Inter-American Watch

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

The Americas

Latin America toward the abyss: Chilean socialist victory reinforce negative trend

Will Latin Americans be able to reverse what seems to be a fall into even more socialism, corruption and misery? Many are pessimistic, but some have hope that an important awakening and a more energetic and strategic mobilization by anti-socialist actors in civil society can prevent the worst.
Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alejandrochafuen/2021/12/20/latin-america-toward-the-abyss-chilean-socialist-victory-reinforces-negative-trend/?sh=21694cbd5059

Latin America Today: Biden’s Democratic Summit, China’s advance and extreme polarization

China has begun to take the place left by American politics in Central America. While Washington condemns governments as dictatorial and corrupt, China does not rate each country’s domestic politics. The case of Nicaragua is eloquent.
Yahoo! Finanzas, in Spanish: https://tinyurl.com/yc3v2y6f

Peru

U.S. concerned by the killing of indigenous leaders in Peru

Estados Unidos expresó este lunes preocupación por la violencia en la Amazonía de Perú, tras el asesinato de un líder indígena y defensor de los derechos humanos que elevó a cuatro los activistas ultimados este año en esa zona del país.
France24, in Spanish: https://www.france24.com/es/minuto-a-minuto/20211221-eeuu-preocupado-por-el-asesinato-de-líderes-indígenas-en-perú

Indigenous leaders abandon the Peruvian forests to avoid being killed

The crime of the Ashaninka leader Lucio Pascual is the tenth in two years. Threatened, they take refuge away from their communities in the face of warnings from drug trafficking mafias and invaders.
El Comercio, in Spanish: https://elcomercio.pe/peru/lideres-indigenas-abandonan-sus-bosques-para-no-morir-asesinados-lucio-pascual-yumanga-ministerio-del-interior-narcotrafico-vraem-oxapampa-noticia/

Naval Chiefs of Staff of Mexico and Peru meet to discuss intelligence issues

Vice Admirals Jose Barradas Cobos, from the Mexican Navy, and Herbert Del Alamo Carrillo, from the Peruvian Navy, held high-level meetings to exchange sensitive information on anti-drug operations, maritime interceptions, exchange of specialized personnel and other issues. They signed 16 agreements ranging from intelligence exchanges to investigations and cybersecurity among others.
Defensa.com, in Spanish: https://www.defensa.com/mexico/reunion-estados-mayores-navales-mexico-peru-para-abordar-temas

President Castillo could face new investigation for obstruction of justice

According to public prosecutors, Castillo prevented the entry of prosecutors to the office of the secretary general of the Presidency, as part of an investigation. According to experts, this decision warrants an investigation for obstruction of justice against Castillo.
El Comercio, in Spanish: https://elcomercio.pe/politica/pedro-castillo-que-consecuencias-legales-puede-traer-la-negativa-de-colaborar-con-la-fiscalia-noticia/

Peru’s Castillo ask the Prosecutor’s Office to lift his banking, tax and telephone secrecy

The president sent a document to the Public Ministry making his personal information available to collaborate with the investigations in the case of the alleged interference of the Executive in the Armed Forces.
Peru21, in Spanish: https://peru21.pe/politica/presidente-pedro-castillo-pide-a-la-fiscalia-que-se-levante-su-secreto-bancario-tributario-y-telefonico-nndc-noticia/

Las Bambas not mulling legal action for now as Peru blockade continues

MMG Ltd’s Las Bambas copper mine does not plan to initiate legal action against Peru “for the time being” over a nearly month-long road blockade that has prompted the miner to suspend operations. The current blockade has been in place since November 20 by residents of Chumbivilcas province who complain that the mineral wealth of the mine simply bypasses them and want the company to provide more jobs and money for the area.
Mining.com: https://www.mining.com/web/las-bambas-says-not-mulling-legal-action-for-now-as-peru-blockade-continues/

Argentina

Argentina is studying the purchase of a submarine to reinforce defense

Four years after the sinking of the ARA San Juan, the Government started to take steps for the acquisition of a submarine for defense purposes to give a signal not only to the Argentine military but also to the countries that look at the South Atlantic as a strategic space at world level.
The Rio Times: https://www.riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/mercosur/argentina/argentina-is-studying-the-purchase-of-a-submarine-to-reinforce-defense/

Argentina: why is violence unleashed in Rosario?

