Inter-American Watch
Wednesday 19th, 2021
(Casto Ocando, Editor)
Peru
Peru’s Congress approves law limiting President Pedro Castillo power
Peruvian lawmakers passed a law that limits the power of President Pedro Castillo to dissolve congress, imposing a defeat on the leftist leader just three months into his government.
(Bloomberg, subscription: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-20/peru-s-congress-approves-law-that-limits-president-s-power)
Prosecutor’s Office of Peru bans Richard Rojas, newly appointed ambassador in Venezuela, from leaving the country on money laundering charges
The newly appointed ambassador of Peru in Venezuela, Richard Rojas, could be prevented from assuming his functions as a diplomat, after the Public Ministry requested a measure of impediments to leaving the country, “within the framework of the investigation that is being followed for alleged money laundering“.
(Market Research Telecast: https://marketresearchtelecast.com/why-the-prosecutors-office-of-peru-requests-that-richard-rojas-newly-appointed-ambassador-of-lima-in-venezuela-be-banned-from-leaving-the-country/182003/)
Peru coca farmers protest government crop eradication program supported by US
In Peru, growing coca leaf is legal as long as it is registered on an official list which hasn’t been renewed for 43 years by various governments. Thousands of growers plant it without that permit so their crops are destroyed.
Peru receives support from U.S.-funded helicopters to transport hundreds of workers the government hires to uproot coca leaf bushes from the ground.
According to the authorities, most of these crops serve, through a chemical process, as the main ingredient for the manufacture of cocaine.
(Associated Press: https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/south-america/peru-coca-farmers-protest-govt-crop-eradication.html)
Key presidential advisor in Peru: “If Castillo’s government were to lean towards Communism, the first to resign would be me”
Ricardo Belmont, recently appointed as advisor to the Presidential Office by Pedro Castillo, assured that he will be the first to resign from his position if he sees any inclination of the Government towards communism.
“We have been very violent on the issue of communism and terrorism. People know that I am not a communist and I am not a terrorist, but they do know how I think for 50 years and I am consistent with my thinking, “he said in a transmission on Facebook this Monday.
(Peru21, in Spanish: https://peru21.pe/politica/ricardo-belmont-si-el-gobierno-se-inclinara-al-comunismo-el-primero-en-presentar-su-renuncia-seria-yo-nndc-noticia/?ref=p21r)
Peruvian Police arrests terrorist from Sendero Luminoso who was planning to assassinate journalists, protected witnesses
Edgar Edwin Torpoco Ortiz (19) was arrested last week in the VRAEM (Peru’s largest coca growing area), with a pendrive containing information about plans to assassinate journalists Jaime Antezana, Pedro Yaranga, and several protected witnesses, the Minister of Defense informed on Tuesday.
(Caretas Magazine in Spanish: https://caretas.pe/politica/policia-detuvo-a-joven-senderista-con-informacion-para-asesinar-a-periodistas-y-colaboradores-eficaces/)
Chavista Intelligence General affirms that Venezuela financed former presidential candidate Ollanta Humala
Hugo Carvajal Barrios, a.k.a. El Pollo (the chicken), a former powerful key member of the regimes of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, faces extradition requests from the United States for drug trafficking, and from Venezuela for treason. From Spain, he denounced that among others, Chavez and Maduro financed Nestor Kirchner (Argentina), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Lula da Silva (Brazil), Fernando Lugo (Paraguay), Manuel Zelaya (Honduras), Gustavo Petro (Colombia), and the politicas parties Movimiento Cinco Estrellas (Italy) and Podemos (Spain).
(La Republica, in Spanish: https://larepublica.pe/politica/2021/10/20/general-chavista-de-inteligencia-afirma-que-su-gobierno-financio-a-ollanta-humala/)
Argentina
Argentina freezes goods prices after talks break down
Argentina’s government froze prices of over a thousand household goods until early 2022 on Tuesday in a bid to tamp down inflation, pushing the measure through by force after talks with the country’s main food industry chamber broke down.
Venezuela, Argentina experienced the most dramatic decline in rule of law in Latin America
The rule of law has deteriorated around the world over the course the pandemic, worsening yearslong negative trends in civil and criminal justice, discrimination, government consolidation of power and corruption, a new study conducted by the World Justice Project shows. Venezuela ranked the lowest in the index worldwide. In Latin America, this year’s rankings revealed Argentina experienced the mosts dramatic decline in rule of law, tying with Nigeria, Nicaragua and Kyrgystan, for the third-largest decline worldwide. Argentina’s steep decline in its adherence to the rule of law follows new pandemic-era restrictions in the country imposing one of the strictest lockdowns in the world for over six months and enacting police violence on those who did not comply with quarantine measure.
