Inter-American Watch

Monday December 27th, 2021

The Americas

How Al Qaeda operates in Brazil: connections with drug trafficking to Europe and the Mara Salvatrucha

The United States this week sanctioned three agents of the terrorist network operating in São Paulo. Cocaine leaving Peru and Bolivia passes through North Africa with the help of Islamic extremists.
Infobae, in Spanish: https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2021/12/26/como-opera-al-qaeda-en-brasil-conexiones-con-el-narcotrafico-a-europa-y-su-alianza-con-la-mara-salvatrucha/

Peru

Report: A year of instability marked by the lack of suitable ministers

On average, members of Pedro Castillo’s cabinet have lasted two months and seven days, according to a study by the Bicentennial Observatory. Experts question president Castillo’s ability to appoint trusted officials.
Peru21 in Spanish: https://peru21.pe/politica/informe21-un-ano-de-inestabilidad-marcado-por-la-falta-de-ministros-idoneos-noticia/

Peru’s Pedro Castillo: political scandals in his first 180 days in power

In these five months of management, a vacancy motion has already been filed against him, on the grounds of permanent moral incapacity. Although this initiative did not obtain the 52 votes necessary to be admitted to debate, it is a sign that the mistakes of the Government have an impact on national representation.
La Republica, in Spanish: https://www.larepublica.co/globoeconomia/pedro-castillo-principales-escandalos-politicos-en-sus-primeros-cinco-meses-en-peru-3281944

Argentina

Argentina: a ticking time bomb

Twenty years later Argentina imploded because of the massive $96 billion default on the IMF, Argentina’s massive debt pile is still front and center of the political discussion, as is the IMF and a new possibility of default.
Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2021/12/24/2001-to-2021-argentina-a-ticking-time-bomb/?sh=3290593a3310

Ecuador

Report: No end in sight for Ecuador’s downward spiral

Ecuador’s descent into violence followed a common path: more cocaine led to more cash and more weapons for the gangs. The government, already distracted by COVID-19, could not contain the rising conflict, especially in the country’s overcrowded prison system. The difference was that in Ecuador in 2021, this happened faster than anywhere else in the Americas.
Insight Crime: https://insightcrime.org/news/gamechangers-2021-no-end-sight-ecuador-downward-spiral/

Ecuador will close 2021 with the worst security crisis of the decade

According to the official monthly average of violent deaths, Ecuador will close the year with a rate of 13.13 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, the worst figure in the last 10 years. Lasso’s Government focuses on the control of prisons to reduce crime. All indicators point put that levels of violence, crime and insecurity are the worst since 2012.
Primicias, in Spanish: https://www.primicias.ec/noticias/en-exclusiva/ecuador-peor-crisis-seguridad-decada/

Bolivia

Evo attacks critics and independent media because they don’t behave as he wishes

In his Sunday radio program he criticized the media for not covering favorably political events of his party (MAS) as he wanted. In addition. He also accused institutions controlled by the opposition in Santa Cruz, the second largest city in Bolivia, for promoting a false democracy.
El Deber, in Spanish: https://eldeber.com.bo/bolivia/evo-arremete-contra-la-institucionalidad-crucena-y-medios-de-comunicacion-independientes_261354

Chile

The siege of the press in Chile begins: Boric tries different forms of pressure

Chile’s president-elect, Gabriel Boric, will create a new media system to manage content and spending on propaganda, thus recalling Chavista’s “communicational hegemony” strategy put in place by Hugo Chávez in Venezuela. In less than a week after being elected, he has already warmed up to follow the same Chavez’s path.
Panampost, in Spanish: https://panampost.com/gabriela-moreno/2021/12/23/asedio-prensa-chile-boric/