Members of Congress Call for WHINSEC Shut-Down

Under the coordination of Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and John Lewis (D-GA) a group of 69 congressmen, 2 Republicans and 67 Democrats, signed a letter sent to President Obama on Tuesday soliciting that he close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), the successor to the controversial U.S. Army School of the Americas (SOA). The letter cites the economic benefits to closing the Institute and stresses the ‘problematic history and lack of transparency’ associated with its activities as justification for the shut-down.

The letter also makes note of the “history and legacy of WHINSEC” as “very problematic for broad sectors of Latin American civil society.” The School of the Americas was put in place by the United States in 1946 as part of a campaign to train Latin American militaries. After years of operations, criticisms of the school’s links to human rights violators in the region resulted in a bipartisan vote to close it in 1999. A year later however, the very next morning following the Pentagon shut-down of the facilities, WHINSEC was opened on the same site, under very similar operations. Then, in 2006, under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), all names and of students and faculty at the school were classified in a ‘rejection of public accountability and transparency.’

BBC Mundo reported on the story yesterday with commentary from the spokesman of SOA Watch, Hendrik Voss and a Public Relations representative from WHINSEC. SOA Watch has been working for years on a campaign to eliminate the School of the Americas (including its existence as WHINSEC) and serves as the main catalyst for the recent letter from congress. According to Voss, WHINSEC serves as tool for the U.S. Military through which they can ‘control the armies of Latin America and, in turn, their people, training soldiers to perform the Pentagon’s dirty work.’ In response to such accusations, WHINSEC argued that it is impossible to prove the connection between training that occurs at the school and the actions committed by soldiers after they leave.

The letter from Congress specifically addresses this issue in citing that WHINSEC “asserts…that is has neither the time nor the interest in following the activities or careers of its graduates of foreign faculty once they return to their own countries and institutional realities.” In response, the 69 congressional signers push for greater focus on pre-established in-country training institutions along with a transfer of responsibility to the countries themselves. It will be interesting to see if President Obama recognizes this recommendation as an opportunity to make a significant statement about U.S. commitment and support of human rights and rule of law.

News Briefs

• El Paso has become a refuge for Mexican’s trying to flee the violence along the border, particularly in Ciudad Juárez. While it’s neighboring city is considered one of the world’s deadliest, local officials are promoting El Paso as one of the nation’s safest. According to the Miami Herald’s coverage of the story, a community of Mexican refugees has been steadily growing in El Paso since 2006, with more than 50,000 Juárez residents fleeing to El Paso over the last three years.

• Marking the fourth week in a row security forces in Cuba have used physical force and violence to prevent women’s efforts to establish their right to protest. On Sunday, security forces barred a group of Ladies in White supporters from attending a Sunday church service, an opposition movement consisting of wives and relatives of jailed dissidents.

• An Associated Press photographer released a collection of beautiful photographs taken with a vintage camera of Mayan women vying to become this years National Indigenous Queen of Guatemala.

• Mexican President Felipe Calderon formally eliminated the “pocket veto,” which granted presidents the right to kill legislation by refusing to sign it, reports the AP.

• David Rivera, a South Florida Republican Representative proposed a bill on Tuesday that would remove the adjusted state of Cubans in the U.S. if they return to visit the island before receiving U.S. citizenship, which usually takes five years. The bill is a response to complaints that Cubans are abusing the Cuban Adjustment Act, which allows them to take refuge in the U.S. and receive residency after one year and one day.

• The CIA declassified more documents relating to the Bay of Pigs invasion, providing extensive details on measures taken by the U.S. to maintain ‘plausible denial.’

• Venezuela’s government announced yesterday that private hospitals will temporarily freeze their fees, in an effort to buy officials more time to solve the nation’s rising health care costs and increase access to the poor. Inflation in Venezuela is at 25.1%, the highest in Latin America currently.

• According to the Wall Street Journal, Mexican drug cartels are creeping into the methamphetamine market with some labs producing the drug at an industrial level.

• Venezuela is planning to transfer $6.3 billion dollars in cash reserves to Russian, Chinese, and Brazilian banks in an unexplained and potentially risky move. The WSJ analyzes the economic move.

• In a live interview with Al Jazeera, the Salvadoran president, Mauricio Funes argued that the Los Zetas drug cartel does not have interests in establishing its trade through El Salvador, except to contract gang leaders to indirectly distribute drugs locally.