In that town, the third most populous in the South American country, the homicide rate is three times the national average. This year there were shootings in schools, service stations and gastronomic places. What is happening?
France24, in Spanish: https://www.france24.com/es/américa-latina/20211220-argentina-rosario-causas-violencia

Ecuador

Some Chinese, alarmed by Chinese president Xi’s policies, seek new lives in Ecuador

Since Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012 as head of China’s Communist Party, the number of people choosing to leave China has continued to rise. For those who can’t make it to North America, the South American nation of Ecuador is becoming and attractive destination.
(Video) Voice of America: https://www.voanews.com/a/some-chinese-alarmed-by-xi-s-policies-seek-new-lives-in-ecuador-/6356342.html

National Police: three active generals doubled their assets in the last four years

Three generals of Ecuador’s National Police doubled their assets in the last four years, according to documents from the office of the Comptroller. They tried to justify their income to avoid suspicions that their fortunes are linked to illicit activities.
El Universo, in Spanish: https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/politica/policia-nacional-dos-generales-casi-duplicaron-patrimonio-otro-hizo-incremento-mas-doble-ultimos-cuatro-anos-nota/?modulo=destacadas-uno&plantilla=home

Bolivia

Bolivia will raise the maritime issue again with the new Chilean leftist government

In an interview with the news portal Urgente.bo, the Plurinational State’s deputy foreign minister, Freddy Mamani, assured that they hope to build a common agenda based on trust and mutual respect between the two peoples, without disregarding Bolivia’s access to the sea through Chile.
The Rio Times: https://www.riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/bolivia-will-raise-the-maritime-issue-again-with-the-new-chilean-government/

Chile

Chile stock market plummets on leftist Boric’s election victory

The Chilean stock market and peso took a beating Monday after leftist millennial Gabriel Boric became the country’s youngest-ever president-elect with an unexpectedly substantial victory over his far-right rival. Following a night of street celebrations at the end of a polarizing runoff race, the SP IPSA index opened 6.83 percent down, before regaining some ground. The peso ceded 3.02 percent to the US dollar to open the day at a historic high of 872.61.
France24: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211220-chile-stock-market-plummits-on-leftist-boric-s-election-victory

Analysis

Carlos Sánchez Berzain: End dictatorships because in democracies under siege, it is impossible to have good governance

The Summit for Democracy organized by the president of the United States, the International Seminar with Mario Vargas Llosa, the Organization of American States, and the current situational awareness analyses, coincide those democracies are threatened by authoritarianism. The permanent destabilization of democracies in the Americas comes from Cuba’s dictatorship spread into Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, the 21st Century Socialism or Castrochavism. While the attacks continue, the siege against democracies makes it impossible to have good governance.
IID.org: https://iid.dmni.net/end-dictatorships-because-in-democracies-under-siege-it-is-impossible-to-have-good-governance/

Carlos Alberto Montaner: How the July 11th protest in Cuba was organized

The July 11 protests reflect the misery in which Cubans live. And it was not even a particular region of the island. As Carla Gloria Colomé Santiago explains, in a sensational article published in El Estornudo, the protests occurred in 62 different places, although they arose in San Antonio de los Baños, a town located a few kilometers from Havana.
IID.org: https://iid.dmni.net/how-the-july-11-protest-in-cuba-was-organized/

Odebrecht: the nightmare of corruption that stained the leaders of Latin America

The corruption plot that the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht orchestrated for 20 years and that came to light five years ago, cost Latin America not only a delay in its major infrastructure works but also to see some of its greatest political and business leaders fall into a dark spiderweb.
Swissinfo.ch, in Spanish: https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/odebrecht-latinoamérica—panorámica-_odebrecht–la-pesadilla-de-corrupción-que-manchó-a-líderes-de-américa-latina/47209716