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Notes -
International Updates 2
You can probably tell which region has been holding my interest lately from the length of these, but I tried to give a good spread. As before, feel free to add your own coverage of anywhere.
Haiti
Things in Haiti are still brutal, with more than half the country extremely food insecure and 60% of Port-Au-Prince controlled by gangs. However, Reuters reports that “Violence by armed gangs has fallen 'drastically' since the emergence of a vigilante justice movement that has seen at least 160 suspected criminals killed in the last month, a report by local human rights research group CARDH said on Sunday . . . CARDH said 'almost no' kidnappings had been recorded in the last month and counted 43 gang-linked murders, down from 146 in the first three weeks of April.”
Brazil
Brazil hosted the Summit of Americas on Tuesday, the first summit of its kind in 9 years and featuring every South American country except Peru. Brazilian President Lula, attempting to harness what remains of the Pink Tide, called for a revival of the region’s 2008 Hugo Chavez-led integration, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). This would include a common currency, and projects like a “ ‘Bi-Oceanic Corridor,’ a transportation artery to enable countries to ship goods across the continent overland instead of by sea.” A cool idea but it’s unclear how seriously anyone takes it, and potential partners across the left and right (ie both Chile and Uruguay) are skeptical of Lula’s warming with Venezuelan leader Maduro.
The Chamber of Deputies, the conservative-controlled lower house of Brazilian Congress, also passed a controversial bill which will limit formally recognized indigenous lands. The bill is backed by Brazil’s powerful farm lobby and looks posed to pass the Senate as well. The bill potentially opens up the areas of the Amazon inhabited by “over a million people” for development, which critics denounce as a betrayal of Lula’s promises of sustainable development and environmental conservation. Indigenous groups responded by blocking a highway outside Sao Paolo and cops gave them the tear gas treatment.
Argentina
Argentina’s Peronist/Kirchnerist ruling party, Frente de Todos, has presided over a deteriorating economy, as is custom, and faces a rough election ahead. Astoundingly, Forbes now reports that polls show a three way tie between them, the standard center right opposition party Juntos por el Cambio (who previously also botched the economy), and the previously fringe ultra libertarian Javier Millei who “promises to burn the Central Bank, eliminate the ‘political caste’ and use a ‘chainsaw’ to reduce a bloated state,” and was “initially discarded as a something of a lunatic.” His party, La Libertad Avanza, was only created in 2021 and surprised everyone by receiving 17% of the vote in the last legislative election. There isn’t a clear leader for the ruling party yet, though the Cabinet Chief has announced his candidacy and the Ministers of the Economy and the Interior are expected to announce as well.
Guatemala
Guatemala’s conservative ruling party Vamos has been listing towards autocracy this past year. A lot of attention has focused upon the high profile arrest on of the Director of one of the major newspaper lines for investigating corruption. His lawyers have now been arrested as well, nine other journalists have been placed under investigation for covering the trial, and El Periodico has shut down completely. There are elections on the 25th and Vamos’ current President Giammattei must step down, but the government has barred the three most popular opposition candidates on both the left and the right, and finally decided to just go ahead and release a list of 200 candidates from the Citizen Prosperity party who they won’t allow to run.
The U.S. has expressed its concerns about rule of law in Guatemala but still relies on the government to restrict migration outflows, so there’s likely a limit to how much pressure America will apply.
Senegal
Speaking of which, Senegal also has an election next year and has also imprisoned the political opposition leader Ousmane Sonko on sexual assault charges. Large protests have been held and repressed in turn. The current President Macky Sall is technically done with his two terms but altered the constitution recently and may run again.
Central African Republic
Faustin Archange Touadera, leader of the CAR since 2008, is also holding a referendum that would allow him to stay on past his term limits.
Uganda
Uganda has passed their draconian anti-gay law, despite international criticism. The US and some European countries have suspended aid and there has been some talk of sanctions, but Mosevembi’s hilariously named National Resistance Movement (actually a forty year dictatorship) has said they will hold strong.
Iran
On May 27 the Taliban and the Iranian security forces held a firefight near the Nimroz District in Balochistan province. The dispute is over water access. The “Iran Meteorological Organization says that an estimated 97 percent of the country now faces some level of drought,” and Iranian President Raisi recently forbid the Taliban from accessing the Helmand River, despite a 73 sharing arrangement treaty. [edit: covered more by @hanikrummihundursvin below]
Sri Lanka
You probably remember Sri Lanka’s recent near total economic collapse, culminating in its President Rajapaksa literally fleeing the country. Some rare positive news: the economy has been steadily recovering and inflation going down, leading the government to finally cut interest rates and reduce fuel prices for the first time since the crisis. India has also recently extended another billion dollar credit line.
Pakistan
The crackdown on Imran Khan’s party has continued in the months following his arrest, with thousands of supporters arrested, over 80 senior members “forced to leave the party at gunpoint,” and now the arrest of one of Khan’s top allies.
Kosovo / Peru Boots on the Ground Bonus
NATO is deploying more 700 troops to Kosovo after protests from the Serbian minority have grown agressive, and Peru is receiving 1000 American troops to train and advise their security forces as they deal with ongoing protests.
I really like the international updates, something different from the usual culture war topics.
Deserves it's own post outside the weekly one, but maybe most readers don't pay attention to those
Thanks for posting
Thanks, maybe it should go in its own post. I worry about people not reading outside the main thread but maybe if it was a regular thing that would be different.
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Ah, yes; another one of those irregular verbs.
We're a neighbourhood watch organisation; you're vigilantes; they're a gang.
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Between this and Bukele's crackdown, forceful anti-crime methods are having a bit of a moment in the western hemisphere. I'm happy to hear that they are working a bit - Lord knows the poor Haitians have suffered a lot.
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It's kind of weird for Brazilian leftists to criticize Bolsonaro so harshly for being authoritarian, then have their guy Lula turn around and start feting the leaders of the most autocratic countries like Russia, Venezuela, and China.
How is it weird? Leftist always laud authoritarianism when its in their favor. And, criticize it when it is against them. This is the standard that started with Marx and Engels.
First rule of slider been espousing lately. Nobody cares about the arguments much, they care if the argument boosts the power of their group.
When I say I’ve radicalized lately it might just be that I’ve accepted reality and power is the norm; which means I’ve just normalized.
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Broadly speaking, everyone does this. It is a most human quality.
True, but rightists have justifications for authoritarianism built into their ideologies. Leftists have to squirm to make up justifications for their tyrants.
The leap from he knows what's best for you to we know what's best for you isn't all that big.
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