• Representatives from student protestors in Chile and members of Confech (The Confederation of Chilean Students) met with members of congress this afternoon, in what could hopefully result in successful dialogue regarding demands for a educational reforms. Confech and the School of Professors are seeking authorization for a march on Thursday from the Plaza Italia, through La Alameda, to the Plaza de los Héroes.

• As recommended by InSight Crime, Al Jazeera has published an interesting series on organized crime and drug violence in Central America, specifically El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. The videos and articles are worth checking out.

• Following yesterday’s post, the transfer back to Colombia of FARC guerilla leader, Julian Conrado, captured in Venezuela continues to be delayed due to an asylum request. As InSight Crime reports, if the request is approved it could lead to ‘a new low phase in relations between the two countries.’

• Despite the deteriorating security situation in Venezuela as violence associated with organized crime and drug trafficking continues to steadily increase, few seem to making an issue of the conflict. James Bosworth questions why this significant threat to democracy is not being addressed by Chavez and the Venezuelan government.

The Accomarca Massacre: Peru’s ‘My Lai’

Following up on yesterday’s feature story, it seems that old wounds are being re-opened in Peru as well, with the case of a Peruvian Army major, Telmo Ricardo Hurtado-Hurtado. Hurtado was involved in the murder of 69 unarmed men in 1985 in Accomarca, Lima on grounds that they were members of the Shining Path, a Maoist guerilla organization in Peru, and thus ‘fair game.’

A recent blog post by Jo-Marie Burt chronicles the details of the story and provides links to recently declassified official US documents from the office of the ambassador to Peru. The documents provide evidence in support of Hurtado’s direct and planned involvement with the massacre, including a comment in which the interim ambassador refers to Accomarca as ‘Peru’s My Lai.’

Hurtado was convicted and sentenced to 6 years in prison immediately following the Accomarca massacre, but never actually served any time. Instead, he continued working with Peru’s military institution, even receiving high honors for his work. He fled to Miami in 2002 after the law of amnesty was nullified by the Inter-American Human Rights Court until he was finally detained and extradited in July. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement department provides more detailed coverage of his detainment and extradition. In January 2009, the ICE created the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center in an effort to better fulfill their commitment to keeping human rights violators out of the U.S. and properly brought to justice.

The trial brings into question whether the massacre was a single outrageous event or part of a systematic and planned campaign of human rights violations against the Peruvian people. According to Jo-Marie Burt, the answer is clear—Hurtado was not only directly involved with the planning of the massacre, but acted to cover up it’s existence and dispose of any related evidence.

Top News Stories

• In a news analysis published this weekend, the NY Times covers the rise in number of women incarcerated for federal crimes in Mexico, many of which are linked to drug trafficking.

• Guillermo Torres Cueter, a senior commander of the FARC wanted on charges of homicide, kidnapping, and rebellion was recently captured in Venezuela. His transfer to Colombia is currently being delayed while Venezuela’s Justice Ministry considers a request for asylum.

• The marriage of a transgender woman and a gay man in Cuba sheds light on changing attitudes towards sexuality in a previously persecuting environment, reports AP and BBC. While gay marriage is still illegal in Cuba, this might be a sign of more progressive changes to come.

• In Argentina, farmers who traditionally relied on the ranching business as a way of life, are now being pushed into soybean production, partly due to global market pressures and tough economic policies put in place under President Kirchner.

• A Chicago group is filing a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security on the grounds that local police are illegally detaining immigrants under the request of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement department—a violation of the 4^th and 5^th amendment rights, which apply to all individuals residing within the U.S., regardless of immigrant status.

• Chavez returned to Venezuela on Sunday after a second round of chemotherapy treatment in Cuba and says he will be undergoing daily evaluations. Monday morning, Vice President Elias Jaua had a chance to shine when he stood in for the President at an athletic competition, but apparently stumbled over his words and pronunciation, leading some to question his charismatic abilities.

• Four Mexican navy personnel were allegedly kidnapped by drug traffickers in Veracruz earlier this month and have yet to be found. According to the AP, the incident is unusual in that, typically, the bodies of victims turn up shortly after their disappearance.

