Inter-American Watch
Monday, March 21, 2022
The Americas
“It’s either kill or be killed’: the South American going to fight in Ukraine
From Brazil and Argentina to Mexico and Colombia, volunteer fighters have voiced interest in joining – or already joined – Ukraine’s international legion for what they describe as a mix of ideological, humanitarian and financial reasons. The volunteers range from battle-hardened veterans of Colombia’s US-backed “war on drugs” to Argentinian students who have never picked up a gun and Brazilian Instagram influencers who have been criticised for putting lives at risk by using the conflict as clickbait.
The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/its-either-kill-or-be-killed-the-south-americans-going-to-fight-in-ukraine
Russia/Ukraine conflict adds to Latin American corporate challenges
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine adds additional pressure to the headwinds faced by non-financial corporates in Latin America, says Fitch Ratings. These challenges include additional supply disruptions, accelerating inflation, slower economic growth, softening consumer spending, currency depreciation and growing risk-off sentiment.
Fitch Ratings: https://www.fitchratings.com/research/corporate-finance/russia-ukraine-conflict-adds-to-latin-american-corporate-challenges-16-03-2022
Nine of Latin America’s most wanted fugitives arrested in global operation
An operation coordinated by INTERPOL has led to the capture of nine of Latin America’s most wanted fugitives and positively located several more. Under the banner of the European Union-funded “INTERPOL Support to EL PAcCTO’ project, the four-day operation in early March brought together investigators from across Latin America and four European countries specialized in tracking down fugitives.
Homeland Security Today: https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/border-security/nine-of-latin-americas-most-wanted-fugitives-arrested-in-global-operation/
Satellite station or espionage? How is the most mysterious Russian base in Latin America
It was inaugurated five years ago in Nicaragua “to combat drug trafficking” but there is no known anti-drug operation in which it has participated.
Infobae, in Spanish: https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2022/03/17/estacion-satelital-o-espionaje-como-es-la-mas-misteriosa-base-rusa-en-america-latina/
Argentina
Argentina: a doorway for Putin to Latin America
The ruling Peronist party has been contorting itself to square its long deference to the Russian leader with international outrage at his latest brutality.
The New York Sun: https://www.nysun.com/article/a-doorway-for-putin-to-latin-america
Argentina’s IMF bailout deal includes a wild clause that rips cryptocurrencies
The deal, which was approved in a 56 to 13 vote in the Senate, includes a wild provision that will force the government of President Alberto Fernández to take a tough anti-cryptocurrency stance. The clause detailed Argentina’s efforts “to discourage the use of cryptocurrencies with a view to preventing money laundering, informality, and disintermediation” in order to “to further safeguard financial stability.”
Yahoo! Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/argentina-imf-bailout-deal-includes-190748787.html
IMF: President Biden backed Alberto Fernandez to avoid Argentina’s default
In a strong political signal of support for the government and appealing to an old board decision, the White House ordered the IMF to allow payments to be postponed until the end of March.
Infobae, in Spanish: https://www.infobae.com/politica/2022/03/21/fmi-alberto-fernandez-fue-respaldado-por-joseph-biden-para-evitar-que-argentina-caiga-hoy-en-default/
Government admits to growing tensions with kirchnerismo
Vote on IMF debt deal exposes split within ruling coalition; Government spokesperson Gabriela Cerruti admits to tensions between President Alberto Fernández and Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Buenos Aires Times: https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/government-admits-to-growing-tensions-within-frente-de-todos.phtml
Peru
Top Peru court approves release of former President Alberto Fujimori
The former Peruvian leader has been serving a jail sentence since 2007 for human rights violations. The court reinstated a “humanitarian pardon” on health grounds first announced in 2017 but revoked within a year.
Deutsche Welle: https://www.dw.com/en/top-peru-court-approves-release-of-ex-president-alberto-fujimori/a-61167362
Freshly appointed Minister of Justice represented rapist condemned to eight years in prison
In January 2013, the new Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Félix Chero Medina, filed a habeas corpus petition against judges of the Superior Court of Justice of Amazonas, and even against the Prosecutor’s Office itself, requesting that the resolution issued against Segundo Quispe Astuchado, sentenced for sexually raping a minor, be declared null and void. The rapist was finally sentenced to eight years in prison.
Peru21, in Spanish: https://peru21.pe/politica/felix-chero-medina-defensor-de-sentenciado-por-violacion-es-nuevo-ministro-de-justicia-noticia/
High ranking officer in Petroperu fired under suspicion of corruption
The management of the general manager of Petroperu, Hugo Chávez Arévalo, was under question since it became known that he had visited President Castillo at the same time as two businessmen who later won a multimillion-dollar tender in Petroperu.