(U.S. News & World Report: https://wtop.com/news/2021/10/global-rule-of-law-declines-during-pandemic-study-shows/)
Analysis: Will the Alberto and CFK political rivalry cost Argentina dearly?
Argentina is at the precipice of political and social uncertainties — Argentine legislative elections are due in November 2021 and a lot is at stake for the incumbent. Already, tensions are rife within the government since the current President Alberto Fernandez lost the September open primary elections. A mirror test before the November midterm elections, a loss in the primaries indicates a trust deficit among the people. While the reasons for this deficit include falling social indices and deteriorating economic conditions, there is also significant internal party dissent and revolt that has worsened the situation.
(Intelligentsia Risk Advisors: https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/view-will-the-alberto-and-cfk-political-rivalry-cost-argentina-dearly-11156022.htm)
Argentinian flight attendant busted smuggling gold bars, rolex watches and cash on flight to Miami
A veteran American Airlines flight attendant has been arrested in Argentina on suspicion of trying to smuggle two gold bars, thousands of dollars worth of expensive jewelry and cash, as well as other expensive goods out of Argentina on a flight to Miami which she was the head purser of. The 57-year-old female flight attendant has been identified by local Argentine media as Laura Diana Schulz who is originally from Bariloche. Schulz’s arrest is making headlines in Argentina because she was a former Reina de la Nieve (Snow Queen) in her home town’s famous winter festival. Officers from Argentina’s Policía de Seguridad Aeroportuaria (airport police) stopped Schulz during a routine check as she was going to board American Airlines flight AA900 from Buenos Aires to Miami.
Ecuador
Ecuador president declares 60-day state of emergency ver drug violence
“Starting immediately, our Armed Forces and police will be felt with force in the streets because we are decreeing a state of emergency throughout the national territory,” said the president Guillermo Lasso in a speech broadcast by the state channel EcuadorTV. “In the streets of Ecuador there is only one enemy: drug trafficking,” declared Lasso, adding that “in recent years Ecuador has gone from being a drug trafficking country to one that also consumes drugs.”
The announcement came on the eve of an official visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ecuador and Colombia in a bid to support and broaden ties with the Latin American democracies.
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken says Ecuador’s Lasso vows commitment to democratic principles during drug crackdown
Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso assured U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday that democratic principles would be upheld during a state of emergency that Lasso declared to combat narcotics, Blinkensaid in a visit to Ecuador.
Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Mauricio Montalvo joint statements in Quito, Ecuador
(White House Press Release: https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-ecuadorian-foreign-minister-mauricio-montalvo-at-a-joint-press-availability/)
Analysis: What’s behind Ecuador’s rising murder rate?
Ecuador’s declining homicide rate had been a success story. Now the country is facing a state of emergency.
(Foreign Policy, subscription: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/10/20/whats-behind-ecuadors-rising-murder-rate/)
Bolivia
Bolivia welcomes Iran’s investments in various sectors
Bolivian Ambassador to Tehran Romina Guadalupe, in a meeting with the Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam-Hossein Shafeie on Wednesday, invited the Iranian private sector to invest in her country’s major industries.
Guadalupe welcomed the Iranian private sector’s investment in medicine and health, mining, gas, and petrochemical projects.
(Tehran Times: https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/466223/Bolivia-welcomes-Iran-s-investment-in-various-sectors)
Bolivia has become safe haven for “Narcosur,” the powerful brazilian drug cartel
The Federal Police’s struggle in the neighboring country and its central geographic location in South America have turned Bolivia into a safe haven for Narcosur, as investigators refer to the cartel comprising members of the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital, Brazil’s largest criminal organization), associated with international drug trafficking.
(The Rio Times: https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/bolivia-has-become-safe-haven-for-narcosur-the-pccs-drug-cartel/)
Other News
U.S. to Issue Migration Appeal to South American Nations
Blinken, in a meeting in Colombia, will urge countries to share responsibility for migration patterns.
(WSJ, subscription: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-issue-migration-appeal-to-south-american-nations-11634669545)
Spanish National Court agreed to hand over Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal, former head of Chavista intelligence, to the U.S.
The former Venezuelan general is wanted for drug trafficking, money laundering and collaboration with the FARC guerrillas. Recently he revealed information about financing a wide network of South American politicians, from Colombia and Peru, to Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