• The leader of the FARC, Guillermo Leon Saenz, otherwise known as ‘Alfonso Cano,’ released a video calling for peace negotiations and open dialogue with the Colombian government, reports InSight Crime.

• Two members of the Rastrojos, a powerful gang in Colombia, came forward after murdering their boss and leader, ‘Sebastian,’ with the group’s payroll records, revealing how security forces in the Bajo Cauca region have been receiving regular payments and bribes from the gang, InSight Crime and El Tiempo report. The information demonstrates frequent collaboration between security forces and gang members, with local authorities even providing guns or valuable information at times.

• According to El Tiempo, Colombian police uncovered a link between major Colombian drug-traffickers and los Zetas, a powerful Mexican gang. InSight Crime delves further into the story, questioning the validity of the evidence as unfounded and a hyperbole.

• In Bolivia, hundreds of Amazonian Indians began what will be a 310 mile month-long march to La Paz in protest of the construction of a highway (funded and backed by Brazil) through a rainforest preserve, an area also home to many indigenous communities. BBC provides a short and informative video here.

• A land dispute in Honduras left 11 people dead, reports the AP, after a group of about 300 armed peasants tried to take over a ranch in the northern part of the country.

22 Years Later, Justice in El Salvador?

Almost 22 years ago, a group of Salvadoran military officers attacked and massacred six priests, an employee and her daughter at the University of Central America. El Salvador’s Supreme Court is now considering whether to extradite a group of retired militaries responsible for the massacre or try them at home.

Nine retired generals voluntarily turned themselves in last week at a military garrison in San Salvador and the case was immediately turned over to a civilian court. The case has become a source of hot debate in the country, as some Salvadorans argue that these are wounds of the past and should not be reopened. Retired military officers and their families protested the decision to hear the case in front of the Spanish embassy, arguing that respect should be given to the ex-militaries and the Court should consider what is best for the nation as a whole.

The case has extended to Spain, where Supreme Court justice Velasco solicited the capture of several Spanish militaries also involved in the massacre. The international nature of this case has opened up an unresolved debate of broader implications about universal justice and national rights. At what point must we put our national communities aside in order to achieve justice?

According to the Miami Herald, several perpetrators involved in the massacre remain unscathed in various locations across the U.S. Following President Obama’s recent ban on entry visas to anyone having committed serious violations, the editorial urged that the policy be extended to those already living within the U.S, allowing for justice to be served.

News Briefs

• Due to various corruption scandals, Brazil President Rousseff was forced to fire her minister of defense, Nelson Jobim last week. In a controversial decision, he will be replaced by Celso Amorim, a ‘seasoned political veteran’ and leftist ally of the President. According to Southern Pulse, the appointment could lead to both positive and negative effects on military cooperation in the region.
• As Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos faces upcoming local elections in October, he is also facing several ongoing security challenges which could have a direct impact on the election outcome. Southern Pulse reports on the various internal and external factors Santos must monitor as he enters his second year in office.
• Mexico’s official National Human Rights Commission issued a complaint on Friday accusing Mexican security forces of illegal searches, planting evidence, and stealing people’s possessions, reports the NY Times. According to the recommendation by the Commission, violations have sharply increased in the last year and sometimes include the use of force and violence against victims. IPS covers the extensive dangers against human rights activists and defenders by Mexican security forces.
• InSight Crime and a McClathy Mexico Blog analyze the White House decision to single out Los Zetas as one of the four criminal groups which pose a threat to ‘the stability of international and economic systems.’ Both articles question whether the Sinoaloa Cartel is actually the driving force behind rising destabilization and violence in Mexico.
• As the global economy continues to weaken, Brazil may present an alternative for foreigners looking for a place to relocate and invest, according to an intriguing NY Times piece. American, British, and other European educated professionals are flocking to the region with a ‘gold-rush mindset’ looking to start new enterprises. Brazil bounced back remarkably well from the 2008 recession with a 7.5 percent growth rate last year and about 4 percent this year.
• According to BN Americas, Latin America’s judicial system is lacking in its ability to tackle increasing cybercrime in the region. While laws exist in some countries, their implementation and quality do not meet the standards necessary to monitor cybercrime.
• As a central piece of her re-election campaign, leftist President Cristina Kirchner is touting Argentina’s relative economic success and growth in contrast to the faltering global economy. Political opponents and economic analysts argue that Argentina’s economy may not be as strong as Kirchner says it is, due to inflation, loose monetary policy, and high government spending. Regardless, the NY Times reported last night that Kirchner came out far ahead of her opponents in the first national primary, winning 49 percent of the vote.
• In response to conservative criticisms of the Washington Post’s coverage of the issue, Patrick Pexton provides a complete timeline of links to the publication’s coverage of the ATF’s Fast and Furious program.
• Along with the Inter-American Development Bank and the University of Chile, the Open Society Institute announced a call for proposals promoting the ‘design and implementation of effective crime prevention practices in Latin America and the Caribbean,’ opening on August 15^th and ending September 16^th. Details here.
• Brazilian judge Patricia Acioli was shot dead on Friday in the city of Niteroi by two unidentified men on motorbikes, reports BBC and la Veja. Acioli was known for her work against organized crime, corrupt police officers, and vigilante gangs.

