Inter-American Watch

Wednesday, December 15th, 2021

The Americas

An addictive war: how Latin-American drug cartels bosses are playing the U.S. justice system

An investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and partners, including the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, using data collected in Colombia and Mexico, shows that extradition has become a game often stacked in favor of well-connected criminals. Meanwhile, the drug trade remains intact and thriving.
The Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article256530026.html

Havana organizes a Bolivarian summit against the democracy summit called by Biden

Just four days after the Summit for Democracy, convened virtually by US President Joe Biden, this Tuesday Havana was the venue for the XX Summit of ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America), defined as an “anti-imperialist” forum and barricade in which the presidents of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, participated in person; Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega; Bolivia, Luis Arce, and Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, in addition to the prime ministers of other Caribbean islands who are part of the organization created 17 years ago
Market Research Telecast: https://marketresearchtelecast.com/cuba-havana-organizes-a-bolivarian-summit-against-the-democracy-summit-called-by-biden-international/226496/

Bolivia

Bolivia’s Luis Arce begins official visit to Cuba today

During his stay, Arce will hold official conversations with the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and with other senior leaders, and will carry out other activities of interest.
Granma, in Spanish: https://www.granma.cu/mundo/2021-12-15/presidente-de-bolivia-inicia-hoy-visita-oficial-a-cuba-15-12-2021-01-12-29

Peru

Mexico send Finance minister to ‘rescue’ embattled Peru’s Castillo, after he asked for help

Mexican Finance Minister Rogelio Ramirez de la O discussed proposals to support Peru’s economy that also benefit Mexico with Peruvian President Pedro Castillo and his cabinet during a visit to the country. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he had sent Ramirez de la O to Peru to help Castillo as the Peruvian leader, a fellow leftist, wrestles with protests and an attempt to impeach him just months into his administration.
Yahoo News: https://news.yahoo.com/mexico-minister-discusses-economic-support-223716745.html

Peru mining chamber says tax hike proposal risk $50 billion investment

Peru’s mining chamber lambasted a government proposal to raise taxes on the sector by at least 3 percentage points, saying it would put more than $50 billion in future investments at risk in the world’s second largest copper producer.
Mining.com: https://www.mining.com/web/peru-mining-chamber-says-tax-hike-proposal-risks-50bn-investment/

Mining protests grow in areas of Peru that heavily backed President Castillo

Mining conflicts have risen slightly in Peru since Pedro Castillo assumed the presidency in July, mostly in Andean regions that heavily backed the leftist candidate and now are looking to him to quickly meet their demands. That information was contained in the latest report by the Observatory of Mining Conflicts (OCM) in Peru.
EFE: https://www.laprensalatina.com/mining-protests-grow-in-areas-of-peru-that-heavily-backed-castillo/

Poll: 70% of Peruvians are against closing mines; 56% think Castillo doesn’t have proper plan to create jobs

According to the most recent Datum survey, for the El Comercio Publishing Company, 56% of the population believes that Castillo Administration does not have concrete measures to generate investment and employment, while 70% are against closing mines as announced by Premier Mirtha Vásquez.
Peru21 in Spanish: https://peru21.pe/politica/datum-el-56-de-peruanos-cree-que-el-gobierno-no-tiene-medidas-para-generar-empleo-pedro-castillo-noticia/?ref=p21r

Ecuador

Ecuador’s international reserves were diverted to tax havens during socialist Rafael Correa’s tenure

Exports from Ecuador to Venezuela during former president Rafael Correa’s tenure, paid for through the Sucre compensation system, opened the doors for the abuse of Ecuador’s international reserves.
Primicias, in Spanish: https://www.primicias.ec/noticias/en-exclusiva/sucre-uso-reservas-banco-central-ecuador-lavado/

At least two Ecuadorian generals under investigation in the U.S. for reported links to drug trafficking

At least two generals in service, one who was in charge of the counter-narcotics office, and a second officer who is fighting to return to the police force, are in the crosshairs of the US authorities investigating cases of corruption and infiltration of drug trafficking in Ecuador.
Primicias, in Spanish: https://www.primicias.ec/noticias/politica/revuelo-policia-retiro-visas-estados-unidos/

Ecuador declares force majeure on all oil contracts

Ecuador declared force majeure on all oil contracts, including exports and imports, as the threat of soil erosion forced the shutdown of the country’s two pipelines that transport crude across the Andes.
Bloomberg/Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/12/13/ecuador-declares-force-majeure-on-all-oil-contracts

Argentina

Putin eyes ruble-peso scheme with Argentina to drop US dollar in bilateral trade

Russian officials who met last week with Argentine economy authorities have reportedly conveyed a proposal from President Vladimir Putin’s Government to drop the US dollar and hold bilateral trade operations through an unusual conversion scheme between rubles and pesos.
MercoPress: https://en.mercopress.com/2021/12/15/putin-eyes-ruble-peso-scheme-with-argentina-to-drop-us-dollar-in-bilateral-trade

Four convicted over cocaine found in Russian Embassy in Argentina

Four defendants in a high-profile case involving almost 400 kilograms of cocaine found on the premises of the Russian Embassy in Argentina in 2018 have been found guilty. A jury at the Dorogomilov district court in Moscow on December 13 convicted alleged mastermind Andrei Kovalchuk; the former maintenance department chief at the embassy in Argentina, Ali Abyanov; and businessmen Vladimir Kalmykov and Ishtimir Khudzhamov of buying and storing at the embassy school in Buenos Aires cocaine that they planned to sell in Europe.
Radio Free Europe: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-embassy-argentina-cocaine/31607411.html

Frail institutions in Argentina fuel multi-billion dollar outflow to banks abroad

“People leave for physical and legal security. For that reason many Argentines decided to have their money outside of Argentina,” said economic analyst Claudio Zuchovicki.
La Nacion, in Spanish: https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/cual-es-la-verdadera-causa-por-la-que-los-argentinos-llevan-sus-dolares-afuera-segun-claudio-nid15122021/

Chile

Challenges facing Chile’s next government

The relatively radical nature of the Constituent Assembly has arguably had an impact on the presidential election, alarming some conservative Chileans and leading some to vote for Kast—a candidate they would otherwise reject—to keep the left out of power.
The Global Americans: https://theglobalamericans.org/2021/12/challenges-facing-chiles-next-government-part-1/

Poll: presidential race in Chile tightening as polarized showdown nears

A private survey from pollster Cadem, seen by Reuters, showed Kast with 36% of the voting intention, just 3-points behind Boric, half the gap there had been at the end of last month shortly after the Nov. 21 first round vote.
Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/chile-election-poll-shows-race-tightening-polarized-showdown-nears-2021-12-14/

Special report

Venezuela’s fatal embrace of Cuba

An oil-rich one-time ally of the U.S. has been quietly colonized by a much smaller, poorer neighbor. Now Venezuela is a wrecked and destitute as a country at war.
The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuelas-fatal-embrace-of-cuba-11639152017