Brazil
On the last day of the annual Free Land Camp, over 300 indigenous groups marched in Brasilia to “protest against the random and dangerous indigenous policies” of the government of president Jair Bolsonaro. More than 2,000 people demanding more land rights and access to public services filled the main avenue in the nation’s capital. The group was protesting Bolsonaro’s decision to eliminate the Special Secretary for Indigenous Health (Sesai) and the National Foundation for the Indigenous (Funai), agencies which provided public services and advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples.
President Jair Bolsonaro was accused of inciting hatred after he declared that “Brazil can’t be a country of the gay world, of gay tourism,” specifically stating that people can come “and have sex with a woman.” His comments received criticism from LGBT leaders and feminists throughout the country.
Mexico
Central American migrants continue to fight to make their way through Mexico to the United States. Last week, immigration officials in southern Mexico broke up a caravan of 3,000 Central American migrants, and around 1,300 migrants escaped from a Mexican holding center in the southern border city Tapachula, stating the facility is overcrowded and unsanitary. Shortly following the breakout, hundreds of migrants boarded “La Bestia” freight train, stating that “they won’t let us walk, so we climbed on the train.” This weekend, Pope Francis donated $500,000 to 27 different projects within Mexico “to continue providing housing, food and basic necessities” to the migrants. The Vatican cited falling levels of individual and government aid with decreasing media coverage of the migrant caravans as one of the main reasons for the donation.
As of February, Mexico is the United States’s top trade partner. Traditionally, Mexico is the third top US trade partner; however, a trade war with China and the increased price of oil affecting trade with Canada has pushed Mexico into the top spot. As the US Census Bureau catches up on data after the month-long government shutdown at the beginning of the year, Mexico is predicted to fall back behind China and Canada.
Peru
Former President Alan Garcia committed suicide while being arrested in his home on corruption charges linked to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. Garcia is the fourth Peruvian president to be charged with corruption linked to Odebrecht. Just before shooting himself, Garcia wrote a suicide letter, which his daughter read at his funeral, stating he did not want to face the “injustices” of being arrested on allegations.
United States
The US Treasury Department has added sanctions to Venezuela’s central bank, foreign minister, and a judge who has approved the jailing of opposition politicians. The sanctions on Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and judge Carol Padilla freeze all of their assets in the United States and forbid them from engaging in any financial dealings with US citizens or entities. These latest sanctions are just the latest in a long list of US sanctions on Venezuela as the US government tries to push the “illegitimate” President Nicolas Maduro out of power.
Venezuela
Since 2015, over 3 million Venezuelans have fled the country and an estimated 5,000 or more are estimated to leave daily. In the latest migration tragedy, an overcrowded fishing boat capsized on its way to Trinidad and Tobago. While some were rescued, at least 21 passengers still remain missing. With border crossings along the Colombia and Brazil borders closed, many Venezuelans are fleeing the country by sea.
Juan Guaidó held a meeting of designated foreign ambassadors on Saturday in Colombia to discuss methods to gain support from Russia, China, Turkey, and Cuba - all staunch allies of President Nicolas Maduro. The meeting included thirteen ambassadors from Latin America and the United States, and was a precursor to the upcoming meeting between the Lima Group and representatives from Russia, China, and Cuba. Guaidó has also called for the “world’s largest” march on May 1, which he calls “Operation Liberty.”
|