A Cautiously Optimistic Economic Forecast for Latin America

Dear Readers,

Today’s post will be my last for several weeks, as I’m moving to Medellin, Colombia. Starting next week the very capable Julia Sick will be taking over the mailing list and blog.  I will return on September 5, and she and I will alternate postings from then on. I wish you all a very pleasant rest of the summer, and thank you for following my posts.

Best,

Geoff

During the 2008 recession, Latin American economies managed to hold together reasonably well, with average regional growth only falling by little more than two percent in 2009 and bouncing back to six percent last year.  While the economic forecast for the coming years is still unclear, the region may meet a potential deepening of the European and U.S. debt crises with the same resilience, especially in South America.  Indeed, Bloomberg and Reuters report that finance ministers from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) are meeting in Buenos Aires to consider creating a $10 to $20 billion emergency fund to assist nations that undergo a loss in foreign direct investment in the coming months.

As noted in today’s Economist, inflation in Latin America remains higher than most would like and a decrease in exchange rates would be more than welcome, but the region’s central banks have managed to raise interest rates to combat this. Additionally, fiscal deficits and national debt are low.  Citing the UN Economic Commission for Latin America, the article claims that public debt averaged only 32% in the region, minus the Caribbean.

The primary driver of growth in the Latin America has been demand for minerals and agricultural exports. In South America the main contributor of this demand has been China, and this is likely to stay high.  What’s more, domestic consumption has been on the rise in recent years as well, as an increasing number of people in the region climb out of poverty and find themselves with more discretionary income.

Still, Latin America faces major economic hurdles in the coming years, most notably from a lack of public investment in education and infrastructure.  As a second Economist piece points out, this is especially the case in the region’s major cities, home to 80 percent of its population:

Latin America’s overall record of productivity growth is poor, thanks to a toxic mixture of burdensome regulation, a large informal economy and a lack of innovation. Given the cities’ economic weight, it is not surprising that many of the region’s wider problems are reflected there. Compared with their peers in developed countries, Latin America’s top ten cities are unsafe, suffer endemic housing shortages, poor schooling and weak health services. They are also inefficient in their energy use and waste management.

For example, every dollar of GDP generated in Chile’s capital, Santiago, requires 60% more energy than a dollar of GDP generated in (much colder) Helsinki in Finland. [Management consulting firm] McKinsey reckons that Bogotá needs to double its housing stock by 2025. Overcoming Latin America’s housing shortage and supplying its urban population with associated services (sewerage, water, gas and electricity) would require investment of $3 trillion by 2025.

So if Latin America’s “jaguars” hope to catch up with the Asian tigers and Indian elephant, they will have to devote more attention to urban planning issues like overcrowding, housing shortages and pollution. But with the region’s economies embracing a recent push towards fiscal tightening, and more likely to come, it remains to be seen if they have it in them.

News Briefs

• Mercopress has positive news on the stock market front: the MSCI Latin America stock index is on the rise after taking a serious beating last week. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index is up by 10% since it fell to its lowest point in two years on Monday.

• CNN Mexico and AP report that the Mexican Supreme Court has voted to let Mexico City maintain ownership of a plot of land in the capital, which was expropriated by then-mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.  Lopez Obrador very nearly lost his mayoral position in 2005 after he ignored a court order to return the land, an incident which severely hampered his 2006 presidential campaign.