Infobae, in Spanish: https://www.infobae.com/america/peru/2022/03/20/hugo-chavez-arevalo-renuncio-a-la-gerencia-general-de-petroperu/
Bolivia
Drug trafficking economy in Bolivia moves up to $2.5 billion a year: study
An academic study sponsored by the UAGRM economics degree and led by the economist Alejandro Banegas estimates that drugs (cocaine and marijuana) generate a movement equivalent to 5% of GDP.
Pagina Siete, in Spanish: https://www.paginasiete.bo/seguridad/2022/3/20/estudio-drogas-mueven-entre-us-2000-mm-us-2500-mm-al-ano-326316.html
The rise of drug trafficking in Bolivia highlights the struggle for power between Luis Arce and Evo Morales
The Movement for Socialism (MAS) is breaking down more and more, and it no longer seems to even want to hide it. However, drug trafficking is the area where fissures begin to appear with which the country and the region must be very careful given its rise and the increasingly close link with political power.
Gaceta de la Iberosfera, in Spanisih: https://gaceta.es/actualidad/el-auge-del-narcotrafico-en-bolivia-pone-en-evidencia-la-lucha-por-el-poder-entre-arce-y-morales-20220316-0039/
Drug trafficking, smuggling and human trafficking hit Cochabamba
Smuggling with human trafficking and 200 thousand sellers of illegal products affect Cochabamba. Drug trafficking is also linked to this practice. Women and young people under 35 years of age are more vulnerable to “falling” into smuggling networks due to lack of employment.
Opinion, in Spanish: https://www.opinion.com.bo/articulo/cochabamba/asocian-contrabando-trata-personas-suman-200-mil-vendedores-productos-ilegales-cochabamba/20220320214009859564.html
UN and OAS question Bolivia for the use and traffic of mercury
The use of mercury in mining and its trafficking to Peru, Brazil and Colombia, where it is prohibited, has earned Bolivia strong criticism from the United Nations and the Organization of American States, which have called on the Bolivian authorities to honor commitments international.
The San Diego Union-Tribune: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/en-espanol/noticias/story/2022-03-15/onu-y-oea-cuestionan-a-bolivia-por-el-uso-de-mercurio
Ecuador
Ecuador seizes 3.15 tons of drugs valued in $7.8 millions
President Guillermo Lasso has admitted that “drug trafficking has gained space in Ecuadorian society.” The country, located between Colombia and Peru, the world’s largest producers of cocaine, ceased to be a transit country and now faces large-scale drug trafficking through its ports on the Pacific and the retail sale of cocaine and derivatives in the domestic market.
Diario Las Americas, in Spanish: https://www.diariolasamericas.com/america-latina/ecuador-decomisa-315-toneladas-droga-n4245361
A third of the drug seized is for national consumption, says Governor of Guayas
Drug trafficking has not only caused a growing number of violence in the streets of Ecuador and the contamination of international shipping containers, but also, according to data from the governor of Guayas, Pablo Arosemena, a large amount of consumption is recorded within the country.
Vistazo.com, in Spanish: https://www.vistazo.com/actualidad/nacional/un-tercio-de-la-droga-incautada-es-para-consumo-nacional-asegura-gobernador-del-guayas-AE1457031
Analysis
Mary Anastasia O’Grady: A Chávez admirer could take Colombia
Ukrainians are fighting for their homeland with everything they have because they know what they’re in for if Vladimir Putin prevails. Colombians might want to take note. They’re not at risk of losing their freedom at the point of a gun, but the peril they face if former left-wing M-19 guerrilla Gustavo Petro wins the May 29 presidential election is no less daunting.
Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-chavez-admirer-could-take-colombia-latin-america-presidential-election-farc-11647795131
Pedro Corzo: Colombia. The right to choose
Colombians are in a serious dilemma, I appreciate in my conversations with some of them, a serious level of frustration with traditional politicians because they fiercely defend the “status quo” without realizing that there are reforms that society urgently demands because in addition to being fair, would be a factor to frustrate the chances that a sector of the country that historically has defended indiscriminate violence and favored political efforts that result in the loss of the rights of all, will reach the government.
Interamerican Institute for Democracy: https://iid.dmni.net/colombia-the-right-to-choose/
Why Brazil and Argentina chose Russia over Ukraine
Brazil and Argentina’s handling of the Ukraine crisis will have to be chalked up as one more lost opportunity among many that have gone by before.
The National Interest: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-brazil-and-argentina-chose-russia-over-ukraine-201244
