Venezuela orders military exercises
Jan. 2, 2023
Venezuela’s government ordered “defensive” exercises involving more than 5,600 military personnel after the UK deployed a warship off the coast of Guyana, amid ongoing territorial tensions over Guyana’s oil-rich Essequibo region. The government then ordered withdrawal of “part of the aeronaval assets” deployed on the country’s Atlantic coast, on Sunday, ahead of the “departure” of the British warship from “disputed waters” with Guyana, reports EFE.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said the UK warship’s presence off the coast of the former British colony constitutes a “provocation and threat … against peace and the sovereignty of our country.”
British officials said the HMS Trent had been taking part in an operation combatting drug smuggling in the Caribbean near the coast of Guyana.
Brazil, which has positioned itself as a mediator in the conflict, called for "restraint and a return to dialogue." Expressing "concern," the Brazilian government said in a statement it "believes military demonstrations of support to either party should be avoided.”
Guyana and Venezuela agreed last month to avoid the use of force and resist increasing tensions. But during talks Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said his nation reserved its right to work with partners to ensure the defence of his country.
(Guardian, Associated Press, AFP)
Argentina rejects BRICS invite
Argentina’s government formally rejected joining the BRICS bloc of developing economies, an abrupt diplomatic about face that signals the new Milei administration’s determination to shift its foreign relations focus towards the U.S.
President Javier Milei said, in a letter addressed to the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa that the moment was not “opportune” for Argentina to join as a full member. Milei said in his letter that his government's foreign policy "differs in many ways from that of the previous government.”
The move fulfills a campaign promise, though Milei has walked back on vows to avoid trade with “communist” governments in Brazil and China, Argentina’s most important economic partners.
Argentina was among six countries invited in August to join the bloc last year and had been set to become a member yesterday.
(Associated Press, Página 12, BBC)
Milei’s Omnibus Bill
Milei followed up on a recent presidential decree of unprecedented scope, that modifies over 300 laws with the stated intent of economic deregulation, with an “omnibus law” proposal that proposes declaring a public emergency until the end of 2025, which would allow the Executive branch bypass Congress and legislate on a broad number of issues, reports the Buenos Aires Times. (See Dec. 22’s post.)
Many of the bill’s 664 articles focus on economic deregulation, including the privatization of all public companies and the introduction of tax amnesties that would allow Argentines to register and repatriate some undeclared assets.
But the bill would also prohibit gatherings of more than three people in public spaces without a permit granted by the Public Security Ministry, mandates a five-year prison sentences for those who organize “gatherings or rallys” and loosens security agents’ protocols regarding the use of firearms, reports the Buenos Aires Herald. Other reforms apparently aim to mimic the U.S. justice system, including mandating black robes for judges and use of a gavel in court.
The bill also proposes sweeping electoral reform, including changes to Argentina's proportional representation electoral system that would raise the number of lawmakers in each district to one per 161,000 inhabitants, from one per 180,000 inhabitants, reports Reuters.
The bill will be dealt with during extraordinary sessions of Congress called by Milei last week, which run until January 31. The president’s La Libertad Avanza party intends to take it to the Chamber of Deputies for a vote on January 25, reports the Buenos Aires Times.
But several of the measures proposed require an absolute majority, such as electoral reform, which could slow the process down, according to Reuters. Congressional commissions which must analyze the bill have not yet been formed, which will also slow down the timeline, reports the Buenos Aires Herald.
It is unclear how much of the proposal will be approved by a Congress. Libertad Avanza holds a small minority of seats in both chamber, but has formed a tactical alliance with a faction of the fractured right-wing Juntos por el Cambio coalition.
“While other presidents have declared a state of emergency for particular issues …the scale of what Milei is requesting is without precedent, considering the vast number of areas over which he intends to make decisions without Congressional oversight,” reports the Buenos Aires Herald.
The center-right UCR party will play kingmaker in Congress, but will find difficulty in walking a tightrope between opposing Milei’s approach and not blocking his agenda — further complicated by the Milei administration’s reported refusal to negotiate, according to Letra P.