• Mexican police announced yesterday that they had arrested the alleged leader of a drug gang known as “The Hand With Eyes,” a group which has been blamed for bringing an uptick in violence to the Mexico City area.  Milenio says the man, Óscar Osvaldo García Montoya, alias “El Compayito,” has confessed to ordering or participating in more than 600 murders in the area.  According to AFP, Garcia was trained in Guatemala by ex-members of the country’s special forces, known as “kaibiles.”

• CNN en Español interviewed Guatemalan human rights advocate and 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu, in which she claims that her country’s politics is dominated by a “fascist, racist mentality.”  Menchu also reports receiving death threats ahead of the upcoming September elections.

• Colombians for Peace, the organization led by former Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba, has sent a formal request to the FARC, asking the guerrillas to release their hostages unconditionally. Caracol has a copy of the letter, which was signed by several humanitarian leaders of the region.  Cordoba  told CM& yesterday that she remains convinced that her effort has potential to bring the rebels to the table and initiate a series of peace negotiations.

• Colombia Reports profiles a demonstration in Medellin yesterday by members of Antioquia’s indigenous. CR cites the country’s Constitutional Court as saying that more than 27 indigenous groups are in danger of being wiped out as a result of the country’s armed conflict.  Meanwhile, Gustavo Gallon, the director of the Colombian Commission of Jurists, writes in an op-ed for El Espectador that 3,000 paramilitaries who supposedly demobilized in 2005 are unaccounted for today, and it is expected that many have rejoined armed groups.

• AP reports that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has accused the opposition of trying to foment discontent within the ranks of the country’s military.  In an address made via telephone yesterday, he told the armed forces to “be ready for any possible conflict like those in Libya and Syria,” saying that the U.S. is in decline and is looking for potential targets, “like a wounded lion.”  Meanwhile, Reuters claims that Chavez has finished his second round of chemotherapy in Havana and is expecting to return to his home country “soon.”

• Reuters reports on Peruvian President Ollanta Humala’s odd withdrawal from the spotlight in the first few weeks of his presidency, even in the face of several mild scandals. While some in the country say he is still taking stock of his responsibilities and getting his agenda in order, others argue that his diverse range of cabinet picks has made it difficult for him to take action.

• Chile’s El Mostrador published a very detailed report on the country’s social unrest earlier this week, highlighting the students’ new demand for a constitutional referendum.  Meanwhile, the Atlantic offers some incredible photos of the demonstrations.

• Bloomberg says that Argentina’s presidential race promises to be more competitive than most have predicted.  Although President Cristina Fernandez is still nearly 20 points ahead of her nearest competitor, 30 percent of the country is undecided or is leaning towards minor candidates, meaning that the contest is far from over. Fernandez will face a primary election on August 14, the results of which will serve as an indicator of her popularity.

A Presidential Pardon for Humala's Imprisoned Brother?

Something of a political firestorm is brewing in Peru, after several high-ranking members of President Ollanta Humala’s cabinet made comments which seemingly endorsed an early release for Humala’s brother, Maj. Antauro Humala. Antauro led a failed coup against then-president Alejandro Toledo in Januray of 2005 that killed four policemen, and is now serving a 25-year prison term. 

On Monday, Defense Minister Daniel Mora made headlines in the country when he attempted to downplay the role that the president’s brother had in leading the coup.  In an interview with El Comercio, Mora said that Antauro was "not involved directly, [as] he didn’t grab a gun, he sparked the movement."  On Tuesday, Vice President Omar Chehade supported these claims.  "What the defense minister said is true. From what I've been able to tell, Antauro Humala was not a person who shot and used a weapon, nor did he issue an order to shoot any police," he said.  Yesterday the imprisoned former army major himself told local press that his brother would be a “harlequin” if he did not free him, saying such a move would embody the 1979 constitution that Humala swore on during his inauguration ceremony.

Peruvian human rights groups have expressed concern over these statements, noting that Antauro’s release would set a precedent which could potentially lead to the release of disgraced ex-president Alberto Fujimori.  So far, however, there has been no signal from President Humala that grant a pardon. As BBC notes, after his other brother created a scandal by meeting with high-level officials in Russia last month, Humala has promised not to involve his relatives in his administration, and asked them not to interfere with his term.

