election” (The Wall Street Journal, August 15, 2017).

The results indicate that the governing coalition will pick up seats in both houses of Congress, where no party currently has a majority, in October´s election

Brazil

• “Traficantes Colocam Fuzil Em Estatua de Michael Jackson No Rio” (Veja (Brazil), August 15, 2017).

O local é um ponto turístico, procurado por visitantes brasileiros e estrangeiros depois que a comunidade recebeu a primeira das Unidades de Polícia Pacificadora (UPPs)

Brazil, Colombia, Peru

• Yolima Dussan, “Armed Forces of Colombia, Peru, and Brazil Conduct Amazonas I Exercise” (Revista Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), August 15, 2017).

The air forces of Colombia, Peru, and Brazil decided to make the most of the cooperation and the structure of the exercise to involve the civilian population in this activity

Colombia

• “15 de Agosto: Ultimo Dia para el Desarme de las Farc” (El Espectador (Colombia), August 15, 2017).

Desde ahora los esfuerzos se concentrarán en la reincorporación

• Olga Patricia Rendon M., “La Reincorporacion de los Excombatientes Inicia en Firme” (El Colombiano (Medellin Colombia), August 15, 2017).

Los excombatientes seguirán viviendo allí mientras se alfabetizan, homologan conocimientos y estudian

• “La Doble Cara de las Zonas de las Farc” (La Silla Vacia (Colombia), August 15, 2017).

Las zonas veredales también le dieron munición a los opositores del proceso de paz, y a las Farc

• Nicolas Sanchez A., “Rio San Juan: No Cesa el Fuego” (El Espectador (Colombia), August 15, 2017).

Por este afluente, que es el límite del Chocó y el Valle del Cauca, 433 indígenas y negros se desplazaron hacia las cabeceras municipales de Buenaventura y de Litoral del San Juan

Colombia, Venezuela

• “Remarks by Vice President Pence and President Santos of Colombia in Joint Press Conference” (The White House, August 15, 2017).

During our talks, I had the chance to explain to Vice President Pence the specific plan that we’ve put in motion in order to do away with — or to disappear 100,000 hectares of coca shrub

• Luz Dary Depablos, “Hungry Venezuelans Turn to Colombia for a Plate of Food” (Associated Press **, August 15, 2017).

Increasingly, they are coming to eat in one of a half-dozen facilities offering struggling Venezuelans a free plate of food

Cuba

• William M. Leogrande, “Cuba: Attacks Against U.S. Diplomats?” (AULA Blog (American University), August 15, 2017).

The fact that both countries agreed to keep the alleged attacks and the expulsion of Cuban diplomats quiet suggests neither wanted the issue to get out of hand

Guatemala

• Geraldine Cook, “Guatemala Adopts New Military Vision” (Revista Dialogo (U.S. Southern Command), August 15, 2017).

By the end of the year, support for civil safety — soldiers aiding the police — will end

Honduras

• “Olancho: Indignacion en Redes Tras Despojo de Indumentaria Militar a un Joven” (El Heraldo (Honduras), August 15, 2017).

En la grabación se entiende que los efectivos intentaban quitarle la calzoneta al individuo -hasta el momento no identificado- en medio de varios pobladores que se oponían a la acción

Mexico

• Jordain Carney, “Immigration Battlefield Widens for Trump, Gop” (The Hill, August 15, 2017).

Marc Short, a top White House aide, recently pitched congressional staff on including some border wall funding that would be used for a “double fence” in exchange for more spending on domestic programs

• “Police: 16 Immigrants Locked Inside Rig at Texas Truck Stop” (Associated Press **, August 15, 2017).

Authorities had stopped more than 30 tractor-trailers since October in the Rio Grande Valley. That doesn’t include Laredo

• Alejandra Xanic, Ignacio Rodriguez Reyna, “El Expediente Secreto de Odebrecht (Reportaje Especial)” (Quinto Elemento Lab, Aristegui Noticias, August 15, 2017).

En declaraciones juramentadas, altos ex ejecutivos de Odebrecht colocan fechas, nombres, cantidades, cuentas bancarias. Ahí aparece Emilio Lozoya Austin, ex director de Petróleos Mexicanos

Nicaragua, Venezuela

• Emiliano Chamorro Mendieta, “Dogu Cuestiona Apoyo de Daniel Ortega a Gobierno de Venezuela” (La Prensa (Nicaragua), August 15, 2017).

La embajadora de los Estados Unidos en Nicaragua, Laura Dogu, aseguró este lunes que la defensa del gobierno del presidente designado Daniel Ortega a Venezuela podría impactar en la aprobación de la Nica Act

Venezuela

• “Venezuela’s Maduro Orders Military Drill After Trump Comments” (BBC (UK), August 15, 2017).

The “civic-military” exercises are due to take place on 26-27 August

• “Maduro Pide Que se Abra Proceso Contra Quienes Apoyan “Amenaza” de Trump” (Tal Cual (Venezuela), August 15, 2017).

“Yo le pido a la Comisión de la Justicia y la Paz que por favor inicie un proceso ante los vende patria que han salido a pedir la intervención de Venezuela y a apoyar la amenaza de Donald Trump contra la paz de la república, lo pido oficialmente”

• Julia Symmes Cobb, Tim Ahmann, “Pence says ‘failed state’ in Venezuela threatens United States” (Reuters **, August 15, 2017).

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Monday the United States would bring all its economic and diplomatic power to bear to see democracy restored in Venezuela, saying a failed state there threatens Americans

• Jim Wyss, “Venezuela’s Maduro Finds Propaganda Gold in Trump Threat and Charlottesville” (The Miami Herald, August 15, 2017).

“Behind the white supremacists is the power that has taken over the White House and the venues where decisions are made by the North American imperialists,” Maduro said

Venezuela, Western Hemisphere Regional

• Nicholas Casey, “Trump’s Threat Against Maduro Unites Latin America, Against U.S.” (The New York Times, August 15, 2017).

Many of the countries now rejecting Mr. Trump’s use of military force were themselves invaded by the United States