The “authoritarian drift” and “radical nature” of the measures “are beginning to take their toll on the president,” according to El País. “The social climate is effervescent — the unions announced a strike for the end of January — and Milei’s negative image has risen five points to 55% since he arrived at the Casa Rosada.”
More Argentina
Environmental groups warn that the reforms will significantly weaken protection of forests, glaciers and other natural resources, reports EFE.
Plus ça change: Milei swept aside an anti-nepotism law to appoint his sister — an instrumental ally who reportedly manages everything from the president’s agenda to his wardrobe — to a key cabinet post. Karina Milei is the “general secretary of the presidency, a position with the same ranking as a minister, and will be in charge of tasks including developing public policy, writing speeches and managing relations with civil society. Some are already calling her co-president,” reports the Guardian.
Brazil
A controversial law drastically limiting Indigenous land rights in Brazil came into force yesterday, a victory for the country’s powerful agribusiness congressional caucus. “Dubbed “the Indigenous genocide law” by the Climate Observatory environmental watchdog, the new legislation opens the door to activities such as road-building, mining, dam construction and agricultural projects on Indigenous lands – protected territories which serve as an important safeguard against deforestation,” reports the Guardian.
Thousands of illegal miners are resisting the Brazilian government’s attempts to evict them from the Yanomami Indigenous territory, nearly a year after operations to displace them began, reports the Guardian.
Efforts to crackdown on wildcat mining in Indigenous territories has pushed illegal mining to less protected areas, reports Reuters. Federal Police have joined the government's biodiversity conservation agency ICMBio on a series of recent operations to catch illegal gold miners and destroy their camps and equipment.
The Jaraguá Indigenous Territory, just outside of São Paulo is Brazil’s smallest and most densely populated, reports the Washington Post.
Migration
Top U.S. officials met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, last week, to discuss root causes of migration, in hopes of reducing a surge of illegal border crossings between the two countries. The large number of migrants in recent weeks has forced border officials to temporarily shut down several border crossings, with impact on business on both sides, reports the New York Times.
They agreed to form a working group to jointly confront the record numbers of illegal immigrants arriving at the southern U.S. border, though no new initiatives were announced, reports the Washington Post.
Following the meeting AMLO hailed what he described as “important agreements.” The countries said they would strengthen a sponsorship initiative for Venezuelan, Cuban, Nicaraguan and Haitian migrants and look to tackle its root causes such as poverty and violence. (Guardian)
Nicaragua has a springboard for migrants from around the world, lured by proximity to the U.S. and lax entry requirements that respond to President Daniel Ortega’s efforts to “weaponize migration and force negotiations over sanctions imposed on members of his inner circle,” reports the Guardian.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua’s Ortega government maintained its attacks on the Catholic Church over the holidays: Between December 20 and 30, 13 priests and two seminarians were arrested, among them priests known as Monsignors Carlos Avilés, Silvio Fonseca, Miguel Mántica, and Father Pablo Villafranca, reports El País.
Pope Francis made reference to the detentions in his New Year’s mass. (El País) The pontiff said he was “following with concern what is happening in Nicaragua, where bishops and priests have been deprived of their freedom.” (New York Times)
Nicaragua and China formally started trading under a new free trade agreement yesterday, allowing the Central American country to export some 71% of its products into the largest Asian market and free of tariffs. (Reuters)
Regional
“Much of Latin America lives under a hybrid form of government in which both democratic states and organized criminal groups exercise power — sometimes in competition and sometimes together. It’s often immensely difficult to tell who is really in control,” writes Will Freeman in the Los Angeles Times.
Haiti
Two children were killed in Haiti on Christmas Day by the 400 Mawozo armed group that has ramped up its campaign of violence in communities east of capital Port-au-Prince, reports the Miami Herald.
Colombia
Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s relationship with incoming governors and mayors is a potential opportunity for the embattled administration to advance on its security agenda, according to El País.
A month into Colombia’s groundbreaking “junk food tax,” customers are feeling the impact, and some are concerned that the measure makes food more inaccessible for the country’s poorest without increasing their options for healthier alternatives, reports the Guardian.
Critter Corner
A large population of cats in Santiago’s largest penitentiary has had positive effects on the roughly 5,600 human residents, reports the New York Times.