News Briefs

·         Americas Quarterly has released its Summer 2010 issue, titled “Sports: Business, Integration and Social Change,” which highlights the role of sports in furthering politics and business in the region.  Be sure to check out former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela’s article on how U.S.-Latin American relations have changed over time.  Also of interest is Anthony DePalma’s analysis of the challenges facing the Organization of American States.

·         Following Venezuelan Prison Minister Iris Varela’s announcement that new admissions into prison would be put on hold temporarily in order to combat overcrowding, AP reports that holding cells in police stations are filling up at an alarming rate.

·         According to El Tiempo. a Colombian court has sentenced FARC leader Alfonso Cano in absentia to 40 years in prison for a 1998 attack on the municipality of Mitu, which killed 43 people.

·         Former Colombian presidential candidate Antanas Mockus has officially joined the Bogota mayoral race, running as a member of the Social Independent Alliance (Alianza Social Independiente, formerly the Alianza Social Indígena).  El Tiempo takes a look at what effect he may have on the elections, noting that a conflict with his former Green Party contemporary Enrique Penalosa may do them both more harm than good.   

·         Proceso reports that Javier Sicilia and other leaders of Mexico’s Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity held a press conference yesterday in which they called for a demonstration against the proposed Security Law, which Mexican lawmakers are on the verge of passing. When asked about his decision to cut of dialogue with the government last week in response to the law’s support in Congress, Sicilia expressed hope that it would be restored and said the movement would contact lawmakers in the coming days with a list of demands.

·         El Diario de Juarez reports that José Refugio Ruvalcaba Plascencia, a former Juarez police chief, was gunned down inside an Applebee's in Chihuahua yesterday.

·         At Foreign Policy, Jose Cardenas argues that the State Department is not taking a Congressional request to look into Argentina’s ties with Iran seriously enough. Cardenas claims that there is good reason to suspect that Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez is “playing the middleman to real or considered nuclear exchanges between Argentina and Iran.”

·         Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa delivered his annual address to Congress yesterday.  AFP reports that he devoted much of it to criticizing the press in the country.  As WOLA’s Adam Isaacson notes, the country’s major newspapers all published the same front page yesterday, criticizing Correa’s recent 80 million dollar defamation lawsuit against another publication.

·         Pagina 12 reports that the head of Brazil’s armed forces is under investigation for falsifying contracts and engaging in other corrupt acts.

·         Chilean President Sebastian Piñera introduced legislation allowing civil unions for same-sex couples on Tuesday.  According to El Mercurio, several members of Piñera’s party did not attend a ceremony commemorating the bill, underscoring its unfortunately controversial nature.

Brazilian Officials Fear "Genocide" of Isolated Amazonian Tribe at Hands of Drug Traffickers

As noted in yesterday’s post, reports have surfaced that an uncontacted tribe known as the Panoan people in the Brazilian Amazon may have been eliminated by Peruvian drug traffickers. After the tribe was first discovered in 2008, Brazil’s National Indian Foundation  (Funai) established a five-man research post to study and protect the Panoans from potential interference from outsiders.

But after the post was recently assaulted by armed gunmen, the researchers fled.  According to Survival International, an indigenous rights advocacy group, when Brazilian authorities returned to the site of the tribe, they recovered a drug trafficker's rucksack with a broken Indian arrow in it, but no other signs of the Panoans.  From the AP:

A Funai statement said the outpost is located in an Ethno-Environmental Protected Area along the Envira River in the state of Acre, just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the Brazil-Peru border. Funai president Mario Meira was scheduled to arrive at the outpost on Tuesday accompanied by a Justice Ministry official and federal police agents, the statement said. 

According to the statement, the arrowhead belongs to the indigenous group that made international headlines in 2008 when tribesmen were photographed firing arrows at an overflying plane. 

"The arrow head is like an identity card of the isolated Indians," Carlos Travassos, of Funai's isolated Indians division, is quoted as saying in the statement. "We are more worried than ever. This situation could be one of the biggest blows to our work protecting isolated groups in the last decades. A catastrophe for our society. A genocide!"

