The News Roundup is a regular feature of the blog where we select news articles from various sources around the web, with the goal of providing an overview of the weekly conversation about the countries where MCC works in the region. Quotes in italics are drawn directly from sources and do not necessarily reflect the position of MCC.
Also barred by Trump’s executive order: These heavily vetted kids from Central America
Trump’s executive order, which he signed Friday, called for the immediate suspension of all refugee admissions to the U.S. for 120 days. Although the change affects greater numbers of migrants fleeing war-torn regions of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, who had been resettled in the U.S. by the tens of thousands, advocates say the order could have devastating consequences for children and their families in countries such as El Salvador and Honduras. “This program was an important recognition of the very real violence in these countries,” said Maureen Meyer, who advocates for migrant rights with the nonprofit Washington Office on Latin America. “Clearly the suspension of this program puts these children at more risk. A lot of people that are in danger could be killed.”
The U.S.-Mexico relationship is dangerously on the edge
Neither of our two nations would benefit if Mexico decided to ratchet back our engagement on a whole series of fronts — counter-narcotics; transmigration flows; developing a paradigm for common energy security, efficiency and independence for North America; or water resources on the border — and decouple our strategic interests, seeking out other powers. Trump does not like to lose. But the United States will not be “great again” if it scuppers the relationship with Mexico, instead of finding common ground for soft landings across the arc of our common agenda. The United States will lose as well as Mexico, to the detriment of U.S. geo-strategic interests. Mexico and the United States have done — and can continue to do — great things together. But the one thing we won’t do together is build a wall.
Look to South America not US: Bolivia to Mexico
Morales further noted that he had taken to Twitter and called on Mexico to unite with the Latin American and Caribbean states. “I asked our Mexican brothers to look further south and we can all go after our hopes together, with our Latin American and Caribbean identity, we are a great family,” he said. The Bolivian president further referred to Trump’s recent cancellation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), of which Mexico is a member. “Imagine those who were in the Pacific alliance who now feel abandoned by the new president of the United States,” he said. On Monday, Trump scrapped the TPP, a flagship trade agreement among 11 countries in the Pacific rim. Two days later, the US president signed executive orders directing the construction of a wall along the border with Mexico, boosting border patrol forces and immigration enforcement officers who carry out deportations.
Poverty, injustice still drive migration from Guatemala
Morales laid out four keys to addressing the large-scale migration from Guatemala:
- Reducing extreme poverty;
- Creating jobs;
- Improving security;
- Strengthening institutions and the rule of law.
He called for a better police force, good teachers, better hospitals, and an end to the spoils system in which government employees are hired as political favors. He also expressed disappointment over the high percentage of funding in the $750 million Alliance for Prosperity plan that is for earmarked for security.
Negotiations Between El Salvador Govt, MS13 Prove Elusive
According to security officials, the state is willing to stay the course with its extraordinary measures and continue to tolerate abuses such as those that occurred in Armenia. President Sánchez Cerén’s silence, on the other hand, bears the signs of political calculations that do not yet add up to being in favor of dialogue. The possible participation of the Catholic Church, this time with the institutional support of the bishops and the Vatican’s diplomatic representative (the local nuncio), as well as whispers of the UN’s possible participation, appear to indicate that certain dynamics could very well have changed. Nevertheless, up until now nothing clearly demonstrates that this will give rise to productive talks, despite the MS13‘s proposal and the good intentions of the Catholic priests. In the meantime, homicides in El Salvador continue to occur at the same macabre rhythm of 12 per day.
HONDURAS: THE DEADLIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM (report)
Nowhere are you more likely to be killed for standing up to companies that grab land and trash the environment than in Honduras.More than 120 people have died since 2010, according to Global Witness research. The victims were ordinary people who took a stand against dams, mines, logging or agriculture on their land –murdered by state forces, security guards or hired assassins. Countless others have been threatened, attacked or imprisoned.
Honduras elites blamed for violence against environmental activists
Billy Kyte from Global Witness said: “Our investigations reveal how Honduras’ political and business elites are using corrupt and criminal means to cash in on the country’s natural wealth, and are enlisting the support of state forces to murder and terrorise the communities who dare to stand in their way.” Despite growing international outrage about the violence, Honduras still recieves millions of dollars of US aid. “As Honduras’ biggest aid donor, the US should help bring an end to the bloody crackdown on Honduras’ rural population. Instead it is bankrolling Honduran state forces, which are behind some of the worst attacks,” said Kyte.
It’s a Carnival turf war in Haiti, with the president-elect vs. the mayor
Despite the crowd’s jubilant reaction to Moïse’s announcement, his decision is being criticized by some in a country struggling to replant crops after Hurricane Matthew in October and still wracked by problems stemming from the 2010 earthquake. “It is not serious to be focusing on Carnival when the country faces deep problems like malnutrition, insecurity and more than 10 percent inflation,” said economist Kesner Pharel. “A president should concentrate on guiding a cultural policy that will be the guideline for mayors to realize projects like Carnival. Carnival has nothing to do with presidents, but it should be made by the municipal administrations. “This is a bad choice for the new administration to follow Martelly’s path on organizing carnivals,” he added.
Some of the Many Reasons Why the United States Should Keep Supporting Colombia’s Peace Accord
Colombia’s peace implementation process faces some looming complications and difficulties. But these are not reasons to withdraw or to lessen U.S. support for the peace accords’ implementation. Instead, they are reasons to keep engaging, and to redouble and increase the U.S. commitment to helping cement security and governance gains in Colombia. Even if implementing it will be difficult, the 2016 peace accord is the best available option for guaranteeing stability, strong democratic governance, and reduced drug production in Colombia. It deserves full U.S. backing.
UN Recognizes Ecuador, Bolivia for Support of Indigenous Rights
In a press conference Wednesday reviewing the 10 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP, the U.N. special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples highlighted the efforts Ecuador and Bolivia have made to implement the historic document. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, an Indigenous Igorot woman from the Philippines who has served as special rapporteur since 2014, pointed out that Ecuador and Bolivia are unique in their efforts to enshrine the principles of the declaration in their respective constitutions.