The incident raises questions about the ethical implications of contacting isolated peoples.  While indigenous rights advocates claim that limiting contact is necessary in order to protect their right to self-determination, it is worth questioning whether the Brazilian government’s decision to keep its distance from the Panoans did more harm than good.  With illegal logging and drug trafficking becoming more common in the Brazilian Amazon, such instances could become increasingly common, and are a reminder of the disastrous effect that the drug trade can have on local communities, even in the hemisphere’s most isolated regions.

News Briefs

·         The Wall Street Journal says that Brazil's Bovespa Index fell by 7.5 percent in response to the U.S. debt crisis before recovering slightly, casting doubt on its performance in the coming months. Still, in an interview with the Miami Herald’s Andres Oppenheimer, Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said he was “very optimistic” about Brazil’s economic future, and the future of the region in general, citing efforts by Latin American nations to diversify their economies beyond the commodities market.

·         The new Brazilian Minister of Defense, Celso Amorim, is in favor of withdrawing peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission for Stabilization in Haiti (MINUSTAH), O Globo reports.

·         The New York Times reports that U.S. immigration officials are increasingly checking the documentation status of those seeking entry into Mexico.  Rather than cracking down on undocumented immigration, however, some say that the measures make it harder for immigrants to leave.

·         Mexico analyst Patrick Corcoran has written an insightful piece over at Mexidata.info on how the country’s next administration should reevaluate the country’s security crisis. Because the current strategy has no set definition of what constitutes “victory” in the drug war, he argues that “Mexico’s next president should fill this semantic vacuum by articulating a rough sketch of what the end result of his security policies will be.” Meanwhile, the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute has new updates regarding the 2012 election process, specifically regarding the PAN and PRD parties.

·         It seems that Mexico now has something of a Unabomber-type terrorist cell on its hands. Excelsior reports that an anti-technology group known as "Individuals Tending to Savagery" has claimed responsibility for detonating a package bomb at a university in Mexico City on Monday. According to a statement on the group’s website, the professors injured in the attack were targeted for furthering the "destruction, manipulation and domestication of the Earth." AP reports that another suspicious (and presumably expolosive) package was found at Mexico's National Polytechnical Institute on Tuesday, though it didn't detonate.

·         Former New Mexico Governor and Republican presidential candidate Gary Johnson wrote an interesting op-ed in the Washington Times last Fruday, arguing that border violence is a “prohibition problem” and calling on the U.S. to legalize marijuana in order to cut down on drug-related homicides in Mexico.

·         Christian Science Monitor correspondent Nacha Cattan takes a look at recent reports on foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico, noting that the violence does not seem to be having an effect.   According to a report by Mexico’s Economic Secretary released late last month, the seven states where the most drug-related murders take place now receive even greater shares of  the country’s FDI than before the wave of violence began.

·         James Bosworth of Bloggings by Boz argues that the rejection of Torres’ candidacy is a sign that "the Guatemalan election and judicial institutions held their ground on this issue." However, it is hard to see this as much more than forced optimism, considering that the country’s courts are the same ones that acquitted former President Alfonso Portillo of corruption charges, despite overwhelming evidence of his guilt.

·         Plaza Publica highlights accusations that the world’s third largest banana company, Del Monte, has hired one of the most powerful drug trafficking families in the country to intimidate labor activists in Guatemala.  Since 2008, at least four union leaders have been murdered in the country.  A dispute settlement panel in Washington is scheduled this Thursday to hear complaints from workers that Guatemala has failed to protect labor rights as required under a free-trade agreement with the U.S.

·         InSight Crime’s Jerry McDermott offers some quality analysis of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos’ new security strategy. As he notes, the president’s new approach only barely touches on impunity in the country, which McDermott labels the “Achilles heel” of the security plan.

·         La Republica reports that Carlos Herrera Descalzi, the Peruvian Minister of Energy and Mining announced yesterday he would be meeting with Minister of Finance, Luis Miguel Castilla this week in order to review progress on the mining windfall tax. The proposed tax was a hallmark of President Humala’s campaign, and is expected to be a major source of funding for his poverty reduction campaign. Representatives from the finance ministry will be meeting with mining companies on Friday to share their views and proposals on the subject.

·         Chile’s El Ciudadano reports on the latest wave of student protests in the country, claiming that nearly 500,000 demonstrators took to the streets yesterday to mobilize in support of greater access to education. Student leaders continued their demands for a national referendum on their demands, which the government has dismissed.